Just Like Millie

January 1, 2024
In this comforting story, a young girl and her mother move to a cozy apartment in a new city where she happily plays by herself whenever her mom has to work in the next room. When Mom suggests going to the park to meet other kids, she isn't interested; her response to the suggestion of a playdate with neighbors is a resounding "NO." An invitation to join a bookstore storytime induces panic, and the girl cries "till [her] face was bright red." One day they visit an animal shelter, where they adopt a sweet and affectionate dog. Millie quickly befriends everyone they meet on their walks, and the girl slowly grows more comfortable with new people and pups. Castillo's ink, watercolor, and soft pastel illustrations show the girl's budding courage: at first she's always glued to Mom, but with every encounter her face and posture relax more until she finds herself smiling and even waving hello. At a dog park, Millie races off to make friends; taking a cue from her affable dog, the girl spots another timid girl and goes over to say hello, just like Millie. In a final, heartwarming illustration, both girls stride along confidently, holding their dogs' leashes, a few small but meaningful steps ahead of their moms. The way in which Castillo's characters stand out against the paler backgrounds, with bolder black outlines filled with robust colors, cleverly helps young audiences focus in on minute but crucial changes in facial expression and body language. Jennifer M. Brabander

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from January 15, 2024
After a child and mother unpack boxes in their new apartment, Castillo (This Is a Story) draws the pale-skinned youth, who has a mop of tousled hair, playing with blocks and declining a suggestion to meet kids their age at the local park—“I didn’t mind being alone. It felt safe.” The offer of a playdate produces a hot face and wet eyes; “NO,” the child says, clinging to their mother. Story time at the bookstore? “I shrank to the ground and cried till my face was bright red.” Then the mother—who, notably, never oversteps her child’s clear boundaries—concocts a surprise outing to an animal shelter, where they meet a “not too big, not too small dog./ A just right dog.” Millie needs three walks a day, and “on every walk we met at/ least one new person./ It was less scary each time./ I felt safe with Millie.” The experience of Millie’s friend-making success, and the pleasure that the dog takes in companionship, transforms the narrator: “Mom,” the child whispers, about a parent-child duo they see at the dog park, “should we go say hello?” Castillo’s tale persuades without sounding prescriptive, and her signature artwork highlights both a close, transformative bond, and the way that new connections made voluntarily can ease upheaval. Secondary characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3–7. Agent: Paul Rodeen, Rodeen Literary.

Starred review from January 1, 2024
A little girl and her mother move into a new apartment. Initially, the child is too shy to make eye contact with their neighbors, too shy to agree to playdates, and too shy to join a group of kids at a bookshop's storytime. One day, she and her mom visit an animal shelter and return home with Millie, a "not too big, not too small dog." Quiet but friendly, Millie approaches every neighbor they see outdoors. Gradually, after watching Millie in action, the girl begins to let go of her fears and, one day at the dog park, gathers the courage to befriend another child and her mother, who are sitting on a bench nearby. Castillo, who wrote and illustrated the Caldecott Honor Book Nana in the City (2014), gives her new book an urban setting as well. In the first-person narrative, the girl recalls observing her dog's approach to making friends, which helped her overcome her fear of strangers and, with a little help, make a new friend. The art, created with ink, watercolors, and soft pastels, sensitively portrays the characters' emotions while depicting their lively neighborhood. A heartening picture book on a timeless topic: making friends.

COPYRIGHT(2024) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

February 1, 2024
Getting a rescue dog makes moving easier for an anxious child. In a new city and a new apartment, a mother and child unpack boxes. Crayons, toys, and books keep the curly-haired child happily occupied while Mom works from home in the next room. But, outside of this safe, cozy routine, the child (who narrates the story) is reluctant to try to make new friends or even go to storytime at the bookstore. One day, Mom takes the child on a surprise visit to the animal shelter. It's love at first sniff when the protagonist meets a tan-and-white dog named Millie. Naturally, Mom and the little one bring Millie home. The new furry roommate helps the child feel braver on walks--and maybe even make a new human friend, too. Castillo's signature thick-lined, textured art creates cozy neighborhood settings that beautifully accentuate this gentle story about the power of connection. Mom's repeated "Okay" responses to the child's reluctance show warmth and understanding. With the endpapers acting as establishing shots, the illustrations--mostly double-page spreads with plenty of white space--feel almost cinematic in their slice-of-life perspectives. Careful readers might notice a few easter eggs hidden in the illustrations throughout, including some of Castillo's other books and the black dog that eventually becomes Millie's friend. The mother and child have light-tan skin; neighbors are diverse in skin tone. A sweet, child-centered tribute to fur babies everywhere. (Picture book. 3-7)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

June 7, 2024

PreS-Gr 2-Caldecott honoree Castillo (Nana in the City) gently explores anxiety and connection when a young girl moves with her mother, both pale-skinned and with yellow curly hair, to a new city. Content to play quietly inside while her mother works, the child is overwhelmed in social situations. When her mom tries to arrange a play date, "My face turned hot and my eyes felt wet." The soft acceptance from her mother speaks to an understanding, and one morning they go to the animal shelter. Millie the dog turns their family of two into three, and the protagonist's daily walks and care of Millie creates a safe space for her to meet people in her neighborhood with her mother and, eventually, make a friend; she approaches a mother and daughter with brown skin and dark hair and readers see them walking home. A warm palette of soft pastel, watercolor, and bold ink lines render cozy scenes and connectedness. The urban neighborhood is rich in bright colors, busy with people and their dogs. Despite the size of the city, everything begins and ends with the child's home, where she learns how to make friends because she witnesses Millie's behavior and fearlessness, and grows from this. Empathy, love, and acceptance win the day. VERDICT A first purchase and excellent choice for dog story times.-Rachel Zuffa

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2024
In this comforting story, a young girl and her mother move to a cozy apartment in a new city where she happily plays by herself whenever her mom has to work in the next room. When Mom suggests going to the park to meet other kids, she isn't interested; her response to the suggestion of a playdate with neighbors is a resounding "NO." An invitation to join a bookstore storytime induces panic, and the girl cries "till �her] face was bright red." One day they visit an animal shelter, where they adopt a sweet and affectionate dog. Millie quickly befriends everyone they meet on their walks, and the girl slowly grows more comfortable with new people and pups. Castillo's ink, watercolor, and soft pastel illustrations show the girl's budding courage: at first she's always glued to Mom, but with every encounter her face and posture relax more until she finds herself smiling and even waving hello. At a dog park, Millie races off to make friends; taking a cue from her affable dog, the girl spots another timid girl and goes over to say hello, just like Millie. In a final, heartwarming illustration, both girls stride along confidently, holding their dogs' leashes, a few small but meaningful steps ahead of their moms. The way in which Castillo's characters stand out against the paler backgrounds, with bolder black outlines filled with robust colors, cleverly helps young audiences focus in on minute but crucial changes in facial expression and body language.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)