PreSchool-Grade 2–What does a family do when the rainy days go on and on? If your name is Madame Coco and your family consists of five chubby white dogs, the answer is to throw a costume party. Since the pups don't fit into any of the old costumes in the attic, they will make their own, and a prize will be awarded for the best one. The party is planned with food, decorations, games, and the contest. The contest results in a tie, and the prize is a kitty named Oscar who next year dresses up as (what else?) a white dog. The wonderfully detailed pictures are hilarious and expressive. This is a great activity-producing selection for a rainy day, or any day.–Beverly Combs, Webb Middle School, Garland, TX
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From Booklist
K-Gr. 2. Chess often reminds readers of another writer and illustrator, Edward Gorey, in both her aloof tellings and her sly art. Those qualities work particularly well in this story of wide-eyed Madame Coco and her white pit bulls, Nico, Fanny, Claude, Daisy, and Rose. When we meet the dogs, they are bored. Rain has kept them inside, except for necessities (and there are some fine pictures of those, including one of a dog in midnecessity), so Madame Coca suggests a costume party. Thus begins a series of clever pictures showing the dogs making their costumes, reading menus, and decorating (balloons!). The interesting thing about this book is its matter-of-fact recitation. There are no real surprises--except for the kitten that the dogs receive as a party favor. But the art is so funny (a pit bull with pointy teeth dressed as a Red Cross nurse) and the telling so deadpan that the book has enormous appeal. Very young children may not get the subtleties, but primary-age kids and even older ones will chortle. Ilene Cooper
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