While his moms are at work and his brothers are at school, Brutus is a lonely puppy. But today his family has a surprise for him...a new puppy brother named Zeke. Zeke and Brutus quickly become best friends and enjoy taking walks, playing with their brothers, and going on puppy adventures.
While his moms are at work and his brothers are at school, Brutus is a lonely puppy. But today his family has a surprise for him...a new puppy brother named Zeke. Zeke and Brutus quickly become best friends and enjoy taking walks, playing with their brothers, and going on puppy adventures.
Brutus' family has decided to bring another puppy into their home to give Brutus a playmate because they believe Brutus is lonely when the humans go to school and work. Alex, Ryan, Ben, and their mother drove to the local pet shop, where they discovered many adorable puppies for sale. (Zeke is the only dog pictured, even though the author mentions the family saw many.)Â
According to the ASPCA's website, over 6 million companion animals enter U.S. shelters, and roughly 3 million are canines. The number of euthanized is staggering. That's why I firmly believe in adopting, not shopping for pets. Kelsi Donnellon, the author, had the perfect opportunity to take the family to an animal shelter and reinforce the importance of rescuing a furry friend. You never know, Zeke might've been as lonely as Brutus and hoped to find a new friend.Â
When the family returned home with the pup, Brutus didn't immediately take to Zeke, the cute mini sheepadoodle. That reaction is typical. Many animals need time to adjust to a stranger in their home. With time, Brutus accepted Zeke and even became protective of him. He was a great brother and friend, and so was Zeke to Brutus. Â
To understand the plot, I would recommend Brutus Gets A Friend: The Adventures of Mr. Brutus by Kelsi Donnellon to children three years and up. For illustrations only, you share this story with toddlers.Â
Speaking of illustrations, Zeke and Brus were cute. I even liked the two kitties in the pet shop. They were identical in color but had different facial expressions, which I thought was an excellent touch. The layout of the fish tank, Zeke, and bird images was odd. One, the birds' heads were cut off. Two, the fish tank appeared to be over the dog enclosure. Visually, it looked choppy.Â
There were some hits and misses, but overall, it was a sweet story.Â