Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor

Abstract

Reviewed by: Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor Kate Quealy-Gainer Tabor, Corey R. Simon and the Better Bone; written and illus. by Corey R. Tabor. Balzer + Bray, 2023 [40p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780063275553 $19.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R 4-7 yrs Simon the dog is already having a splendid day when he finds a bone near the pond: "If there was a better bone in all the world, Simon hadn't seen it." Unfortunately, his contentment is soon shattered when he spots another dog (seemingly in the pond) with another bone—a better bone. Viewers, of course, will see that it's really Simon's reflection in the pond that is causing this bout of canine envy, but poor Simon, cute as he is, isn't so sharp. He politely asks the other dog to trade bones only to get no answer, so he challenges the dog to a contest—winner gets the bone—but the dog seems to know all Simon's tricks, even chasing "his tail while playing dead while reciting his favorite poem." Frustrated, he pounces, intent on getting the bone, only to lose his own and get sopping wet. Tabor updates Aesop's Fable "The Dog and His Reflection" with a little more goofiness and a bit less pedantry, and the clever unfolding layout of pages to reveal Simon's reflection immediately brings kids in on the joke, ensuring storytime engagement. Smudgy, dappled textures in pastoral hues make a cheerful background for shaggy brown Simon whose expressive tail and ears effortlessly convey his joy, frustration, and glee. Viewers will find Simon's eventual bestowment of an even bigger bone on his watery counterpart an admirably generous move, and giggles will surely ensue when Simon hopes to see his new "friend" again just as he's about to run past a mirror. [End Page 307] Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois