Smick

December 15, 2014
Writing in short, emphatic phrases, Cronin (the Click Click Moo books)
introduces Smick, an eminently playful dog who happily shows off his best tricks. Newcomer Medina does a remarkable job of encapsulating Smick’s essential dogginess in just a few exuberant black lines with a crayonlike texture: aside from a slim collar that displays Smick’s name, the rough outline of Smick’s body is all that separates him from the pages’ white backgrounds. The narration assumes the voice of Smick’s unseen owner, offering commands (“Go, Smick, go!”) and praise (“Good, Smick!”). After demonstrating his ability to sit and fetch a photographic stick, Smick befriends Chick, a tiny bird who consists of a single oval flower petal, upon which Medina has drawn a beak, wings, eyes, and stick legs. There’s a tense moment when it seems like Smick might gobble up Chick (“No, Smick, No!”), but before long these two become “Sidekick” and “Sidechick,” mutually devoted friends. It’s a straightforward and satisfying friendship story in both its concept and execution. Ages 3–5. Author’s agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. Illustrator’s agent: Gillian MacKenzie, Gillian MacKenzie Agency.

November 15, 2014
A dog named Smick encounters a stick and Chick, with high-action results.When Smick hears his named called, followed by the command to sit, he eagerly responds, winning a laudatory "Good, Smick." Ordered to fetch a stick, Smick complies and earns another "Good, Smick." Then Smick hears Chick clucking. He curiously approaches the little bird to investigate and receives an alarmed "No, Smick, no!" As Smick and Chick check each other out, Chick perches on Smick's head until Smick resumes chasing the stick. Eventually, the unlikely pair bond and companionably share the stick as well as a friendly lick. Printed in bold, black typeface, the spare text plays with single words like "Smick," "stick," "Chick," "sidekick," "sidechick," "lick" and "ick," triggering a neat rhyming cadence from beginning to end. Simplicity is key in the energetic, digitally rendered illustrations printed on plain white backgrounds. Economical, expressive, fluid black lines capture Smick's range of doggy emotions and postures, while Chick catches the eye as a single red-and-yellow digitally collaged flower petal with a black beak, eye and wings digitally added. The realistic photo of a stick adds whimsical verisimilitude. Less is definitely more in this fetching, fun-filled mix of dog, chick and stick, guaranteed to tickle all. (Picture book. 2-8)

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Starred review from February 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-A pup named Smick, an ordinary stick, and one adorable chick form an unlikely trio. The first few pages introduce the pup while spare text lists commands for the canine. Next, a stick is introduced into the story line and serves as a tantalizing treat for the pooch. Smick is encouraged to act on his interest in chasing his new toy. "Go, Smick, go!" His ears twitch as the next word introduces the newest arrival: "Chick?" Initially, it appears that Smick and Chick are in a standoff until they realize that there is much joy to be found in their relationship; the final page features Smick and Chick in a moment of slobbery affection. "Sidekick...Sidechick...Side lick!" With only a smattering of words and thick dark outlined drawings on the white pages, Smick's telling facial features accentuate his playful charm. Photographs of flower petals and rosemary tree sticks are combined with digital images to achieve an excellent effect. VERDICT This clever and appealing glimpse into the start of some delightful friendships is one doggone good time.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2014
Preschool-K *Starred Review* Smick! It's the perfect name for this dog, who kinda resembles your goofy grandpa. On wide expanses of cream-colored spreads sits Smick, and just a few strokes of black ink outline hima big old dog with floppy ears. Then, on one of the pages, something appears: Stick? Why, yes, it is a stick, being thrown by an unseen narrator, who urges the dog to grab it. Smick's perfectly happy with the stick, until he is distracted by a cluck. Chick? Who could blame Smick for sniffing around the tiny bird now under his noseor is that closer to his mouth? No, Smick, no! But Smick prefers the chick as a friend, not dinner, and when the stick comes into play, it's all chick, stick, and Smick. This perfect mesh of words (what there are of them) and art (also minimal) manages to provide a ton of fun, and the clever decision to use photo collage to show the red-and-yellow feathered chick and the stick adds visual interest. The oversize format makes this great for story time, but independent new readers will also enjoy the story, which may provide their only opportunity to read the word Smick. A great example of how to get maximum fun out of the minimum amount of lines.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2015
With minimal text, a clever use of sight words and word families, and a bounty of playfulness, Cronin introduces preschoolers (and early readers) to their new best friend: good-natured, tail-wagging, droopy-eared dog Smick. A game of fetch between dog and offstage narrator ("Stick?") gives way to the discovery of a new friend when Smick is distracted by a "Cluck!" in the distance. Smick, stick, and the newly introduced chick, who is now comfortably situated on Smick's head, attempt to resume the game, with mixed results ("Slow, Smick, slow!"). All ends in joyful doggy friendship: "Sidekick... / Sidechick. / Side lick! ick." Digitally rendered art incorporates photo images of a flower petal (transformed into the chick by the addition of a few added black lines for wings, legs, eyes, and beak) and a wooden stick. However, it mostly consists of simple black lines, stark against the expansive white space, that communicate Smick's constant motion and boundless energy with economy, verve, and apt detail (i.e., one ear lifted in the direction of a new sound). The handful of words per page play with meaning via order and context la Gravett's Apple Pear Orange Bear (rev. 7/07), allowing readers to flesh out the story themselves and encouraging independent reading. "Go, Smick, go!" cheers the narrator, in homage to the classic Eastman easy reader. Readers will cheer along. claire e. gross

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)