As the publisher says on the verso, the story is about Peter moving and "making friends," which he does quite literally. He and his father are also befriended by their neighbors. The illustrations tell a lot that is unmentioned in the text. So, a much cleverer and even stranger book than it seems at first reading and viewing.
Oh, and maybe Lenny is a projection of Peter, who worries that Lenny may be feeling as lonely as Peter probably is. Interesting that the companion Peter creates is female. ( )

The art, the setting, and the textual cadence, especially at the beginning of the book, are reminiscent of "dark & spooky forest" fairy tales like Hansel & Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood. And, if you peek under the dust jacket, you'll see the "naked" book harkens to those fairy tales too -- the book has more traditional mostly blank, solid-colored, linen boards with a small foil-stamped illustration of the 5 non-parental characters running. Very Little Red Riding Hood -esque.

The illustrations are rather spare overall, but certain elements are heavily detailed and there are still some surprises to spot.

Harold the dog is surprisingly expressive. Harold gets 5 stars from me; the aesthetic of Lenny & Lucy gets only 2 stars. (I find them to be a little creepy.)

Kids who are feeling trepidation about a move, fear of the night / the woods, or other more generalized anxieties might find comfort in this story. ( )

Peter and his dog, Harold, do not like their new house, especially its proximity to the dark, scary woods. Peter makes a guardian out of pillows and blankets: Lenny. But Peter and Harold worry that Lenny is lonely, so they make him another companion: Lucy. Lenny and Lucy keep the dark woods stay on the other side of the bridge, where they belong. And a neighbor girl called Millie comes over with some binoculars they can use to look at owls. ( )

A short an easy to read story about fear, especially related to change. In order to get over come his fears of the dark forest, Peter creates some large scare crow like beings whom he names Lenny and Lucy to make him feel safe. Through this he becomes friends with Millie his neighbor. This book would make a fun read aloud story because it is imaginative and innovative.

This was not my favorite Philip Stead book. I found it a bit confusing. Peter, his father, and his dog Harold move away from their old house. Their new house is in the woods. Peter and Harold are afraid of what is outside in the woods, so they build a Guardian named Lenny. They do not want Lenny to be lonely, so they build him a friend named Lucy. They do not have to be afraid anymore because Lenny and Lucy are their guardians. Again, Stead's books always seem to incorporate animals along with personifying things that are not people (like Lenny and Lucy--their creations). This would not be my most recommended Stead book. ( )