When he moves to a new house with his father, a young boy asks and is given permission to get a dog. After visiting the local shelter, he selects Toby, a cute but rather shy young canine. Although eager to play with and train his new companion, the boy discovers that Toby is sometimes frightened and withdrawn, and doesn't immediately learn to obey commands to sit or fetch. When Toby gets into a little trouble - making a mess inside the house, destroying a bed of flowers - the boy's father suggests that perhaps Toby isn't the right dog for them. Can Toby and the boy prove him wrong...?

A sweet tale is paired with delightfully charming illustrations in Toby, artist Hazel Mitchell's debut as an author/illustrator. Based upon the experiences of her own rescue poodle, Mitchell's story highlights an important message about giving shelter animals time to adjust to their new lives, and having patience with them when they at first seem uncooperative. I enjoyed the tale, and found the artwork, done in pencil and watercolor, immensely appealing. Mitchell captures both her human and canine characters' various emotional states beautifully, making the happy ending especially satisfying. Recommended to young dog-lovers, and to anyone looking for children's stories that address getting a companion animal from a shelter. ( )

Rescue dogs can be afraid and need time to adjust to their new home and family. Toby is a good example of how a dog can wriggle his way into the heart of a family using their cute personality. I'm impressed by the boy's hard work with Toby before his Dad can decide that maybe Toby isn't the right dog for them.
The boy learns responsibility as he works with Toby and we see his love for the dog, and his compassion that Toby needs to adjust. With the delightful and vivid illustrations, also done by the author, we see the bonding process that goes on between them.
Toby is a cute, engaging story about friendship and love that forms between a child and a dog. This book is well worth the addition to any child's, classroom or library shelf. 5 STARS! ( )