Title: Petey The Pug Escapes for 24 Hours
Author: Renee’ Servello
Publisher: Explora Books
ISBN: 978-1-998394-70-8
Pages: 30
Genre: Illustrated Children’s Book
Reviewer: Beth Adams
Hollywood Book Reviews
Is it a common thought for children to run away from home? In author Renee’ Servello’s story titled, Petey The Pug Escapes for 24 Hours, we follow an adorable pug named Petey who digs his way out from under his backyard fence and wanders off onto a golf course. Seeking other dogs to play with, Petey notices to his dismay there are no other dogs, only humans hitting these small white balls which go so fast he is not able to catch any.
Petey is picked up by a worker on the golf course and brought back to their clubhouse when he meets other nice and gentle humans, but still no dogs. A bit confused and bewildered, Petey is then brought home by a worker and sleeps over at the worker’s house – calling it a slumber party! Fun evolves into tiredness, and not before long Petey falls off to sleep. The next morning Petey is reunited with his family and brought back to his real home – enjoying the warmth and love of his family and feeling good to be back. Yes, a happy ending for all is brought to the readers’ attention.
The moral is subtly brought to the forefront of the story as – there is no better place to be than home. Surely, the curiosity of what lies beyond the fence is a basic instinctual feeling, as is venturing out to see and play with other dogs, but the world sometimes is not what you might expect and although kindness prevails in this story, one never knows the risks which may occur.
The illustrations and amazing artwork of this book are astonishing. The use of shadowing the galley text gives a 3-D effect to the images, and the detail of drawing Petey’s eyes showing excitement is absolutely worthy of mentioning. The details of the artwork will be perceived by the ever-curious minds of the youngsters reading, or being read to this book, as the paging of each image brings to life the story in a highly impactful, almost animated way. The story is softly written not to bring fear or anxiety into Petey, but rather to show the kindness and love of all the humans of which this adorable pug encounters.
Petey The Pug Escapes for 24 Hours is a creative and beautiful children’s storybook and will be a welcome addition to any family library. Ideal as a bedtime reading, it will be the foundation of happy dreams for children to wish to hug this pug like the characters in the book as they fall off to dreamland. And who knows, it may even inspire children to learn how to play golf! Based on a real-life adventure that teaches children about curiosity, friendship, and what it means to be safe and loved.