Smithy and Me [Hardcover]

A humorous, all-too-familiar portrayal of bedtime hijinks. —Kirkus Reviews

My dog, Smithy, is the best playmate ever! We have so much fun together—whether he's winning at games, I'm coming out on top, or we’re both making a mess. But Mom doesn’t seem to mind. Or does she?

This charming book, perfect for dog lovers, is a sweet and funny celebration of the bond between a child and their dog. With relatable scenarios of an exhausted, working mom and a playful child, it captures the joy and messiness of their adventures and bond that ties them all together. From the winner of Clavis’ 2022 US Key Colors Competition, Darcy Day Zoells,Smithy and Mefeatures emotion-provoking illustrations that beautifully complement the story.

A book full of imagination and fun, but also full of mess and mischief. For children ages 4 years and up.Darcy Day Zoellsgraduated from Northwestern University where she studied art history and studio art. For ten years, she ran a visual literacy program in a K-5 school. She still feels passionate about helping children look critically and verbalize their questions about what they see. Her art history foundation and these experiences have had a profound effect on her work.A rambunctious but well-meaning child and dog make mess after mess. As the evening unfolds, the young narrator provides deadpan comments focused on the little terrier’s likes and dislikes (“Smithy doesn’t like to share, but he loves tug of war because… he always wins”), while the illustrations depict the unspoken consequences of their activities (after the pair playfully fight over a toy, they knock over a vase and a table). Smithy joins the child in getting ready for bed, but he fears ghosts and the dark (a bedclothes tussle generates a pillow-feather storm). Each time the two get into mischief, the protagonist’s preternaturally patient, busy mothlC†