New Dog in Town

When Toby’s family moves, he can’t wait to meet his new neighbors—but his first attempt at making friends goes horribly wrong. How can he set things straight? It’s a situation any kid can relate to, told through the eyes of amiable dog Toby in the children’s book Nose to Nose (Abrams Books). Written and illustrated by Thyra Heder ’06, it’s her sixth children’s book; others include the critically acclaimed How Do You Dance? Toby’s first messages (the leg-lifting kind) to other dogs on his block go largely unsniffed—everyone seems to be so busy! But at last he finds a nice smelly ball at the dog park to chew on. Except, oh no! Turns out the ball belongs to Pancake, and he wants it back. As canine rumors fly—“The toys are in danger!”—Toby decides to gather his courage and talk to the locals the only way he has a hope of clearing things up: nose to nose.