Enzo Races in the Rain, written by Garth Stein, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: A puppy who loves to run and never stays in one place is chosen for a pet by Denny and his daughter, Zoe. Denny, a race car driver, appreciates the puppy’s love of speed and names him Enzo, after Enzo Ferrari. Enzo is delighted by riding in a fast car with his new family, and is excited by all of the smells and sights in their new home - until he enters Zoe’s bedroom. Her bed is covered with stuffed animals that stare at him and smell funny. He feels cooped up in the house with them, so when Zoe shows Enzo the doggie door, he smells fresh air and longs to run. He takes off, out the doggie door, through a crack in the fence, and into a street busy with cars before Zoe can put his collar on him. Enzo gets lost and wonders if he will ever find his way back to his new home until finally he smells pancakes and the sweet smell of Zoe. The family is reunited and celebrates with a pancake dinner. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This picture book adaptation of The Art of Racing in the Rain features an adorable dog on the cover, which will draw in nearly every young reader. The story is told from Enzo’s perspective, making elements of normal human life seem interesting and fresh, and even funny at times. The illustrations are colorful and warm, creating a sense of happiness around Enzo as he explores the world with delight. There is a significant amount of text on each page, making this book better suited to more established readers and to lap listeners with good attention spans. Children will absorb messaging about belonging and family, and learn an important lesson from Enzo about wandering away from home. This book stretches quite a bit from the original story, which may disappoint parents who are already fans, but young readers who are not familiar with the novel will only see this book as a heartwarming story about a dog who loves to run and finds a happy home.