I’m a fan of Brian Lies, and recently got to take part in a webinar with him. If you haven’t read/seen his 2025 book Cat Nap, get it now. It’s visually stunning. Because of that book, I’m looking for and at the rest of his work, such as his 2018 picture book The Rough Patch.
This is a simple story, told in simple language and striking images. Evan and his dog are inseparable. They do everything together, especially working in the garden together, and they are happy. Until Evan’s dog dies. (At this point I threw the book and spilled my drink. But you should read on. It gets better.)
Evan buries his dog in the garden. He is sad, bitter, and alone. He hacks up his garden, and weeds grow where there was once love and beauty. And Evan tends these weeds. By chance, a pumpkin starts growing, and he tends that too. It grows huge, and he takes it to the fair to show it. At the fair, Evan talks to friends, eats fair food, rides the rides, and wins third place in the pumpkin growing contest.
Evan takes the ten dollars, but takes a quick look in the box. And goes home with a new pup, bring his life full circle.
The images here are beautiful, using size, color, and angle well. There’s an emotional honesty that is striking, and it deals directly with death. It is easy to see why this was a 2019 Caldecott Honor book.
My only issue here is I don’t know why Evan is a fox (a literal fox, not good looking) with a pet dog.
But otherwise…read this.
