Poodle and Hound by Kathryn Lansky, illustrated by Mitch Vane Grades 2-4 48 pages Charlesbridge July 2009 Hardcover     Poodle is the cliché of femininity: she loves getting her fur and feet done at the beauty salon, enjoys pompoms in her hair, and likes having tea and cookies at the Ritz. Her good friend Hound, on the other hand, is “not exactly pretty” and is a somewhat gruff, serious sort of fellow. Yet, in these three early-reader stories, Poodle and Hound manage to keep their friendship going strong and learn to enjoy their differences. The plot line and characters feel somewhat dated and may well remind kids not so much of themselves but of their Grandma and Grandpa. Still, these gentle and sweet stories make a good point about the value of a friendship in which both people can truly be appreciated for being themselves. The amusing artwork by Mitch Vane adds a nice touch.     web reviews   Usha Reynolds/2010 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)