Dalmartian: A Mars Rover’s Story
by Lucy Ruth Cummins; illus. by the author
Preschool, Primary    Atheneum    48 pp.
5/24    9781665911955    $18.99
e-book ed.  9781665911962    $10.99

The “dalmartians,” depicted as canine-esque creatures with green spots who walk on hind legs, arrive in Stephen’s backyard via spaceship one night. Upon being spotted by him, they make a rushed getaway, leaving one of their number behind. “Stephen invited the guest into his home. The guest graciously accepted.” The clever narrative works together with humorous, detailed ink and charcoal illustrations to develop a comedy of manners. The two learn how to cohabitate, with Stephen happily making most of the concessions. The guest might look like a dog, but his sensibilities are all human. Bacon ranks superior to dog food, as do beds to the floor. The guest finds the sniffing and bathroom behavior of the park dogs appalling, and though he and Stephen are getting to know each other, he misses those who left him behind. The art skillfully conveys pace through lines and composition and emotion through color, with sharp contrasts between light and dark and background hues heightening the mood and the growing relationship between the characters. This buildup creates an especially poignant moment when that spaceship finally returns on a rescue mission and Stephen awakes to find his “guest,” now pointedly referred to as “friend,” gone. Far away in space, the dalmartian experiences this same sense of loss, and the two reunite to tie up this sharp and appealing friendship story, which also gives the pet angle a new and enjoyable twist.

From the May/June 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.