A simple story about loneliness and the power of friendliness. Spare charcoal, pastel, and colored pencil drawings illustrate first a lonely dog, then a sad little boy as they longingly watch and finally join an exuberant group of children playing ball. Lots of white space and thoughtful page layout emphasize the emotions being conveyed, as does the judicious use of color and detail. The dog serves as the best role model in the book, being outgoing ("Can I play too?") and inviting the little boy to join the fun. The closing message: "When someone's feeling left out, low, it doesn't take much to say…hello!" is a valuable one for all ages. Though the endpapers exuberantly display the word "hello" in many different languages, the group of children depicted is homogenous. In spite of that weakness, this book would be especially useful for discussions about bullying, empathy, and character education.—Amy Rowland, Guggenheim Elementary School, Port Washington, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.