Crash!
Mayra Calvani, Illustrations by: Anna Pylypchuk

Review by A. E. Jaskiewicz

Crash! has a very simple and straight-forward premise.  A young boy named Marcelo wants nothing more than to have a puppy.  So, on his fifth birthday, Marcelo’s wish is granted, and his parents surprise him with a Golden Retriever puppy.  The only problem is, Marcelo doesn’t know what to name the puppy.  Marcelo’s parents keep trying to offer up helpful suggestions for names, but he doesn’t think any of them fit his new best friend.  It’s not until Marcelo is playing catch with his puppy that he finally decides on a name.

The story of Crash! is told from the third person point of view.  The list of characters is also very straight forward.  There is Marcelo, his mother and father, and of course the puppy.  All the characters just seem to be very happy and loving.  There are points in the story, like when Marcelo’s parents let him take the puppy out for short walks, where you can see that the family is loving and caring towards each other.  The parents are mentioned as keeping a close eye on Marcelo as he walks his dog.  Also, Marcelo cleans up after his puppy, just like his father has shown him.  I think, though, that the true bond and relationship that is front and center is that of Marcelo and the puppy.  The puppy is described as the best friend Marcelo has ever had.  You truly get the feeling that Marcelo and the puppy have become almost inseparable.  The puppy sleeps curled up against Marcelo.  The puppy even follows Marcelo into the bathroom.  You can truly see the pair as being best friends.

The illustrations in the book are colorful, bright, and sure to catch the attention of any young child.  Drawn in a rather whimsical manner, the pictures absolutely bring the story to life.  Instead of children just imagining Marcelo taking the puppy for a walk, it’s right there for the kids to enjoy.  The colors are bright and bold, but still not overdone.  The pictures also help lend to the fact that Marcelo and the puppy are such good friends.  Through the pictures, you can see just how inseparable the pair really is.

Though I would not say this book has a strong message to speak of, I do think it is a nice tale of friendship.  Sometimes that’s all you need out of a book, especially one for a younger audience.  And, as I have pointed out, the friendship shows through loud and clear.

Overall, I would say that Crash! is a fun book for younger children.  I think that children will enjoy the colorful pictures, and the cute story of friendship that develops between a boy and his puppy.