Perdu

Synopsis:

“Poor Perdu is all alone as he journeys from the countryside to the city in search of a home. The city is a big place when you are very small, but is it possible that someone is searching for a friend like Perdu?

In his debut as both author and illustrator, Richard Jones delivers a warmhearted and poignant story about loneliness, kindness, friendship, and finding a forever family. Classically gorgeous illustrations will have readers returning to its pages again and again.”

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Review:

Perdu, the French word for lost, is a small little dog searching for home. With lyrical text and phrases like “whispery tap” and “scared little ball of worry” Jones makes this story one you feel in your heart. Granted, I’m a sucker for any kind of dog book (especially ones with happy endings!).

The illustrations are just as lovely as the text, if not more so. With a balance of muted colors and bright swatches, you can feel the emotions of poor, little Perdu on every page. I especially loved the spread above as the sun rises and the night faded away.

If you’re familiar with Jones’s other work, specifically, The Snow Lion, you’ll find a cameo that is sure to excite! I love when creators can manage to sneak in work from previous books without it feeling forced. When asked what he hopes readers will take away from Perdu, Jones said, “Above all, the story is one of kindness and hope. It would be wonderful if readers were inspired not only by Perdu’s bravery and determination but also by the compassion and patience of his friend the little girl.” And that’s exactly how I felt!

There’s a great Q&A with author Richard Jones that allows even more insight into his process. If you’re interested in learning how to draw Perdu yourself, check out this YouTube video or the activity sheets!

Rescue Pets & My Family

My parents have the tiniest Jack Russell Terrier that ended up on their back porch one day in the middle of farm country. And they adopted him. We’re a family of rescue animals, all of my siblings have at least one adopted cat or dop. Whether from an animal roaming on the street or from an organization, these animals have all found a home with us.

My own wild one was adopted as well! And as crazy as she can be, I love her dearly and wonder about her time before she came to live with us. She was found roaming the streets in a nearby city, under a year old, and was picked up by the police. When we rescued her, she didn’t know how to climb steps, she wouldn’t voluntarily sit (only stand and lay down), and to this day has quirks that are from her time before we got her. I felt for little Perdu and the text and illustrations matched that mood perfectly.

Verdict:

A story of kindness and hope, Perdu is all alone searching for a place and person to call home. This is a story not only of Perdu, but also of the little girl. A little girl who noticed something that adults were too busy to see. Whose patience is rewarded in the end when she finds Perdu in the park. We’ve had our dog for six years and we continue to work with her on triggers from her past. This would make a beautiful read aloud. And a wonderful discussion starter about noticing things that other people may look past.

If you’re interested in purchasing Perdu by Richard Jones please use my affiliate links for Bookshop.org or Amazon.com. When you purchase from either of these links, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

Need to Know:

Title: Perdu
Author: Richard Jones
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing
Publication Date: April 1, 2021
Page Number: 32 pgs.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.