Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to read and review Pawcasso by Remy Lai; all opinions, as always, are my own. Pawcasso is an MG graphic novel about a girl named Jo who is having a boring start to her summer. When she sees a dog walk past her house carrying a basket, she follows him and it leads to new friends and experiences for Jo. Pretending the dog is hers, and named Pawcasso, Jo visits a weekly art class where the other kids use Pawcasso as their muse since they are studying the works of artist Picasso. The downtown area starts to really love Jo and Pawcasso, but Jo’s worried her secret of not being the real owner will come out any day.

I loved Pawcasso, the book and the dog in the book. It was fun seeing Jo open up more and get to know kids her age. I felt bad for her because her dad worked away from the family most of the time and she tries to tell herself she doesn’t care when he visits, so she won’t be really sad when he leaves. This was touched on throughout the book, and I thought it was handled well. I could definitely see Jo’s pain and how she tried to hide it. The dog Pawcasso was a wonderful outlet for her – getting her out of the house, making friends, having little adventures as she follows the dog around town.

The artwork was done well; it was bright and fun and would easily appeal to the target age for this book. I definitely need to read more books by Remy Lai, and I would highly recommend Pawcasso. It would make a fun summer read!

A young girl named Jo is wandering around town when she notices a dog out shopping by itself. Interested, she follows him and is lead to an art class at the local bookstore. The dog begins to model for the children, and is then dubbed Pawcasso from then on. The children ask Jo if she is the owner and if Pawcasso can come back every week. Feeling lonely, Jo is quick to say yes and then her lie begins to spiral out of control when someone complains about Pawcasso being off leash. The kids of the art class begin a petition to allow Pawcasso to remain off leash. As the petition gains traction, and the community becomes divided on the issue, Jo must continue to try and hide her secret in order to keep her new found friends.

This was a really cute, fun middle grade graphic novel. I really loved the illustrations and bright colours of this! I thought this was going to be a super light fluffy story, which it was, but it also covered some deeper topics such as family dynamics, community and loneliness. I really liked the characters in this and how they interacted with one another. Pawcasso was absolutely adorable, and I love how he brought the community together.

I think this is a great read for middle graders and older individuals alike!

Pawcasso is a wonderfully written and adorably illustrated middle grade book by Remy Lai. Those middle grades are some of the most awkward and uncomfortable years, aren't they? Well, they are for main character Jo too. Her dad travels a lot, she doesn't have friends, and she just feels like she doesn't fit...until she runs into Pawcasso. Through Pawcasso, she makes friends, but just about everything they know about Jo is a big fib! She didn't start out to tell a lie, but assumptions not corrected often snowball into the biggest of lies. And that leads to big problems! 

I absolutely adored the characters in Pawcasso. They're a diverse group of characters from Jo's little brothers up to cranky, elderly neighbors. There is a lot going on in this book that your kids are bound to relate to some of it. It's a heartwarming story with themes like community, family, friendship, and honesty. I definitely recommend that you get this one for your kids! They'll love how the illustrations bring even more life to this delightful story.

Pawcasso a graphic novel by Remy Lai is ideal for elementary and middle school libraries and classrooms. It's a sweet and engaging mystery about a dog without a leash who goes shopping in a community where nobody knows its name. A lonely and curious girl named Jo follows the dog one day so much that people mistake her as the owner and she fails to correct them. As Jo and the newly named dog, Pawcasso, make more friends, will Jo be able to solve the mystery of the dog's owners before she is caught? Her ideas for how to find the owners lead to some especially humorous moments! Readers can share their solutions for solving this problem.

Although this may look like a simple story, the story line and character of Jo are well-developed, layered, and perfect for discussions. Jo's dad is away on work and she misses him terribly. Pawcasso gives her a reason to leave the house and have an identity outside of her family. Jo's responsibility for the dog take her to various parts of the community: to a dog grooming shop, bookstore, ice cream parlor and art class. At one point she even engages in laughing at a mean, old neighbor, Mr. ICCC who just complains to the city council all of the time. As she's making fun of him, she wonders why it is that he is that way.

Jo's lies about Pawcasso start to get away from her. There are numerous close-calls when she could get caught and she's determined to keep quiet until she's solved the mystery of Pawcasso. It also doesn't hurt that she's making connections with people in her community that she would never have made, otherwise. She says, "I made a chihuahua-sized lie, but it snowballed into a Great Dane-sized lie." One reason the news spreads about Pawcasso is that photos of him on his shopping trips have gone viral. Readers can think about the pros and cons of going viral in today's world. Where do people's rights to privacy start and end?

I love the art connections in the story. The art students study Pablo Picasso and his cubist style of art. They also learn about Marcel Duchamp, his rival. When the town is eventually divided over leash-laws, they call each camp a Picassos (anti-leash laws) and Duchamps (pro-leash laws). This is a real-world problem that readers can relate to in their own communities. Students can debate the pros and cons of these types of laws and research what their community has voted to uphold.

Jo also joins a book club where they discuss the question, "If love comes from the heart, does hate come from the brain?" Readers can discuss their impressions of this questions and give examples of their opinions. At the end of the story Jo makes a grand speech where she gives her answer. Does the reader agree with her interpretation? Also, how do readers feel about how the story was resolved? There are a number of twists and ways in which different characters' struggles parallel each other's.

Finally, a bonus at the end of the book is an ice cream recipe that is safe for dogs and "hoomans!"

Pawcasso is an adorable middle grade graphic novel with a relatable protagonist and a sweet dog friend. Set in the summer, this book is perfect for fans of graphic novels about art, books about dogs, and stories about kids dealing with loneliness and finding their circle. If you like feel-good stories set in small towns, don't miss this new addition.

I read this book, and then both promptly talked it up to a number of classes and added it to some lists of suggestions I was creating as well! Pawcasso is a graphic novel that has eye-catching illustrations and a story that not only makes you wonder, but also makes you feel for the characters. Just as the majority of store owners and townspeople perked up every time that adorable, smart dog came around, so does the reader. The book feels like it is inviting you in to its community. Absolutely appealing to readers of many ages!

I have mixed feelings about the story. Overall, this was a good story about learning how to make friends and to speak up when something is bothering you. What I had issues with were that there were no consequences for anyone in the story. Jo lies to everyone about being Pawcasso's owner and she eventually goes on to steal him from the owner's yard, as well as no one is held responsible or even apologizes to Mr. Iccc for vandalizing his front yard with dog poop. I would have also loved more information and clarity on why Jo's dad was always having to travel outside the country for extended periods of time. For the most part, kids will still love this book.

To leash or not to leash. Jo is lonely and notices a dog walking around town with a basket and shopping money. She 'adopts' him while out and about and soon people think the dog is hers. When visiting an art class at a local bookstore, the dog becomes Pawcasso. Before long, there is a leash controversy. Should Pawcasso be out and about on his own. Is it safe? Are the folks advocating for the enforcement of leash laws really dog haters? When a petition goes viral Jo fears exposure of her non-ownership. When the truth comes out, she will have a mess to clean up. Can the community come together for the protection of their furry citizens? A powerful reminder of the need to listen to the other side in a controversy. Love and hate both come from the heart, Jo reminds us. This book has colorful artwork that is similar to the previous titles from Remy Lai. I prefer the narrative/graphics ratios from the previous two books. At times, the panels were too chaotic for my linear brain. Includes a recipe for ice cream that people can enjoy with their canine friends.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a super cute and fun middle grade graphic novel. It illustrates perfectly the folly of telling white lies because they can snowball into something immense and overwhelming without one intending to. I found Jo's awkwardness relatable and humanizing. The mystery of Pawcasso's origins was engaging and kept a level of suspense in the story. I love Remy Lai's bold and simple style with its bright color palettes.

Another work of art from Remy Lai! Pawcasso tells the story of a talented dog that knows how to shop unattended. When Jo is mistaken for the dog's owner, she lets the slip-up fly to gain new friends, until her lies spiral out of control.

With wonderful artwork and a heartwarming story, Pawcasso is sure to unite graphic novel lovers and dog lovers everywhere!

A fun graphic novel about a girl who makes some bad decisions while befriending both a dog and other children. Kids will relate to Jo and how her mixed up emotions and immature decision-making leads to problems; they will love how she turns things around and repairs damaged relationships with her father and her new friends. One small quibble: although Jo is 11, she looks much younger, maybe 7 or 8. Recommended for middle grade readers.
Review based on an eARC received through NetGalley.

I really adore Remy Lai's other titles and this one was just as good. This is a cute graphic novel about Jo and a dog she meets and claims is hers'. But when things get out of hand she learns about telling the truth.
A good story, with a good lesson.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy!
I had high hopes for this after reading Pie in the Sky and the hopes were fulfilled. This is adorable with a great lesson and a great dog. Would definitely recommend to children.

This is a cute little story about a girl who has difficulty making friends and the dog who helps her. The neat pup carries a basket and goes grocery shopping, and it doesn't take long before the girl - Jo - is mistaken for his owner. This causes her to suddenly feel very cool and included where previously she was more of an outcast.

Things spiral out of control when Jo's lies begin stacking up and she finds that she must make things right or else lose all of the new friends that she has finally made. This story teaches the value of telling the truth, even when that might feel like a difficult thing to do.

The art style is bright, cute, and cheerful. It fits well with this story and holds the reader's attention without distracting from the plot. This is a great comic for kids, comic/graphic novel fans, and dog lovers of all ages!

An adorable book about the power of lies. Jo misses her dad and has issues making friends outside of school. During summer vacation, while out walking, she comes across a dog with a basket who goes grocery shopping. She follows the dog and is mistaken for his owner, which leads to friendship, hijinks, and a heated battle between off leashers and leashers. I really enjoyed how this novel played out and was so anxious for Jo as her lies spiraled out of control. She is so young and simply wants to be part of a group. She is good at heart, but does not know how to stop herself when it comes to Pawcasso.

I feel that Jo makes amends well and even halts the feud between those who want dogs to go without leashes and people who want the leash law to be upheld. It was Jo's kindness and bravery that helped sway others. There was a way to compromise that made sure everyone was happy. Also shows the power of connection that pets have, from Jo making friends, to Pawcasso's real owner making amends with her father. This dog is able to bring together a whole community.

Pawcasso was super cute and I really loved the addition of art, and the Picasso and Duchamp rivalry. Made the story more interesting and colourful.

The art style is very cute and kid friendly. The colours are eye catching and the story holds your attention.

A fantastic book for children, of all ages!

This was cute and a quick read. I think kids in grades 2-4 will really enjoy it. I liked how Jo tries to make things right with those she hurt.

There are dog lovers and one who don't love dogs. Which are you? Jo is a dog lover and comes across a dog who goes shopping by himself. She follows Pawcasso to see what he does. She gets tangled up in many lies about Pawcasso. She has to find a way to fix all the lies she has told, so she doesn't loose her friends. I really enjoyed the story, there where happy times, angry times and times that made me cry. The artwork is colorful and detailed to see the emotions of the characters.

Jo is an 11-year-old girl who has trouble connecting with new friends. As she stares out her window, she's drawn to a neighborhood dog who trots around, shopping basket in his mouth, stopping at stores and picking up groceries. Everyone seems to know the pup, and, intrigued, Jo follows him, to try and figure out where he lives. People from the neighborhood see Jo following "Pawcasso", as he's become known, and assume she's his owner: chaos ensues as Jo just kind of allows everyone to believe Pawcasso is her dog, including the neighborhood dog catcher, who's on Pawcasso's trail after receiving complaints about an unleashed dog in the neighborhood. Jo finds herself in an uncomfortable middle as she's caught in her own lie, and may have to come clean and risk the new friendships she's formed, in order to keep Pawcasso from going to the pound.

Remy Lai's artwork is here in full color, and she brings Pawcasso, Jo, and their little neighborhood to life with friendly, colorful panels. The story will appeal to a wide range of readers, from dog- and pet-lovers, to graphic novel and realistic fiction fans, to readers looking for a good story about friendship, family, and fun.

This was a very cute middle grade comic with some really interesting themes around civic connection, family ties, truth, and what animals mean to us. The main character was endearing and sees a lie snowball waaaaay out of hand, which had me cringing in sympathy at points. The art is really clean and lively (reminds me somehow of a mix of James Kolchalka and Lucy Kinsley?). Would make a great family read, which I'm planning to do this weekend!

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group & NetGalley for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

A story following Jo and Pawcasso, a dog who shops alone. Jo follows Pawcasso to discover his shopping habits only for everyone to think that she's the owner! She goes along with the lie, but it gets bigger and bigger...

A hilarious & fun graphic novel! Pawcasso acts like a real dog as well, his expressions are hilarious. Definitely for dog lovers but even includes some actual Pablo Picasso trivia which was pretty interesting to read! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a good comedy with great life lessons.