Publishers Weekly:  Diligence and openheartedness are the themes of this rhyming story by Corrigan (The Not Bad Animals), but its real appeal lies in its eccentric cast: each character is a mash-up of a vegetable and animal species, with a hybrid name that evokes Parentese. The eponymous Pugtato, a roly-poly tuber-puppy who lives in a vegetable patch, discovers the mysterious and seemingly inanimate “Thing”—pearly pink and shaped like a Nautilus shell—and wants to do right by it. But friends like Tweetroot, a beet-red bird, and Carrat, who’s bright orange and toothy, are only interested in Thing for their own purposes (“Carrat thought Thing/ was for gnawing and chewing”). Finally, the wise Unicorn on the Cob advises from a leafy stalk, “you must follow your heart./ For it holds all the answers/ and sets you apart”; thus inspired, Pugtato hugs Thing, and it blossoms into a new friend. While the book’s earnestness is undeniable, its real impact may be in the giggles it inspires when readers next see a salad or produce stand. Ages 4–8.

•Social media campaign

•Online digital advertising campaign

•Video trailer and short-form videos for social media

•School and library marketing: reviews, promotion at conventions, educator guide

•Activity guide for use with children in store, at school or home

•Target mainstream trade media focused on publishing, libraries, retail, gift, and homeschool

•Target mainstream consumer media focused on children, parenting, family, and lifestyles

•Target bloggers for coverage and reviews on blogs, social media, and e-retailer websites