An Aussie in New York City

"A giddy, extravagant fairy tale to remind us that dogs make us better humans. Especially in the chaos of a big city. Animals connect us to the world-and to each other. Everyone needs a dog like Pablo!" -Patti Ragan, founder and executive director, Center for Great Apes

Here's the city Daniel hides from in his fourth-floor Brooklyn apartment: Pigeon poop! Car horns! Winter wind tunnels! Summer sauna streets! Playground stampedes! Stinky garbage-day mountains! . . . And bullies. Bullies here, bullies there, bullies everywhere.

A kid like Daniel knows it's easy to be ambushed on a crowded sidewalk or on the playground. Grown-ups are too busy and moving too fast to say anything. Isn't anyone going to help? One day a mysterious Australian shepherd appears on his block. It almost seems to be looking for Daniel. The Aussie displays an almost supernatural skill to herd not sheep-but grown-ups! Soon Daniel is following the Aussie to crowded, iconic New York landmarks like Coney Island, Times Square, and the Empire State Building. The Aussie magically transforms what would have been frightening experiences into enchanting adventures, eventually giving Daniel his own skills to handle the bullies in his life. Blending slapstick and whimsy, with bold illustrations that breathe magic into Daniel's expeditions, this charming tale offers insight into how kids process grief-and celebrates the healing power of love between a child and a dog.