*Starred Review* This companion to A Day in the Life of Murphy (2003) details a New York City adventure for this high-strung but good-natured terrier, aka Murphy-Stop-That. Although reluctant to leave the farm (Murphy hates the car), he finds much to admire in the city: cars and concrete, canine-friendly restaurants, a no-leash park, and a doggie boutique. While his people are preoccupied, Murphy wanders away, is picked up by animal control, and taken to a shelter. Luckily, his humans know where to find him, and all ends well. As in the earlier title, Caldecott-winner Provensen's strong suit is her facility with the interplay of text and art. The story (presented in all-uppercase font with many staccato sentences) reads like a direct translation of frenetic barking: I HATE TO RIDE IN THE CAR. IT MAKES ME SICK! SMELLS OF GAS! GREASY OIL! Her energetic, brightly colored oil paintings brim with setting details and reflect Murphy's nonstop motion and barking. Scenes include Murphy barking at pigeons, a map depicting the car's path, a three-tiered panel chronicling Murphy's solo adventures, and a close-up of his straw bed. This delightful pup's-eye view of the world is great for reading aloud and sure to be popular. Everyone will want to take Murphy home, so purchase multiple copies.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2015 Booklist

The multicolored paw prints that cover the endpapers signal the return of Murphy-Stop-That, a small, loud terrier who lives on a farm (A Day in the Life of Murphy, 2003). When his human family (mom and daughter) goes off to the city (it's New York), Murphy is not happy to go with themuntil he gets there. They meet up with a friend and her dog, a yellow Labrador, and visit many places that Murphy finds he enjoys: a dog-friendly outdoor cafe, a dog park. But at the Doggie Boutique, Murphy runs out through an open door and is scooped up by the dog catcher. He is taken to the shelter, where his family finds him, and they go back home, where Murphy would rather be. The pictures are bright and almost folk art-like in their clear lines, flat colors, and decorative details; the route to the city is made like a board-game map with gardens, churches, factories, and fields laid out on the way. The mom and daughter in Murphy's family are blonde Caucasians; their friend in the city is dark-skinned and -haired; the denizens of the city are of various ethnicities and, pleasingly, various ages. For children who love their dogs, hate long car rides, and fear the new and different (until they try it), much will be comforting in this unassuming, appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

The small, busy, curious, noisy farm terrier from A Day in the Life of Murphy (rev. 7/03) is on his way to the big city with his family for a day of adventures (visits to a dog park and a doggie boutique) and misadventures (wandering off and a resultant brief stay at the animal shelter). Murphys unbounded energy is reflected in bustling city scenes that often include multiple images of Murphy; one particularly effective double-page spread contains three stacked horizontal panels in which a progression of Murphys explores a crowded and fascinating sidewalkhumans seen only from the knees downafter his accidental escape out the back door of the doggie boutique. This sense of motion and energy is reinforced in the all-caps typeface and in the endpapersa riot of paw prints going every which waynot to mention Murphys own spiky fur, hyper-alert gazes, and many BARK BARK BARKs. The arc of the story, from early-morning enthusiasm to late-night exhaustion, will be both satisfying and familiar to children, who often follow that same arc in their own lives. After such a hectic and exciting day full of new sights, sounds, and experiences, everyone will be happy that Murphy ends up back home, curled up in the hay in the barn with his familiar toys: Dear sock, good old bone, good old stick. / Sigh. / Good night. martha v. parravano (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

More than a decade after A Day in the Life of Murphy, Provensen's opinionated terrier gets a taste of city life. Though Murphy is initially unenthusiastic ("Nothing but cars and concrete. Yuck!"), his tune changes when he sees the dog-centric slate of activities planned. Even a quick trip to an animal shelter after Murphy wanders off doesn't dampen his spirits for long. Provensen's oil paintings have the posed, static look of folk art, though she mixes in modern details, like an urban dog-walker wrestling with his charges or a doggie boutique brimming with chew toys and other goodies. Ages 4-8. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.