The Lonesome Puppy

[Images from Amazon.com and Chronicle Books]

Contemporary artist Yoshitomo Nara released his first children's book yesterday, The Lonesome Puppy. It's about a gigantic puppy that is so large that no one notices him except for a little girl who becomes his friend. I'm excited about the artwork, and Chronicle Books always has fantastic design and packaging, but I can't help but think--wow, this sounds a whole lot like Clifford the Big Red Dog. Maybe...that's the point? Perhaps the intention was to take a popular children's book storyline and spin it with Yoshitomo Nara's unique art. Or, maybe dogs are just popular and cute? All of the above?
I can't exactly pass judgment because I honestly haven't picked up the book yet, but this storyline doesn't initially thrill me. Hopefully Nara's work will, because he has such a great style and I think Chronicle Books has done a great job publishing his artwork on postcards and books. Purchase Yoshitomo Nara's very first children's book, The Lonesome Puppy, here.