When Sally Met Harry

In When Sally Met Harry, by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Brooke Kerrigan, Sally, the adorable and fluffy goldendoodle, finds out what it means to be a big sister. When baby Harry arrives, Sally feels neglected and lonely. She loves her new human brother and tries to cuddle and lick him, but she is scolded by her human parents for being near the baby. Sally is saddened that she is no longer the centre of her parents’ universe and tries to be the best big sister she can, all the while trying to get attention from her human parents. One night, baby Harry won’t stop crying. Sally is the only one able to quiet him, and baby Harry’s first smile is at Sally!

“Harry gave his first smile –to you, Sally.
He loves you as much as we do.”
Dogs can’t smile, but I try my best.
They still love me!

Sally and Harry then find out that there is news; this time, they are both going to be older siblings! Sally comforts Harry, now knowing that everything will be OK because there’s enough love in families to go around for everyone.

When Sally Met Harry is a sweet story for children who are going to be older siblings. The lesson that families have enough love for everyone being told through the eyes of the family dog is a cute and relatable technique. There’s also a short subplot about Sally’s wanting Harry’s giant stuffed bunny that children will find charming and humourous. The illustrations by Brooke Kerrigan are endearing and colourful. Sally is such a lovable and attractive dog, and Kerrigan captures much emotion in Sally’s facial expressions and eyes.

An issue about the book is that there is a time jump not accounted for in the narrative and illustrations. In the moment that Harry won’t stop crying, he appears to be an infant in a baby chair. Then the next sentence states, “And then we discover something big is up. ‘Harry, you are going to be a great big brother.’”, with Harry walking outside beside Sally in the illustration. Another page of text and illustration is needed to bridge this time gap and to further solidify the bond and relationship between Harry and Sally.

Despite this flaw, When Sally Met Harry is a delightful book for growing families. It would be an asset for school and public libraries and would also be a lovely gift for older siblings to be.