The story was cute but it was a bit of a long read for a board book. There was a bit too much filler. I didn’t enjoy the villainizing of the cat. The illustrations were nice but seems like every other book.

Sydney, Bean, and the Missing Gloves by Janice Collins is a pawsome tale. This is a beginner chapter book that can be read independently or with an adult. It is a great book to talk about anxiety and working together with others. The sequence of the story flowed well and the illustrations are really sweet. This is a darling book for all young scholars and especially ones that love dogs.

Squirrels and birds and ferrets, oh my!
Sydney is an only pet who suffers from some anxiety when staying home alone or in storms. Sometimes Sydney does things she doesn't really want to do, like rip clothes and buries them in the yard. The family brings Bean home as a sister for Sydney. That's where the adventure begins! When Bean goes missing on her search for their moms missing gloves, Sydney receives some support and help from the neighbourhood dog community to rescue her!
Sydney realizes that she loves Bean and she's not as scared with her around and together they find the lost gloves!
Absolutely adorable story with incredible illustrations. Perfect for the animal lovers out there and sends such a sweet message of acceptance and community.

I think that the overall plot and idea of this book was great!! The chapters were broken up perfectly, and the timing of the book made a lot of sense. Additionally, all of the characters were so unique and fun, and I loved that the author made sure to have the focus of the story only on the animal characters. The characters also had specific personalities, and no two characters were the same. It was also a clever idea for the author to make the "villain" a cat when all of the other characters were dogs. This takes a common trope, but the rest of the story made the overall book different from the others. Lastly, the moral of this story was great. It was clear and young readers will easily be able to understand the point that the author is trying to get across. Overall, this is a perfect book for kids that are just starting to read chapter books. Bravo!

Just like children, dogs are often frightened of the unknown. They may try to appear brave but, well, aren't. This book does a lovely, subtle job of showing young readers that it's okay to be afraid, asking for help isn't a weakness, and, finally, that working together to solve problems is the best approach. It does this via the story of Sydney, the Labrador Retriever, and her unexpected new little Labrador sister, Bean. Sydney does her best to accept Bean but isn't happy about it, even when Bean swears to be the best little sister ever. Much to Sydney's surprise, comforting Bean seems to also comfort her and she manages to sleep through a storm. Then, uh-oh, mother's beautiful pearl gloves have gone missing. It seems Sydney has had a problem with shredding and burying such items when scared, so she's the natural suspect.

That's when the story really takes off. Bean knows Sydney didn't do it as Sydney slept right there beside her all night. Bean vows to help Sydney find the gloves. Unfortunately, Bean is naive and soon falls pry to the wily neighborhood cat. It's never quite clear why Monty the junkyard cat sets out to trap Bean but the motive of bullies isn't usually really known, either. Sydney recruits help as she searches for Bean, help that includes Sgt. Riley the retired police K-9. Again, the idea that having help when you most need it isn't a weakness but a strength. Wait till you find out why a ferret is part of the group. Heck, even some squirrels and birds get involved. Love the sweet nod to a baby's first tooth via the baby bird's first lost feather. In any case, while I'm not sure how Monty managed to trap Bean, it's fun to see the group come together and work to save her.

Bottom line, a cute, fun read, though would have probably targeted a bit older audience although it'd work as a read-aloud, too. The illustrations were well done, showing personality, and add to the feel. The teacher in me liked the subtle use of the dogs to show how young children may feel and act, not to mention work together towards a common goal, in this case saving Bean. And, oh, let's not forget the bonus benefit that helps Sydney when they finally return home. Thanks #AtmospherePress for sharing this sweet introduction to Sydney and Bean, not to mention all their friends and, okay, even Monty. That junkyard cat is surely not done playing with the doggie's minds.

This story is so cute! A wholesome tale about a dog getting a little sibling, looking for something lost, and guiding the new puppy through new adventures!! My only complaint would be the lack of Oxford comma on the cover- but that’s a minor thing!

This really doesn't feel like an independent reader but it's a cute story. It's hard when you suddenly have a new sibling, but Sydney helps Bean when the cat tricks Bean and traps her.
Helping Bean and spending time with her helps Sydney feel better too. The pictures are cute and I loved how they had photos of real dogs at the beginning. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

This was a pretty cool little book. I will admit that I'm not sure in which age range the intended audience would be, since some of the elements like vocabulary are a bit more advanced than I've seen in other children's fiction; however, I did find the story pretty easy to follow, and I'd assume kids might enjoy and comprehend this book with only a little bit of assistance as to the meaning of words like "beguile,' which I had myself forgotten. Good stuff, and the story, while a bit dark, is pretty cute.

Thank you to Atmosphere Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.