Written and Illustrated by R. Freeland

It is a story about a little dog with paint on his hair, but it is very cute. Waiting for someone to adopt him along with other dogs at the Humane Society, the little dog embraces us as he did to the author. Follow the little dog’s journey to finding a new home and his adopted name, Henri Rousseau. Each page is a painted snapshot of his life, featuring his excellent painting ability or visiting Dr. Bell at the Veterinary Clinic to accidentally escape and settle into his new home.

“Here I Am” is a whimsical adventure rhyme book written to appeal to the 0-3-year-old age group, focusing on reading aloud story time. The narrative is character-driven, focusing heavily on Henri Rousseau, a painterly dog, and his newly adopted friend. The events that unfold present storytelling and emotion to a toddler. The story examines the themes of caring for pets in modern-day life. As the story unfolds, revealing Henri’s creative and expressive nature, the toddler’s relationship with the written language strengthens as new concepts are presented.

The book also introduces adopting pets and lessons about caring and friendship. Beautiful, full-color illustrations will captivate and delight children and parents alike.