A deliciously funny story about Toasty, a piece of bread who wants to be a dog, for fans of
Arnie the Doughnut
by Laurie Keller and
Everyone Loves Bacon
by Kelly DiPucchio.
Toasty loves dogs—so much so that he'd like to be one. He knows there are some differences—most dogs have four legs, but Toasty has two arms and two legs. Some dogs sleep in dog houses, but Toasty sleeps in a toaster. All dogs have hair and fur, but Toasty has neither because he's made of bread. In spite of these differences, he decides to go to the park to play with the dogs but runs into trouble when they want to eat him. Lucky for Toasty, he is rescued by a little girl who has always wanted a dog but can't have one because she is allergic. Toasty is the perfect dog for her.
Sarah Hwang's inspiration for
Toasty
came from her childhood experience as an immigrant and her discovery that you find your best friends when you're willing to just be yourself. Her playful art for
came to mind when she saw a piece of toast that reminded her of the way she used to draw dogs as a child.