Mr. Raisin is something of a grump. He enjoys sewing. He does not enjoy mysterious baskets left on his front porch. He does not enjoy receiving unsolicited puppies in said baskets. And he especially does not enjoy puppies that float. After nudging the floating puppy off the ceiling with a broom, Mr. Raisin considers ushering him out the front door—but he’s not heartless enough to let the puppy just float away. He fumbles his way through his first day of dog ownership, tossing cornflakes into the air for the puppy—now floating on a leash—to eat and aiming a water hose at his mouth. Over time, the dog grows on Mr. Raisin. He’s not such a bad companion. Mr. Raisin names him Floaty, much to his own amusement. But to his dismay, when they’re out for a “walk” one day, Floaty floats off when his leash snaps. Mr. Raisin must use his sewing skills to rescue his beloved new friend. Brightly colored illustrations provide most of the humor in this delightfully droll and heartwarming story. (Ages 3–6)

Blah! Mr. Raisin is a bit of a grump. He lives all alone in a little house, and he likes it that way just fine.

One day, a mysterious basket appears on Mr. Raisin’s doorstep. When he opens it up, it seems there’s nothing inside . . . until he notices a floating dog bobbing along his ceiling.

What follows is a heartwarming, hilarious tale about embracing the unexpected—and finding friendship that takes you to new heights, in John Himmelman's Floaty.