Mogie: The Heart of the House

Inspired by true events, this iconographic-animated adaptation of author Kathi Appelt and illustrator Marc Rosenthal's 2014 picture book is narrated by Susie Berneis. City sounds abound during the opening, which introduces a special house that has high ceilings, a well-stocked library, and an inside treehouse—the new residence of a young creative boy named Gage who loses his mojo after getting sick. The home (the Ronald McDonald House in Houston, TX) is a haven of healthy eating, peace, and quiet…but is definitely livened up with the arrival of Labradoodle pup Mogie. Mogie hasn't gone the way of his brothers and sisters in being a show dog or search and rescue dog (“No way, no go, no thanks”), but he does find his calling in cheering up Gage and other youngsters at the sanctuary, and—with ill children continually arriving—“Mogie's work is cut out for him.” A sweet story spotlighting a charitable healthcare facility for children, this is recommended. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams-Wood)