Kimber here. Telling you about a very cool new book Her Royal Momness just read. (Well, it was mostly me. Mom helped. A little.)

First off, take a look at this cover. (That’s okay. I’ll wait.) Cuteness Alert! Well. Not as cute as me, ‘natch. But let’s not get picky here, okay?

Co-written by cancer survivor Dr. Kelly Curtin and her daughter Molly Hallinan, Molly and Potato is a book for the little ‘uns. It offers comfort. Connection. And canine companionship to families facing adversity and loss. I’m all over that “canine companionship” thing. But I’ll let She Who Must Be Obeyed fill ya in:

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, peeps. The first thing ya oughtta know about this book is that it’s a two-fer. Like, it’s actually two stories in one. Told from two different POVs. (Kimber: We’ll get to that in a min, Cupcake. So kindly keep you hair on, okay?)

The second thing ya need to know about this little book is that it has a subtitle. Like: Molly and Potato: A (Human) Love Story. And a dedication from Molly:

“For my mom, who got me the most special dog, Potato.”

Now, I bet you’re wondering how a little dog wound up with a name like “Potato.” We kinda wondered that, too. In the meantime, it seems Molly’s mom is one of those “never dog” people. (Never feline peeps, we get. But “never dog” hoomans? Whaaaaat???!!!) Anywho, mom lets Molly volunteer at the animal shelter instead of letting Molly get a dog.

Go figure.

Then one day Molly’s Mom goes to the doctor. Finds out she has cancer. Molly is scared.

Molly’s Mom has surgery. She starts on meds and starts feeling a little better. Mom says “we learn and grow from our scars.” But Molly is still scared. And sometimes a little mad.

Molly’s Mom takes Molly to the animal shelter and Molly sees “the cutest, fluffiest dog she has ever seen.” (Kimber: Probably my cousin. Just sayin’.) They bring the new dog, “Potato,” home. Now when Molly cries and is sad, Potato plays with her and gives her a kiss. (Kimber: See? Told ya he’s a cousin!) Turns out, Potato is an expert listener. (Kimber: Duh.)

This helps Molly sort out her feelings about her Mom and Mom’s illness. Potato tells Molly about his broken teeth and how no one wanted to adopt him. But Molly knows that adopting Potato is “the luckiest thing that ever happened to her.” And that it’s okay to be happy and sad.

Together, Molly and Potato know that even though they both have a sad story, they’re not alone. And they don’t have to pretend to be okay. Together, “they can be sad and happy and everything in between.”

Bonus!

Now, if Molly and Potato ended here, it would be a gentle, uplifting story to help little ‘uns sort through their emotions during adversity. Beautifully illustrated, with pitch-perfect pacing and bite-sized sentences that are sure to engage young readers, this is a sweet and delightful story that’s well worth the read.

But then…!

It has a bonus. (Mom: I said, “bonus,” Kimster. Not “bone,” okay?)

If you flip the book over you get to read Potato’s story. It’s called Potato and Molly. Told from Potato’s POV, it’s subtitled Potato and Molly: A (Canine) Love Tail (that’s not a typo).

The story is by Dr. Kelly Curtin, “as told to her by Potato Hallinan.” The story tells us how Potato wound up at the animal shelter. How he finally gets adopted. And how his emotions mirror Molly’s. And how “a sad past doesn’t mean he can’t be happy now. He got the perfect family that he always wanted and now he really does feel lucky.”

There’s even a QR code you can scan to “help evaluate the effectiveness of the book.” (Note: This feature was “disabled” when we tried to scan it.) And resources for kids and families facing cancer and loss. Ditto a list of books for kids and families experiencing cancer. And website and resources for pet adoption.

Top Pick!

A little girl. A sweet little dog. Authenticity. Honesty. Strong writing. Excellent storytelling skills. Creativity and originality. Outstanding illustrations. And a realistic yet gentle and sensitive approach to a tough subject. Molly and Potato – and Potato and Molly – is one of our top three children’s books of 2025!

Our Rating: 4.75