Good friends are hard to find – now imagine the odds if you're a colossal canine.

Such is the case for the title character in Yoshitomo Nara's The Lonesome Puppy. In his first book for children, Nara, one of the most influential contemporary artists in Japan, beings his pop style to this sweet pup that is "too big for anyone to notice." Luckily, a determined little girl climbs up high enough to meet the dejected dog, and the two become fast friends.

The moral of the story? A new pal might be just around the corner.

Available at amazon.com.