Patches Explores Pagosa Springs by Gail L. Oxford follows Patches, a guide dog who’s both helper and best friend to Sam, a boy who is blind. Told from Patches’ cheerful point of view, the story turns a family trip to Pagosa Springs, Colorado, into a series of small adventures. Patches and Sam visit shops, restaurants, hot springs, a sculpture park, Treasure Falls, the San Juan River, and other local spots, all while showing how the two work together. Patches’ personality gives the book plenty of humor, especially when food, toys, fish, or unusual smells are involved, while his devotion to Sam gives the story its heart.

One of the book’s strongest ideas is that Sam experiences the world in a rich, active way through sound, smell, taste, touch, and movement. The story doesn’t simply tell readers that Sam is blind. It shows him using a cane, listening for crossing signals, handling money with an iBill reader, choosing an audiobook, exploring sculptures through texture, fishing, hiking, and traveling independently with Patches. These details fit naturally into the adventure, so children get a picture of accessibility and teamwork while still following an energetic travel story. The sensory language is especially effective because it connects Sam’s experiences with things young readers can imagine for themselves, from the smell of bacon and pine trees to the sound of rushing water and the feel of mist from a waterfall.

Ilya Fortuna’s illustrations give the book a bright, friendly look and carry a large part of the storytelling. Nearly every spread is filled with expressive characters, mountain scenery, water, wildlife, shops, and recognizable Pagosa Springs landmarks. The pictures of Sam and Patches are especially warm, with their closeness shown through little gestures, facial expressions, and the way Patches stays near Sam throughout the trip. The Treasure Falls scene on page 29 captures their excitement in the spray of the waterfall, while the hot-air-balloon pages near the end open the scenery up into a wide, colorful view of the mountains and town below. The illustrated activity map at the beginning also gives children something to return to as they recognize places from the story.

The book works as a story, a travel introduction, and an activity book all at once. After Patches and Sam’s adventure ends, readers get a map vocabulary activity, definitions connected to Pagosa Springs, and a sensory-word challenge that encourages them to notice how the story uses sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. That makes Patches Explores Pagosa Springs a good fit for children who like animals, outdoor adventures, real places, and stories about friendship. Patches is playful enough to keep the trip fun, and Sam’s confidence and curiosity give the book a clear sense of purpose. By the end, their partnership feels like the real destination of the story, summed up nicely in Patches’ pride in being Sam’s guide dog and protector.

Pages: 46 | ASIN: B0HBNC912T