Francesca : Sarah Barnard : 9780997959314 : 0997959312 : 26 Oct 2016 : Francesca is a charming story about a pampered and humorously dramatic basset hound's discovery of life beyond herself. All is lovely until the night she catches a glimpse of a grungy creature outside her window. This initiates a battle between her heart and her stubborn mind. With the help of her human, Annie, the underlying themes of appreciation, acceptance, valuing others, friendship and genuine love become exposed in this delightfully poetic book. The beautiful and silly illustrations easily draw the reader into the story while the clever, metered tale engages and entertains.