I just received my Korgi press kit in the mail this afternoon, and am still swooning over the the gorgeous illustrations. This all-ages tail (sorry… it was just too easy) focuses on a spunky young girl and her faithful, bat-eared pup. Free of the usual crass pop culture references and ham-fisted dialogue found in so much kiddie lit, Korgi is a wordless fantasy/adventure story about–what else?–the special bond between children and canines. Before you reach for the hanky or the insulin shot, however, let me assure you that a grown-up–even one who doesn’t like dogs–can enjoy this story purely on its merits.

Who would like it? Your favorite niece or nephew. Herding dog enthusiasts. Librarians. Teachers. Moms. Manly men. Manga readers. The world’s most famous corgi breeder, Queen Elizabeth. Heck, even Stan Lee might like it. In short, just about anyone with a pulse and a dash of poetry in her soul will respond to Slade’s skillful visual storytelling. And if you just so happen to have, say, a corgi-shaped butter dish or an embroidered corgi tote bag lying around the house, well… you don’t need me to tell you that this is your kind of comic.

Stay tuned for a formal review of Korgi, as it will be one of the featured titles in the next installment of Comics for Manga Lovers… And if you just can’t get enough of these cute little critters, visit the Top Shelf homepage, where you can view a trailer, read a short excerpt, or follow links to recent interviews with Korgi creator Christian Slade. Korgi will be released in April.