Review by Booklist Review
As children peer from apartment windows, neighborhood dogs are gathering at the bus stop. But where they're going--and why--is a mystery. However, readers soon learn each dog has a job to do, from bringing cheer to hospital patients to helping deliver mail to herding sheep. Meanwhile, their children are sitting at home alone and missing their pups: What about playtime? And walks? Ultimately, the pups return home after their busy days working, and the children are giddy to see them come back. Charmingly flipping the notion of imagining what dogs may do or feel while their people are away, this playful picture book also provides an entertaining approach to introducing various working dogs and their jobs in an affectionate homage to various contributions to human lives, beyond just being beloved companions. Delightful, vibrant, and boldly outlined illustrations extend the text, depicting an inclusive array of dogs, children, and adults and incorporating amusing details (one building's address is "K9") and sweet moments. Appended "bark matter" discusses the depicted dogs and their various jobs and includes further information resources.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Dogs frequently stay at home when their humans go out for an extended period. What if the tables were turned? Cardillo (Just Being Jackie) and Ohora (Who Wet My Pants?) muse on this possibility through the wonderings of two children left behind for the day. Watching their dogs board a bus for work ("How could they leave us behind?"), the kids--one with brown skin and pigtail puffs, the other white with freckles--report on their own needs. But as readers can see, while the humans grow bored or get into mischief (unrolling toilet paper across the bathroom, for example), the hounds are doing important work: acting as therapy and service dogs, rescuing stranded mountaineers, delivering mail by sled--even running for mayor. While the narration is ostensibly from the human perspective, it's not always clear whether the visuals follow the dogs' jobs or the humans' lives. But Ohora's doggy acrylic illustrations will keep readers' eyes on the page--rendered with flat, bright colors and a quirky black line that adds both visual ballast and feathery textures, the vignettes show hounds fulfilling their roles with a sturdy commitment and no fuss. The scenes showing canine morning and evening commutes represent lovely moments of deadpan humor, and each image reminds readers of what they love best about their pooches: their tenacity and steadfastness, whether at home or on the job. "Barkmatter" provides more information on canine careers. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Stephen Barr, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Sean McCarthy, Sean McCarthy Literary. (June)
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Review by Horn Book Review
In this entertaining picture book, the skills used in actual jobs done by all kinds of very good dogs -- from therapy dog to truffle-sniffing dog to (somewhat alarmingly!) dog mayor -- are shown in parallel to the traits that make canines great companions. A dog who always finds you during hide-and-seek may also be a great search-and-rescue dog, and a dog who takes care of you would make a great "mother dog" (a welcome addition to the list of jobs, appended). The framing device, in which the dogs stand up on two feet and leave their homes for the office, makes the text -- told from the perspective of children as if they were the left-behind pets -- feel a bit muddled, particularly when it transitions between the pretend world of dogs heading to human work and the realistic dog jobs that are highlighted in the illustrations. But that framing also gives OHora (Horrible Bear!, rev. 3/16; Goodnight, Veggies, rev. 3/20) a chance to shine in whimsical spreads of canines with briefcases lining up for a bus and a title page of cheerful pups sitting at their cubicles; meanwhile, wistful youngsters watch from windows. The illustrator's characteristic flat, colorful drawings, with a few objects highlighted with texture and detail, are just right for this celebration of all dogkind. Deliciously punny "barkmatter" and "furrier reading" introduce curious kids to the real dog jobs that fly by in the fast-moving story. Laura Koenig September/October 2021 p.60(c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Children lament time apart from their hardworking dogs. "There they go. Off to who knows where. / What do they do all day? And how could they leave us behind?" So lament a Black child with Afro puffs and a White child with braids looking out their window at dogs on their way to work. All of the dogs stand on their hind legs, looking very much like adult humans (complete with briefcase, purse, or headphones) on their way to work. The illustrations respond to the children's lament by chronicling dogs' many jobs (jobs that dogs actually have in real life): therapy dogs, lobster-diving dogs, guide dogs, service dogs, rescue dogs, a small-town mayor, and more (further information is given in the "barkmatter" at the end of the book). The inclusion of "mom dogs" as a dog job is wonderful. There is great ambiguity in who is speaking in the accompanying text--is it the dogs who need to cuddle, eat, and so forth, or the children?--which may lead to some confusion for readers. OHora's signature boldly outlined acrylic paintings present very expressive characters, dogs and humans alike, and are charmingly whimsical. The joy in the illustrations is palpable, and seeing the many ways dogs help humans will be especially touching to dog lovers. Many dog breeds are represented along with children of different races and abilities. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A solid choice for dog lovers and those who want to better appreciate how dogs help humans. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
