I am dog!

PreS-Gr 1--Anyone who has ever wondered what goes on inside a dog's head will have their questions answered in this hilarious rhyming story. Dog takes readers through a typical day's events with running commentary. Good things include "beggy-beggy trick" and "fetchy-fetchy stick." Negative things: the neighbor's cat is told to "WOOF-WOOF WOOF-WOOF/ Take a jog!" Brightly colored illustrations capture the action as a brown-and-white dog with a jaunty red bandana chases ducks, enjoys cuddles, and hangs out the car window "feeling wind in face." Dog's owner is a patient and beautiful little girl with brown skin. She takes Dog for walks, gives treats, and supplies belly rubs. Facial expressions are key in conveying the emotions of bystanders as well as the main characters. Dog's wide-eyed look as a raid on the dinner table turns into a "slippy-slidey" disaster perfectly captures the sense of consternation. His owner's slanting eyebrows and straight-line mouth are equally eloquent in portraying her displeasure. Dog's misunderstanding of being sent to bed will have readers laughing at his canine savoir faire. "In my basket? Good plan, Boss!" VERDICT Perfect for children who enjoy pet stories, rhyming word play, and lots of laughs.--Suzanne Costner

"It's a dog's life." A spotted pup and a dark-skinned child with puffy ponytails play and cuddle and mess their way through a day together. Dog narrates the story. "I am Dog. Dog is me. I like walkies. I like tree." "I like rolls in foxy pong. Foxy pong is nice and strong." Dog chases the neighbor cat, steals sausages, and sniffs other puppy posteriors. There is much word repetition for rhythm's sake. "I like scratchy-scratchy tum. I like sniffy-sniffy bum." In the evening, Dog jumps on the table, making a mess of dinner and eating much of it. The child angrily sends (a clueless) Dog to bed, but the day ends with the little one smiling over the sleeping pooch. First published in the U.K., this paean to pups does have a few Briticisms in the rhyme scheme, but young American dog devotees will pick meanings up from picture and context. Young listeners will giggle at Bently's text and recognize their own canine companions in Chatterton's bright cartoon illustrations. Human characters depicted in Dog's neighborhood are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A fine and funny dog's-eye view of a loving relationship. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.