Friday, November 4, 2016

The Perfect Dog by Kevin O'Malley / Wolf Camp by Andrea Zuill / A Dog Wearing Shoes by Sangmi Ko / Book Reviews #picturebookmonth

Today's picture book month feature is going to the dogs.



Written and Illustrated by: Kevin O'Malley
Published by: Crown (Random House Kids)
Released on: May 1st, 2016
Ages: 4 & up
Purchase from: Amazon 
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 4 owlets - We Enjoyed It!
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, in exchange for my honest review

Fans of The Pigeon Wants a Puppy and Charlie the Ranch Dog will fall in love with this vibrant picture book about one girl’s quest to find the perfect dog for her family.

When your parents say you can get a dog, you feel so LUCKY.

And after you finally figure out what kind of dog you want, that feels even LUCKIER.

But when the perfect dog chooses you—it feels like you’re the LUCKIEST kid in the world!

Dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. But which one is perfect for you?

A cute story about a young girl who wants to find the perfect dog. Does she want a short hair, or long hair dog? A fast dog or slow dog? One that's big or small? With a variety of dog breeds that come in all shapes and sizes, this young narrator heads to the shelter to adopt the perfect dog. Once there she quickly learns that perfect dog she was looking for, is the one that choose her. 

Great for pet lovers, and those looking to adopt a dog. O'Malley's illustrations, and use of simple words, make for cute, heartwarming story. This book is great for young readers. O'Malley uses descriptive that kids will understand, like big, bigger, fancy, fancier and fanciest. This book is definitely great for preschool and kindergarten classrooms.   




Written and Illustrated by: Andrea Zuill
Published by: Schwartz & Wade (Random House Kids)
Released on: May 3rd, 2016
Ages: 4 & up
Purchase fromAmazon 
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 3 Owlets - It's A Good Read 
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, in exchange for my honest review

Meet Homer, a dog who heads to camp to live like a wolf! Here’s the perfect book for the legions of kids out there who love dogs and funny books.

Homer is a dog . . . but he also secretly fancies himself part wolf. So when an invitation to attend WOLF CAMP (“Where every dog can live as a wolf for a week”) falls out of his kibble bag one morning, he’s determined to go. After his people finally agree, Homer boards the bus bound for Wolf Camp, along with fellow campers Trixie and Rex. They’re greeted on the other end by wolf counselors Fang and Grrr (“they seem nice”), and what follows is an array of wolf activities, including learning to howl, mark, and hunt. Of course, Homer’s a little homesick at times, and the food isn’t very good, but that just makes heading home all the sweeter.

Perfect for all those kids anticipating camp themselves, Zuill’s debut introduces a charmer of a dog and puts him in some laugh-out-loud scenarios.

A laugh out loud story that follows Homer, a dog who wants to tap into his wild side.

Heading off to wolf camp sounds great to Homer. There he will learn how to be wild, like his distant relatives, the wolves. While learning to howl might be easy and fun, learning to hunt isn't as easy as it sounds. Nor does camp offer many of the luxuries home does. Though he misses home, he does have a great time, and even makes some new friends. Our favorite is the cat. Who knew a cat could howl (haha). 

Great for kids who kids head off to summer camp, and dog owners a like, this is a fun read with equally fun illustrations. 




Written and Illustrated by: Sangmi Ko
Published bySchwartz & Wade (Random House Kids)
Released on: September 9th, 2015
Ages: 4 & up
Purchase from: Amazon 
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 3 Owlets - It's A Good Read
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, in exchange for my honest review

This sweet and hilarious doggy adoption tale features a pooch wearing—wait for it—bright yellow shoes.

When Mini finds a small moppet of a dog, with fluffy ears, no collar, and wearing yellow booties, she understandably wants to take it home. Despite Mom's insistence that the dog probably already has a family, Mini gets attached and is awfully proud of her new pal, who can sing, sit, and give both paws. But when the pup runs off one day at the park, Mini comes to understand how someone else out there might be missing the little guy too.

This story, by a debut author/illustrator, perfectly captures the undeniable bond between dog and owner.


Cute illustrations compliment this sweet story about adoption, and the joys a dog can bring to their owner. It wasn't hard to fall in love with a cute dog who wears yellow shoes. We loved that Mini took great care of the lost pup. Even though Mini loved the dog she found, and wanted to keep him, she did the right thing in taking care of him, and finding his owner. Mini's story ends just happily as the pup who wears yellow shoes. She adopts a beloved dog of her own. Now she too has a furry best friend, and has given a sweet dog a forever home. 


This is such a cute picture book. Ko captures the bond dogs and their owners have, perfectly. We loved that this book is inspired by a true story. Also found at the end of this book is information on adopting a dog, and shelters where you can go to adopt them. 
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~