Review Detail

D is for Dog

Kids Indie 153

Dogs from A to Zwergspitz!

August 05, 2024

Overall rating

4.5

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

In this rhyming picture book, we get to see all of the exuberant activities that dogs enjoy! From barking and catching balls to napping... and napping... and napping, there are many traditionally canine activities depicted with a variety of adorable breeds. After ending with z for "zonked" and a nest of tiny, sleeping Zwergspitz (Pomeranians), there is a great spread of dogs representing the different letters of the alphabet. Somehow, that made this all the more perfect, since it was the Irish Wolfhound itching, the Maltese getting muddy, and the Poodle with poop. Even though the illustrations for the latter has the Poodle embracing a brown and lumpy look, I'm not sure how most Poodles would feel about this comparison! They could have perhaps preened or pranced or promenaded, although I am sure that young readers will get a giggle out of this.

Good Points

The verse is quite well done, with the rhyme and the meter being rollicking and sensical. I especially enjoyed the times when the letter being discussed was introduced with "and then there is...", and then the letter rhymed with the last line of verse. This showed another level of poetic skill and some innovation.

Ogilvie's illustrations are adorable, and slightly reminiscent of Margaret Bloy Graham's Harry, the Dirty Dog. You can tell from the cover that the eyes convey a lot of emotion, and there's also a lot of action. Of course, the cutest thing is the dogs curled up sleeping.

One of my favorite picture book series is Melling's Ruffles, with it's thumbnail sketches of Ruffles doing many activities. The fact that D if for Dog is also an alphabet book with a variety of breeds represented makes it the perfect accompaniment to Ruffles and his various adventures. Many books about dogs, like Sorosiak's World of Dogs and Lonely Planet's Atlas of Dogs, are for slightly older readers with longer attention spans, but D is for Dog is a delightfully didactic dictionary of dog descriptions!