Review Detail

Jia is afraid of all dogs, no matter the size while Charlie, a french bulldog, is afraid of all children. Charlie hides behind things when children approach and Jia would rather take the stairs than share an elevator with a dog. One day a storm approaches and Jia and Charlie are caught outside, they find that this is a lot scarier than dogs and children. Will they be able to find comfort in one another? Will they overcome their fears?

What I Liked: The book opens by introducing us to Jia who is afraid of dogs and all the questions she gets about this fear. The next page does the same with Charlie with other dogs asking him similar questions that Jia was asked by her friends and family. This book does a great job of showing the various ways that Jia and Charlie try to avoid situations with their biggest fears, and then how they manage to find a common fear that helps them overcome the original fear.

The illustrations in this story do a fantastic job of bringing the various scenes to life and adding humor to the pages. The text goes across the pages along with the illustrations ensuring that the text is in white space so that it remains visible and easy to follow.

Final Verdict: Jia Has a Dog Problem is an endearing story highlighting how one can overcome their fears, and how that can form a strong bond. Children ages 4 and up will delight in the fun activities that both Jia and Charlie get into and enjoy connecting with both of these characters over their different fears. This book is a great conversation started with children to talk about their fears and how they can work to overcome those fears.