Where there are cats, there must be dogs! Although, not vice versa, which is why there are more picture books about dogs than cats (this is purely a guess, I have no actual numbers to back it up). Anyways, when it's Emily Gravett's clever and quirky drawings, more is definitely better, no matter which furry friend is depicted.
The end pages open with ten lovingly drawn sausages, possibly a homage to the classic rhyme "ten fat sausages." Don't miss the charming picture of Gravett's own pup, Dilys, shown both in a photograph and drawing on the credits page.
Ten dogs. Ten sausages. What could be simpler? Well... the equation quickly devolves into a messy math problem as the dogs squabble over the sausages, divide and conquer, form alliances, trade and maneuver. Each new division of dogs and sausages gives kids an opportunity to not only dig into the math, but also sort the dogs in different ways, from smallest to biggest, fastest to slowest, most agile to least.
Happily, all finally ends well with an equal division of sausages, sated dogs sprawled out for a nap, and sausage-less, grease-stained end pages.
Verdict: Gravett's illustrations are most effective close up, when readers can see all the tiny details, but this would also work well in a storytime setting. Recommended.
ISBN: 9781914912597; Published September 2023 by Boxer Books; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library
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