D is for Dog! by Em Lynas & Sara Ogilvie

 This trim little book is full of a delightful energy. The thick cardboard cover has a die-cut D, giving a glimpse into the endpages which are covered with grinning dogs. The book is a trim 9x6.5 inches and packs fun into ever slim page.

It's an alphabet book, but all the letters are tied to activities with dogs. So A is for Action and the picture shows a giant fluffy dog joyfully chasing an annoyed flock of pigeons. B shows a dog enthusiastically barking at a mostly indifferent cat and C "is for catching a ball in the park." and completing the rhyming couplet. The book continues through the alphabet and then, when readers have reached the Z illustrated by a pile of "zonked" fluffy puppies, the final pages show that there was a double alphabet - all of the breeds shown match the letter as well as the action! The dog for A is an Afghan hound and so on down to the fluffy Zwergspitz (or Pomeranians).

This is a simple but charming and satisfying book from the plethora of mischievous, happy, drooling, barking dogs, each with their own unique style, to the bouncing rhythms. My only caveat is that it's not ideal for a large storytime, due to the book's small size.

Verdict: This is sure to fly off your library shelves and would be the perfect gift for a dog lover of any age. If you have access to a document camera, it will be easier to use it in a large storytime so the kids can fully enjoy all the different dogs, but a small storytime of ten or fewer kids should have no problem seeing the pictures. Recommended.

ISBN: 9798887771083; Hardcover/Picture book on Baker & Taylor for $14.24

Published October 2024 by Nosy Crow; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library