Making sense of dog senses: How our furry friends experience the world by Stephanie Gibeault, illustrated by Raz Latif

This was a unique and fun nonfiction book. There are plenty of nonfiction books about dog breeds, their evolution from wolves, communication with our furry friends, and the like. However, this book specifically explores all a dog's senses, not just their noses!

The introduction starts off very well, noting specifically that these are generalities and every dog is different. It also mentions other senses we don't usually talk about, like proprioception. With examples of specific dog behavior, Gibeault explains the science behind how dogs see, smell, taste, touch, and hear. She also talks about how these senses have developed over the evolution of dogs, how different breeds may have different degrees of senses, and how their senses affect their behavior. The last section talks about the possibility of dogs' ability to sense the magnetic pull of the poles, magnetoreception, and compares dog senses to humans, concluding that we're all amazing just as we are.

The text is in larger chunks, usually in two columns per page, but Latif's brightly colored illustrations not only show the scientific and anatomical concepts, they also include brightly colored backgrounds to guide readers through the text. Although I have been struggling a lot in getting kids to read longer nonfiction, the layout of this book should make it an easier sell to reluctant readers and the popular topic will intrigue them.

Verdict: A strong addition to nonfiction collections, this fills a niche in talking about all the senses of dogs and the layout makes the longer text accessible. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781771475242; Hardcover at $11.17 on Baker & Taylor

Published April 2024 by Owlkids