IT'S A DOG'S LIFE
by Susan E. Goodman & illustrated by David Slonim
(A lot of) everything kids ever wanted to know about dogs—but couldn’t ask. Now, the bare bones of doggy secrets are revealed.
Readers will pore over and savor this slim, well-paced guide, which is narrated in friendly, conversational tone by a scruffily engaging mutt. Wittily illustrated in child-appealing, cartoony watercolors and chock-full of simple explanations of why man’s best friends do what they do, this is just the book for younger dog lovers, dog owners and wannabes. They’ll learn why our four-legged friends will eat almost anything (they have far fewer taste buds than humans), why they run from vacuum cleaners (supersensitive hearing), why they love hanging out of car windows (their sense of smell works better at high speed), and what those urine spatters on fire hydrants really mean (doggy newspapers). Who knew a dog’s inability to see colors well derives from prehistoric feeding habits? Sadly, some misspellings, including "Dalmation," were not caught in copy editing.
Children will be barking up the right tree with this enjoyable read. There’s still no telling why dogs run after letter carriers, though.… (bibliography) (Nonfiction. 7-10)