THIS IS THE WAY IN DOGTOWN

Text set to a well-known ditty makes for an enjoyable romp with pups.

In this rollicking book meant to be read (or, better yet, sung) to the tune of “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush,” cheery anthropomorphic pooches engage in activities with family and friends at home and in familiar neighborhood settings. The dogs brush their teeth, get dressed, go to school, and go swimming before heading home for dinner, baths, and bed. Each stanza ends with a three-word, rhythmic coda to heighten dramatic emphasis and add meaning: “This is the way we brush our teeth, / brush our teeth, brush our teeth. / This is the way we brush our teeth, / early in the morning. / Brush, brush, brush!” Bouncy vocabulary, often making use of onomatopoeia (“splat, splat, splat!” “Splish, splash, splosh!”), adds to the fun. Lively scenes, rendered in watercolor, gouache, color pencil, and collage, have a cozy, intimate, old-fashioned feeling. Though the story focuses on one fluffy white pooch, a variety of dog breeds are depicted, and the busy but never overwhelming pages are filled with details to pore over, from a St. Bernard pup reaching for a dumpling with a pair of chopsticks at lunch to a group of sea gulls pecking at discarded food in the street. Adults should encourage children to ad-lib verses to the song when they go about their own activities.

A delightfully entertaining and musical way to get through the day.