Cabrera adapts another nursery rhyme and singing game into sprightly picture-book format for the toddler and preschool set (One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, 2009, etc.). The well-known rhyme is expanded to follow two Dalmatian pups and their mother as they get up, get ready for school, play, learn, play some more and prepare for bed. Each dog has a simple identifying feature: Mom has eyelashes, older pup has a black circle around his eye and young pup is small. Young readers will enjoy the vibrant hues, outlined in black, used to paint the familiar everyday activities described in the text: "This is the way we brush our teeth... This is the way we march to school... This is the way we read and write... This is the way we splash around... This is the way we settle down." For those tempted to sing along, the added syllable in the verses that end, “On a cold and frosty afternoon,” is a bit clunky, but this is a slight issue in an otherwise smooth title. Sure to be equally successful for one-on-one sharing and storytime groups. (Picture book. 2-5)
