WHY DO I HAVE TO EAT OFF THE FLOOR?

Murphy, a short, enthusiastic dog, reveals his canine desires through a series of questions. He asks, “Why can’t I drive the car?” and is answered matter-of-factly by his wispy-haired girl, “Because you are too small to drive.” He also wants to know why he can’t play all the time and why he has to be good when company visits. Murphy’s curiosity and exuberance are not unlike that of children, who gleefully follow their Id. His patient owner tries to answer all these queries and more while teaching him proper behavior and convincing him ultimately that he is fated to be a dog, not a human. Perkins’s spare cartoons offer a lot of white space with some pale hues of purple, green and blue to brighten things up. While Murphy is pudgy and beguiling, the artwork feels sterile and the text sounds like a light scolding. Parents and dog owners will have a chuckle and it may serve as a good primer for children just training a pup. Suzanne William’s My Dog Never Says Please (1997), however, is far better suited to a child’s sense of humor. (Picture book. 3-6)