DOG BRAIN

Sneakers only appears to be the world's dumbest dog: He won't fetch, roll over, or obey any of the house rules. The boy narrator, clearly envious of the dog's misbehavior, decides that Sneakers is only playing dumb. He imagines a secret world after dark, where the mutt slinks off to wild beach parties and doggie poetry slams. Milgrim's text is as simple as Sneakers's mind, and his artwork is as naive as the boy's fantasy. With few frills he achieves a bold comic style, as Sneakers shrugs off a mishap or points to the dunce cap on his head to explain himself. The boy and his dog are reminiscent of ``Peanuts'' characters, both in the way they are drawn and in their relationship. Lots of fun, and accessible to the very young. (Picture book. 2-7)