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JIA HAS A DOG PROBLEM

Name: JIA HAS A DOG PROBLEM
Author: Stephanie Ellen Sy
ISBN: 9780593697085

by Stephanie Ellen Sy ; illustrated by Isabella Kung ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 12, 2026

A doggone delight.

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An apprehensive pair—one canine, one human—learn they are braver than they realize.

Jia doesn’t know the reason for her fear; she’s never been attacked or chased. But the youngster is unwavering: She’s “PETRIFIED of dogs.” Upstairs, French bulldog Charlie shares a similar skepticism about children. Throughout the substantial text, Sy is unfailingly respectful toward her protagonists’ trepidation. Readers will feel for Charlie, who avoids walks whenever possible (lest he see a dreaded youngster), and Jia, who gears up for potential pup encounters with oven mitts and goggles. Kung’s jagged, childlike drawings of pointy-toothed hounds and looming children vividly depict their fears. But after they are stranded together by happenstance during a frightening storm, they find unexpected comfort in each other. Both author and artist make astute decisions as they draw repeated parallels between dog and child. Sy adeptly demonstrates the power of empathy, using clear, tangible examples, such as Jia interpreting Charlie’s terrified drooling as “shaking with hunger.” Cartoon-style watercolor illustrations with clean, dark outlines are smart and punchy. Kung frequently relies on a complementary palette of swirly golds and purples for Jia and Charlie, creating scenes that feel simultaneously dramatic and harmonious. Facial expressions and Jia’s bobbly pigtails are perfectly exaggerated, heightening tension and humor. Jia presents East Asian, as do most of her neighbors.

A doggone delight. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 12, 2026

ISBN: 9780593697085

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Kokila

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
YOU CAN'T TAME A TIGER
by Stephanie Ellen Sy ; illustrated by Julien Chung

- BOOK REVIEW
A ROOF!
by Stephanie Ellen Sy ; illustrated by Daniel Tingcungco

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

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PETE THE CAT'S 12 GROOVY DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

by James Dean ; illustrated by James Dean ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 18, 2018

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among

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Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.

If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”

Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)