An accessible and engaging dog training guidebook that teaches kids about responsible pet ownership.
Mitchell offers a comprehensive, illustrated guide to dog training for children.
Written from the perspective of Roxy, the author’s Belgian Malinois, this manual takes kids through the many different aspects of dog ownership—including the basics of training pets in very brief blocks of time, how to speak to them, how to approach potty training, and much more. Mitchell, a professional dog trainer, tells readers all about the different “superpowers” dogs have, including having super-strong hearing and being “a good protector.” This framework is an engaging way for kids to think about their pets and learn more about their abilities. Roxy’s voice is fun and accessible and will entertain children by giving them a chance to interact with a dog talking to them in the first person. The “1 Minute Dog Training” method also adapts well to kids—they can get involved with training their pets and build good habits, even with short attention spans. The training methods focus on positive reinforcement and highlight the importance of treating dogs with respect and kindness—an important thing for children to learn. Additionally, included QR codes link to related videos with training demonstrations and tips, adding a helpful tool for kids who are more interactive learners (with caregivers’ permission). Pretonari’s colorful, cute full-color cartoon illustrations of a variety of dogs throughout underline the concepts shared in each chapter, enhancing the reading experience and providing additional context. The book also includes background information about how dogs are descended from wolves and lived alongside people to become humans’ “best friends,” which adds another educational layer. With an emphasis on patience and understanding, this manual communicates important lessons that children may apply to other parts of their lives.
An accessible and engaging dog training guidebook that teaches kids about responsible pet ownership.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
A well-meaning but lackluster tribute.
Readers bid farewell to a beloved canine character.
Momo is—or was—an adorable and very photogenic border collie owned by author Knapp. The many readers who loved him in the previous half-dozen books are in for a shock with this one. “Momo had died” is the stark reality—and there are no photographs of him here. Instead, Momo has been replaced by a flat cartoonish pastiche with strange, staring round white eyes, inserted into some of Knapp’s photography (which remains appealing, insofar as it can be discerned under the mixed media). Previous books contained few or no words. Unfortunately, virtuosity behind a lens does not guarantee mastery of verse. The art here is accompanied by words that sometimes rhyme but never find a workable or predictable rhythm (“We’d fetch and we’d catch, / we’d run and we’d jump. Every day we found new / games to play”). It’s a pity, because the subject—a pet’s death—is an important one to address with children. Of course, Momo isn’t gone; he can still be found “everywhere” in memories. But alas, he can be found here only in the crude depictions of the darling dog so well known from the earlier books.
A well-meaning but lackluster tribute. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781683693864
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
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