Dogs
Emily Gravett
Simon & Schuster, 2010

On the opening page of this picturebook, the narrator tells us that, “I love dogs.” Then, s/he proceeds to itemize all the different kinds of dogs that s/he loves: i.e. big dogs, small dogs, tough dogs, soft dogs, dogs that play and dogs that don’t, slow dogs, and fast dogs. While the text is sparce and there is no storyline, the illustrations are charming. On each page, the dog(s) are front and center. There is nothing in the background of the off-white pages, each dog is positioned very close to the edge of the page and, hence, to the reader, and the soft brushstrokes and colors make all the dogs look appealing even the “tough” one. Although not a lot happens in this picturebook, adults and children alike will appreciate the surprise ending (where the reader learns the identity of the narrator) which is clever and gives the story an added punch.