(NOTE: I was given a copy of this book but all opinions are my own.)
A dog is a wonderful pet. My kids loved the dogs that we had when they were growing up — and my grandchildren absolutely love theirs!
Isn’t this the cutest picture ever of my granddaughter with their dog?
Even if kids don’t own a dog, they will totally enjoy the children’s picture book Every Dog in the Neighborhood by Phillip C. Stead.
In this book, Louis wants a dog. Grandma tells him no. (We don’t know why Louis lives with his grandmother but in today’s world lots of grandparents are raising their grandkids.)
They go for a walk pausing for a long time at a vacant lot.
They go home and Grandma writes a letter to city hall. She bangs it out on an old typewriter. (You might have to explain what a typewriter is because I bet your grandkids have never seen one.)
Louis also writes one. (His is handwritten on notebook paper. I’m sure grandkids understand that!) He asks them how many dogs are in his neighborhood.
Grandma gets a response that makes her unhappy. (She wads up the letter in disgust.)
Louis gets a response telling him that city hall doesn’t keep track of that information.
They decide to do their civic duty. Louis sets out to see exactly how many dogs there are. Grandma sets out on her own mission.
Louis meets all sorts of dogs and all sorts of people. (This book can be a great springboard to discuss diversity.)
There are big dogs and little dogs. Dogs with hilarious personalities. Dogs with funny names like Moose, Goose and Caboose. (I couldn’t figure out why one dog was named E.B. My daughter-in-law figured it out! Phew.)
They finally finish their projects. Grandma built a dog park in that vacant lot. She feels very satisfied. Huzzah!
Louis is satisfied, too. His survey is complete.
But, no! Grandma tells Louis he missed a dog — and takes him to see that special one.
I’m not going to tell you more about the ending. I don’t want to ruin it for you. You need to get a copy of this book and read it to your grandkids to find out.
One of the things that I like about the book is that even though it’s meant for kids ages 4 through 8 older kids will also enjoy it. It’s appealing to parents and grandparents, too.
I also really like the ink and watercolor illustrations. They are like scribbly art that’s very endearing to the reader. They’re whimsical and add humor and sparkle to the story. They capture the wonderful relationship between a grandma and her grandson.
You and your grandkids will totally enjoy this book. I highly recommend it!
You can get a hard copy of Every Dog in the Neighborhood by Phillip C. Stead on Amazon for $18.99.
