From School Library Journal
reSchool-Grade 2--Puppy, a newly arrived birthday gift, wants to please his owner so that she will feed him, walk him, rub his belly, and love him. However, when the canine tries to be helpful by being a "paper shredder," he accidentally destroys the young girl's homework. After being reprimanded for this and other misdeeds, the pet decides that being perfect is just too difficult and runs away. When his owner is delighted to find him, even though he looks like a "muddy, drooly, fleabitten mess," he realizes that despite his transgressions, he will always be perfect to her. Yezerski's pastel watercolor cartoon illustrations with dynamic facial expressions work hand in hand with Calmenson's heartwarming story told from the dog's perspective. Anyone who has ever had a pet or strived for perfection without success will enjoy Puppy's amusing tale.
Rachel Fox, Port Washington Public Library, NYCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Ages 3-6. No matter how good a puppy's and its human's intentions are, training is not automatic. Time, patience, and effort are required if a pup is to learn acceptable behavior. That's the message Calmenson conveys, albeit less directly and with humorous watercolors, in this engaging glimpse of puppy-training reality. Imagining all the rewards ahead for being the perfect pup, the amiable doggie narrator enthusiastically runs to its new owner. "Fetch the shoe" certainly sounds like "fetch and chew." And how are puppies to distinguish homework from other papers that get shredded? Puppy's hopes, fears, frustrations, and joys make up most of the simple text, which will sensitize youngsters to be understanding, patient trainers for their soontobe perfect puppies.
Ellen MandelCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
