Dog loves books! Dog loves books about dinosaurs and Dog loves books about aliens: in fact Dog loves all books! Dog has his very own bookshop, although he doesn't have many customers. But that's all right, because when Dog is surrounded by books, he is never short of friends or fun. And when someone does come into the shop, Dog knows just which books to recommend.

About the Author

Louise Yates began drawing pictures to go with the stories she wrote for school and, at a young age, began telling people that she wanted to be a children's book illustrator. She studied English at Oxford University, and currently attends The Prince's Drawing School. She lives in London.

Prizes

Meet Dog and let him show you why he LOVES BOOKS!

Reviews

It's a little discouraging when Dog's new bookstore doesn't attract any customers, but Dog isn't fazed; he pulls books off the shelves and loses himself in reading. "When he read, he forgot that he was alone." Reading prepares him for bookselling, too; when a girl shows up looking for books, "Dog knew exactly which ones to recommend." Yates' (A Small Surprise) pale, candy-colored watercolors are the real attraction of this otherwise wispy story. Delicate pinks and purples encircle the insouciant Dog as he reads book after book, his inquisitive ears on the alert, surrounded by the creatures he reads about: dinosaurs, kangaroos, benevolent aliens in flying saucers. Yates conveys Dog's immersion in fantasy by picturing him hovering in front of a bookshelf in a small pink spaceship of his own when the girl, his first real customer, arrives. Dog's enthusiasm for reading and books can feel a bit heavy-handed ("He loved the smell of them, and he loved the feel of them. He loved everything about them..."), but he's a charmer. Ages 4-8. (July) Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.

PreS-Gr 1-A small white dog loves books so much that he decides to open his own bookstore. Unfortunately, no customers come, so he occupies his time by reading. He is engrossed in his imaginary adventures when his first real customer asks for a book. Of course, he knows exactly what to suggest. The simple story is accompanied by soft pastel pencil and watercolor drawings that give the book a whimsical, dreamy quality. Dog is surrounded by nonthreatening dinosaurs, space aliens, and other creatures when he is reading about them. Young children can enjoy the book by themselves by following the charming illustrations. Pair this gentle tale with a winning message with Tad Hills's How Rocket Learned to Read (Random, 2010) for a dogs-that-love-books storytime.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.