A Dog like That!

A girl compares her scruffy, loving dog to how others say a dog ought to look or behave. While her uncle’s dog, a handsome black Lab, “does what he’s told,” her own dog “does what he likes.” Set against electrically bright, canvas-textured backgrounds, Kemp’s bold, crisp collages are the star of the show; here they show the girl’s scraggly brown dog from behind as it appears to furiously dig a hole into the page itself. Other featured dogs include the girl’s grandfather’s “watchful” guard dog and a “bouncy” Dalmatian that lives down the road. Cooper’s cyclical text returns to the phrase “ ‘Dogs should be like that,’ they said,” though who “they” are isn’t specified. The conceit breaks down a bit when the dog’s better behavior is on display: while a neighbor’s “fierce” Doberman “barks at cats and strangers,” the girl’s dog wags his tail and is friendly to everyone, something most people would find preferable. But it’s clear that the girl loves her dog for both his foibles and strengths, something that many dog-loving families will agree with eagerly. Ages 2–5. [em](Apr.) [/em]