Dogs in Cars

Massie and Walker deliver a stylish primer on letters, numbers, dogs, and cars through a series of vehicles that become increasingly packed with canines. The rhyming text emphasizes the growing number of dogs, but readers will soon notice that the animals are appearing in alphabetical order. Even more impressively, the vehicles do, too; the makes and models aren’t explicitly identified, giving gearhead parents a chance to impress their kids. “Three Welsh corgis/ trying to work a jack” accompanies a shot of a Citroen 2CV with a flat tire, while “Four spotted Dalmatians/ trying to get back” shows the foursome leaning out the window of a DeLorean leaving a trail of flames in its wake. The collaborators use the same overhead perspective for each scene, useful for peering down into the cars’ crowded interiors, and their clean lines and flattened shapes showcase the details that make each dog and vehicle distinct. The rhymes aren’t always entirely successful (“Eleven King Charles spaniels/ paying a bridge toll/ Twelve naughty Labradors/ unrolling toilet roll”), but there’s still a lot to enjoy—including a surprise for cat-lovers. Ages 3–7. (Nov.)