My Dog Is the Best

by Laurie Ann Thompson, Paul Schmid (Illustrator)

Overview

What do you get when you combine one energetic, enthusiastic little boy with his sleepy but tolerant dog? Unconditional love.
Using simple words and spare illustrations, My Dog Is the Best celebrates the special bond that exists between a young child and a beloved family pet. It's the heartwarming story of two best friends. . . told by a boy with a very active imagination.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466894082
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	06/09/2015
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Laurie Ann Thompson's books include Be a Changemaker and Emmanuel's Dream. She lives with her husband, two children, a grouchy cat, a disabled dog, and an ancient fish in Bellevue, Washington.
Paul Schmid has always said his pet rat, Emily, was the best. He is the author and illustrator of Oliver and his Alligator, A Pet for Petunia, and Hugs from Pearl. In 2010 Paul was awarded a month long fellowship with Maurice Sendak. He lives in Seattle, Washington, with his wife and their daughter.

Editorial Reviews

A round-headed toddler describes all the qualities that make his roly-poly dog the best, from playing dead and playing tug to blowing bubbles and reading books. The simple illustrations tell a different story, however, as the dog is just trying to sleep...
The simplicity of both the words and the pictures creates a charming, toddler-sized ode to man's best friend.” —Booklist

“The simple text and clear youth of the human narrator puts this squarely in the wheelhouse of preschoolers, while the humorous irony could draw emerging readers willing to decode the low-contrast taupe type. Schmid’s illustrations evince their familiar softness—thick, cottony penciled lines create the figures, and gentle touches of pale digital color...add interest to them as they float on creamy backgrounds. Decoding the art provides audiences with additional amusement—when the narrator says the dog “plays ball,” the pup is curled up into a ball; when he “helps the firemen,” a toy firetruck is perched on his sleeping body. Audiences will love being in on the joke, and they’ll leap to tell anti-heroic tales of their own pets.” —BCCB

From the Publisher

A round-headed toddler describes all the qualities that make his roly-poly dog the best, from playing dead and playing tug to blowing bubbles and reading books. The simple illustrations tell a different story, however, as the dog is just trying to sleep...
The simplicity of both the words and the pictures creates a charming, toddler-sized ode to man's best friend.

Booklist

03/01/2015
PreS—Though "a boy and his dog" may not be a groundbreaking theme, it's often a popular one—and this gentle tale of friendship is no exception. A young boy addresses readers, extolling the virtues of his strong, smart, brave, and entertaining pet, with the constant refrain "My dog is the best." Meanwhile, the illustrations tell a different story: text reading, "He scares away monsters," "He helps the firemen," or "He listens to my stories" is paired with images of the dog snoozing away while the child capers and cavorts. This sweetly funny contrast between words and images is nothing new, but it will certainly provoke laughs. Thompson's simple text and short sentences will appeal to little ones, while the book's small trim size make it ideal for one-on-one sharing. However, it's Schmid's pastel pencil and digitally illustrations that really set this story apart. The child and his dog are a roly-poly pair, all soft curves and rounded heads and bellies. A muted color scheme and uncluttered spreads, depicted without backgrounds, add to the soothing tone. Using few details, Schmid makes the boy a delightfully expressive figure, striking memorable poses and pulling faces. VERDICT While this is a familiar story, it's a well-executed and charming one.—Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2015-03-03
A toddler plays with the family dog, describing their simple activities and extolling the virtues of the pup. The unnamed narrator is dressed in blue overalls and appears to be a very young child, perhaps 18 months old. The dog is an overweight, nondescript sort who is sleepy and desperately trying to take a nap, while the toddler wants to play. This premise is telegraphed clearly on the title page, as the dog yawns and the toddler hopefully holds out a ball. The child's simple narration of the dog's tricks deliberately don't match the illustrations of the dog's behavior, as the dog is really sleeping rather than engaging in the described activities. For example, when the child states, "He plays ball," the dog is shown curled up like a ball. Eventually, the toddler tires of this one-sided game and falls asleep on top of the dog. In a clever conclusion, the dog wakes up ready to play, holding out the same ball with a hopeful "Woof!" The ironic juxtaposition sets up caregiver-child conversations that will introduce preschoolers to the nuances of humor. Minimalist illustrations in soft pastels, tan, and gray have a quiet appeal, but the short text set in tan on white pages suffers from low contrast. This simple, quiet story conveys the enduring bond between child and dog, with the added appeal of a joke that younger children just beginning to understand humor can enjoy. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews