Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose

by Lauren Tarshis, Lisa Bronson Mezoff (Illustrator)

Overview

A hilarious and tender picture book perfect for fans of No, David that insightfully explores the inner world of a child. The picture book debut from the New York Times bestselling author of I Survived, Lauren Tarshis!

To the outside world, it might look like you do everything right: eat your broccoli, share your toys, and behave in the bath. But what about the moments when no one is looking, and your messier, mushier, scared-ier self is revealed? The only one who knows is... the loyal dog friend who sees it all and still loves you just the way you are.

This celebration of friendship, loyalty, and unconditional love with man's — and child's — best friend is sure to delight and entertain readers of all ages. Laugh along with recognition and delight in this ode to being true to yourself. With tender, humorous text from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis, and joyful, expressive watercolors from artist Lisa Mezoff, this sweet book presents a validating message of confidence, empowerment, and unconditional love.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338680256
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	10/19/2021
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	549,080
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Lauren Tarshis's New York Times bestselling I Survived series tells stories of young people and their resilience and strength in the midst of unimaginable disasters and times of turmoil. Lauren has brought her signature warmth and exhaustive research to topics such as the battle of D-Day, the American Revolution, Hurricane Katrina, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and other world events. She lives in Connecticut with her family, and can be found online at laurentarshis.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose:

"Tarshis presents the boy’s confessions of his secret behaviors with lots of humor, and, like the wonderful dog, there’s no reprimand or condemnation. A funny, delightful cartoon vignette with boy’s and dog’s expressions and body language in perfect symmetry accompanies each episode." — Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

07/01/2021

PreS-K—Unconditional love in this tale comes in the form of a boy's dog. As his adoring family (mother, father, little sister, cat, and dog) looks on, the unnamed boy tells us, "I always do everything just right. Anyone can see that." He then covers all the ways he is a good boy including how he cleans his plate, is a great big brother, is brave and helpful, always shares, and, of course, never splashes in the tub. Then he gets real and he tells us the rest of the story: "But only my dog knows that." Some of the things the dog knows include that his boy feeds him his broccoli, doesn't share ALL his toys or follow every rule, looks for monsters under the bed, can dream big and burp loud, and only splashes in the tub when T. rex wants to. Despite or maybe because of this, "My dog knows everything about me, and loves me all the time." The first-person narration gets to the heart of every child—not all good, not all bad, but always complex and human. Mezoff's lighthearted, watercolors perfectly capture the boy, who has tan skin, as well his relationship with his dog with just the right amount of detail. VERDICT A sweet story about a boy and the dog who knows all his secrets.—Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Lib., Troy, NH

School Library Journal

2021-07-27
A young boy appears to be a picture of perfect behavior.

He says he always follows rules, is an exemplary big brother, willingly shares his toys, and overall “do[es] everything just right.” But he gleefully admits to mischievous transgressions when he is alone with his dog. He neglects to brush his teeth, zooms through the house on his skateboard, and splashes in the tub. What’s more, he hides his smelly socks and deliberately wakes his sister from her nap. His dog witnesses it all and is his sole trusted confidant. This dog knows that the boy looks for monsters under the bed (and helps to keep those monsters away) and is always up for a hug. And when the boy picks his nose? No judgment. Tarshis presents the boy’s confessions of his secret behaviors with lots of humor, and, like the wonderful dog, there’s no reprimand or condemnation. A funny, delightful cartoon vignette with boy’s and dog’s expressions and body language in perfect symmetry accompanies each episode. Endpaper illustrations further contrast perfection with reality. The boy and his family present White. The title alone will catch the interest of young readers, who will perhaps recognize themselves in the hijinks and add their own confessions. Is the dog really the only witness; are the boy’s parents clueless? Look carefully.

It’s about unconditional love and acceptance. Enjoy. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews