Build, Dogs, Build

December 9, 2013
The hardworking canines from 2013’s Dig, Digs, Dig replace a dilapidated apartment building with a gleaming high-rise tower in this companion book. “The crane is in place./ The angle’s correct./ Get the ball swinging now./ Wreck, dogs, wreck!” writes Horvath before a page turn reveals a colossal “boom” as the wrecking ball does its thing. From subterranean pipeworks and a 10-inch concrete base to finishing touches (“The last thing to do/ is install the doorbell”), children get a ground-up tour of how a building comes together. Paint mishaps, a “fetch” break, and other canine antics keep the mood light amid all the hard work. Ages 4–8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.