Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10

March 14, 2011
Reprising the simple but emphatic formula used in Big Cat, Small Cat, Rubinger invites readers to fill in the missing words in rhyming couplets starring a cast of kooky dogs. "Playing chase is so much fun!" declares a hound seen running after a panicked mouse. "My name is Rover. I'm dog number..." In another spread, a huge, drooling butterscotch dog declares. "I'm so hungry I could eat more! Call me Bones. I'm dog number..." The rhymes alone should be enough for most kids to supply answers, but abundant visual clues in Rubinger's kinetically off-kilter scenes provide additional hints. Ages 2â5.

March 15, 2011

With scores of counting books available, a new one must be inventive, appealing and stand out from titles by such standbys as Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry. Even with an invitation to readers to participate, this rhyming canine counter doesn't quite measure up. Each of the 10 dogs has a name and a paper number taped to it. The sentence that introduces each one ends with an ellipsis that invites readers to contribute the rhyming response. "Playing chase is so much fun! / My name's Rover. I'm dog number..." (one); "I love lying around with nothing to do. / Call me Lucy, I'm dog number..." (two). It takes a few pages to "get" the device because the placement of the dogs varies. Lucy, for instance, lolls on the left-hand side of the spread, while another dog (Rover, in the distance) romps above her name on the right. (Dogs three through 10 are arranged with greater clarity, but kids will already be disoriented by the time they get to them.) Children accustomed to other complete-the-phrase books will recognize the ellipsis as a prompt to find the answer on the next page, but that is not the case here. The goofy-looking, Technicolor dogs have broad shapes and ping-pong–ball eyes. Visually, it's got plenty of pizzazz, but other counting books do the job better; this one just doesn't wag its tail. (Picture book. 3-5)

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July 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 1-In this colorful picture book, each number gets a spread with a rhyming text. This pattern begins with number one and is repeated throughout. "Playing chase is so much fun!/My name's Rover. I'm dog number...." The book continues in this fashion up to dog number 10 when-surprise!-a spread features pairs of cats. The book ends with "Ten dogs and ten cats-I think that's plenty!/Count them all/and you get...." The psychedelic artwork uses bold colors and features big-eyed animals set against multicolored hills. Each illustration has all the previous dogs pictured in their original poses, but they do not overshadow the "main" dog. Despite the relatively uncluttered illustrations, there are plenty of non-canine things to count, including clouds, flowers, birds, and the unexpected eight giraffes. An interesting book with an easy-to-read text, suitable for groups or one-on-one sharing.-Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

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