I Want a Dog

July 8, 2019
In this story by Agee (The Wall in the Middle of the Book), a child visits the Happydale Animal Shelter and asks for a dog. The tall, skinny man who runs the shelter presses her to accept an armadillo, or maybe an anteater. “How about this baby baboon? It doesn’t go woof, but it chases a ball, just like a dog!” The girl, who has brown skin and wears a bright yellow dress, isn’t interested. “I don’t want a baby baboon,” she says. A python? A frog? A tail-up goldfish? Her words appear just above her head against a blank wall and hang in the air with finality: “Mister, that goldfish is not playing dead.” Somehow, the two reach a compromise. He asks why a dog is so important, and she leaves with a fine pet, indeed (“loyal, loving, smart, cuddly, goofy”—the works). Reversed expectations give this story its laughs—the child dominating the exchange, her lack of interest in the myriad offers. Agee’s cartoon drawings of the hapless animals are winning, but it’s the child’s implacable resolve that sees the story through. Ages 5–8.

August 15, 2019
A charming interaction at an animal shelter leads to the adoption of a pet that's better than a dog. Agee's (The Wall in the Middle of the Book, 2018) newest work opens on the softly picturesque business district of Happyvale. A small girl with brown skin and puffy black hair in a ponytail visits the animal shelter to ask for a dog, wagon in tow. But apparently they have every other animal except a dog, and the tall, white man who runs it tries to get her to take every single one. Their banter is absolutely delightful. As he tries to persuade the girl to take a baboon, a frog, even a goldfish ("It...knows how to play dead, just like a dog," he says; "Mister, that goldfish is not playing dead"), the kid remains steadfast. Beginning readers will love the child's firm reiteration of priorities: "That's okay. I do not want a goldfish. I want a dog." Exasperation hilariously clear in her body language, the girl wonders whether the man knows what a dog is, then finally changes her approach: "Do you even have a dog?" As the man confesses that he does not have the desired pet, he does bring her one last animal--which really ends up being better than a dog! Amazingly, the girl's parents (who both present black) seem to agree. This entertaining, engaging read makes the most impossible pets seem...well, possible. (Picture book. 3-6)

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September 27, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-A little girl really wants a dog so she journeys to Happydale Animal Shelter in an attempt to find her ideal pet. The man at the shelter shows her an abundance of unusual animal choices and attempts to persuade her to choose the pets he selects instead. However, the little girl remains adamant that she wants a dog. This book is filled with comical exchanges between the man and child. Repetition of the phrase "I want a dog" adds to the humorous quality of the narrative. Readers will be anxious to see what pet emerges next. Many of the pages feature the simple but attention-grabbing large doorway and a salesman at one end of the scene. On the opposite end of the scene the little girl is depicted with a new pet option. The rest of the scene is relatively spacious, focusing readers' attention on important changes within the scene. Drawings feature a lively cartoon art style with washes of color throughout. The imagery adds to the narrative's playful tone. VERDICT This is a great storytime read-aloud and a wonderful addition to any library collection. This cheerful story is sure to inspire bouts of laughter from young children.-Deanna Smith, Pender County Public Library, NC

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2019
Preschool-G When a girl visits her local animal shelter hoping to take home a dog, she's greeted by a tall, besuited salesman who offers a series of alternative pet options that escalate in exoticism: a porcupine, weasel, armadillo, anteater, baby baboon, python, and frog, each one presented with a silly false promise. Look what I found! A goldfish! It wags its tail and knows how to play dead, just like a dog. Mister, replies the girl, that goldfish is not playing dead. (It's actually dead.) After she refuses an albatross, kangaroo, and wombat, the salesman finally admits that he doesn't have any dogs. His last-ditch effort, however, wins the girl over, and she goes home happy with her new pet seal, Lucinda. Agee (The Wall in the Middle of the Book, 2018) brings his unique charm and gentle absurdity to an otherwise-straightforward dialogue. While it's not a particularly inventive premise, his artwork elevates the story, rendering so much humor (and, somehow, pathos) through deceptively simple expressions and gestures. With Agee, readers are always in for a treat.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)