Dog Loves Counting

July 15, 2013
In Dog’s third picture book, his reading habits are interfering with his sleep: “He loved reading late into the night and didn’t like to leave them for long.” Dog considers counting sheep, but opens a book instead and begins counting to 10 with help from some animals; a three-toed sloth is number three, a camel’s four legs make him a natural number four, and a five-lined skunk is next. Yates’s loose drawings give the animals personality to spare as Dog proves that the right story can be a ticket to dreamland—and that there’s plenty of fun to be had there. Ages 4–8.

September 1, 2013

PreS-Gr 1-The erudite white pup from Dog Loves Books (Knopf, 2010) has returned. He loves to read, staying up late with his books. When he finally turns out the light, he has trouble drifting off to sleep, and counting sheep does not work. Turning to one of his trusty volumes, he looks for other creatures to count. A newly hatched dodo is the first, and Dog himself comes next. Together, they begin a journey through the pages searching for Number Three (the three-toed sloth). The three companions continue on counting all the way to 10 as more creatures join their parade. They end up in the desert and the animals prepare to count off, 1 to 10, "but Number One is nowhere to be seen!" Dog and his friends search for the dodo, counting down from 10 and at last finding the missing baby bird. To the pup's delight, One is looking up at the sky, counting the stars. The next morning, when he wakes up in his bed surrounded by his books, he is content because he knows that his friends and more adventures wait for him in the pages: "that was something he could count on." Youngsters will enjoy counting with Dog, the Five-Lined Skink, the Nine-Banded Armadillo, and their pals as they wander through the whimsical pencil and watercolor landscapes. Each picture, painted in a soothing pastel palette, features elements from nature like leaves, flowers, or seashells along with the gentle, smiling animals.-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Inspired by a bestiary, Dog counts "curious creatures" rather than sheep to fall asleep. He befriends a dodo, a sloth, and seven other animals as they count to ten and back to one. Dog awakens to realize the adventure was a dream. The warm watercolor illustrations detail the animals with energetic, sketchy lines, while soft-edged backgrounds add to the dreamy feel.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)