Which Puppy?

I heard my daughter giggling as she read this book. Later I asked her what made her giggle - she said it was once sentence that had the word "lucky" about a zillion times. She also really enjoyed the drawings of the different dogs, and in particular enjoyed the part of the story where different animals were convinced that they too would make a fine puppy. It's a great book for dog lovers and of course for fans of Sasha and Malia!

When the president fulfills his campaign promise to get a puppy for his daughters, word is spread far and wide. Animals from across the globe want a chance to be the White House puppy. Contests begin...racing, barking, even hoop jumping. However, the winner has poor social skills and is eliminated. A lottery draws participants, but unfortunately it is rigged. So, the animals rely on an ancient custom which states that the "true puppy" will have two rings around one paw, a heart on its face, an eye that winks, and a tail that tells time. Of course no one animal has all three characteristics, so it is decided to let the two dogs and a guinea pig team up as a package deal. After arriving at the White House the trio are disappointed because the puppy has already been chosen. The book ends on a happy note since the girls notice the discouraged animals leaving and invite them to play with their new puppy. This book is a wonderful book for children. It is not only meant to be read to children, but by children. Finding a book that a child can read on his own can be very challenging, but this book is perfect for the developing reader. The text offers a chance for children to read expressively since there are so many pages with dialogue. Teachers and parents may find Which Puppy? a great spring board to discuss current events on a level the child can understand. My sister who is a teacher and tutor with a masters degree in education told me that after reading the book she intends to make it available to all her students, as according to her there are so few good books available for kids that bridge current events with reading development. I think many of the critics that have heretofore provided low ratings for this book are not that experienced in education or perhaps they expect the book to satisfy and entertain THEM rather than a young child. This book was written for a young child and does a good and effective job in providing just the right amount of information and plot for reading development.

Remember all of the fuss around the choice of a First Pet? Malia and Sasha were promised a dog in Barack Obama's victory speech (which is quoted on the front page of the book). Kate and Jules Feiffer have captured, in a light and hysterical way, the mania of finding an appropriate pooch for the First Girls in their new children's book, "Which Puppy?". Upon finding out that the girls are going to get a new doggie, pets around the country, and even around the world, go bonkers trying to vie for the honor. The pets gather, and host contest after contest to decide which animal is most deserving the honor. Finally, the group selects three animals to be the victors, and off they go to the White House. Once arriving, their hopes are dashed when they find out an animal has already been chosen. No worries, all ends happy as the new Presidential Pooch gets to play with three new friends in the White House. The father and daughter team created a story with bright pictures and vivid descriptions. Fans of the Obamas will eat up this book, for the cameos by the first family. The story is a wild romp, guaranteed to be enjoyed by young and old alike. I highly recommend this book for your next purchase!

With the Feiffer gift for presenting the point of the matter without being pointed, Kate Feiffer's little book, apparently just about cute pets, deals with the very complex process of selection. Children will be in such contests all their lives, selection processes run by rules of competition, trickery, tradition, and group selection. Feiffer manages to cover all these with just a few words of text and even brings us to the ending we must all face at times: the contest is in vain, and another has already been chosen. So how do you deal with failure? You all play together "until no one could possibly play any longer." Maybe this book should go into the adult section of my library.

This is a sweet little "tail" of a book with a simple premise. The First Daughters get a puppy, so a puppy contest must be held to select the winning First Puppy. After upstarts and mishaps, the final contestants get the chance to present themselves to the First Family, only to find out.... The surprise ends happily, with a more-the-merrier theme. The illustrations are whimsical and light, matching the tone of the book. Preschoolers and lower elementary will enjoy being read the story because of the playful pups and the dream of belonging to the White House. Highly Recommended.