Picture Book: Don't Lick the Dog: Making Friends with Dogs

Summary of Don’t Lick the Dog: Making Friends with Dog:

A trio of children runs up to a lady walking six diverse dogs.   As they enthusiastically reach out to touch them, they are warned to stop, prompting the children to ask if they can pet them.  The owner gives permission for five of the dogs, but warns that the six, Maddie, might bite.  Then, in short rhyming stanzas, the children are instructed in how to approach and to treat dogs.   For instances, she tells them:

Don’t stick your nose in Stella’s face—

until your friends,

she needs her space.

Stand still and let dogs come to you

to smell your hand or sniff your shoe.

But curl your fingers underneath

in case one greets you

with his teeth.

Also, general tips are given in how to offer a treat and where to pet a dog.  Sound advice about shy, jumpy, and irritable dogs is presented.  As the book comes to a close, the dog owner reminds the children:  “Dogs aren’t toys to hug and squeeze or poke or chase or tug or tease.”  As a result, demonstrate good manners to show you care. 

Evaluation:

The fanciful illustrations and fun rhyming text (by Wendy Wahman) make this book appealing while offering practice advice to youngsters.  Don’t Lick the Dog:  Making Friends with Dogs can assist parents and childcare givers in teaching children how to be safe and how to respect dogs.   Children will become more confident and safety-conscious as they approach new dogs or deal with family pets.  I recommend this book for ages 2-5. 

New Preschool Book Series by Stuart J. Murphy

During a recent library trip, I saw two brand new books (ages 2-6) by Stuart J. Murphy:  Percy Plays It Safe and Good Job, Ajay!   The vibrant colors and adorable characters prompted me to check them out.  Both books are part of a new preschool series whose purpose is to aid children in developing life skills that are crucial for success at home, in school, and on the playground.   The books conclude with discussion questions and a visual aid that reinforces critical life skills. 

At the website devoted to this new series, you can view more information and videos describing the characters, the books, and the objectives.    There are currently two other books in the series:  Emma’s Friendwich and Freda Plans a Picnic. 

Good Job, Ajay!  (Emotional Skills:  Building Confidence)  

Ajay loves playing ball, but he has difficulty throwing it well.   Percy and Freda come over to help him practice.  To build up his confidence, they reminisce about other tasks he initially was apprehensive to try, such as talking to a teacher and swimming in a pool.  His friends remind him of the steps he took to overcome his fears to enjoy those activities.  With the help and encouragement of his friends, Ajay continues to practice throwing the ball until he masters the skill. At the end of the book, a simple Venn diagram illustrates how children build confidence.  In addition, there are discussions questions about Ajay’s feelings, interactions, and choices.   Finally, connections are made to the listeners’ personal experiences on trying new activities and building confidence. 

Percy Plays It Safe (Health and Safety Skills:  Playground Safety) 

Percy plays at the park nearly every day.  He loves to swing, to slide, and to run while imagining he is a monster.   Unfortunately, he does not always play safely on the equipment or carefully around others.  He inconsiderately bumps into others on the monkey bars and runs through children’s creations in the sandbox.  He also crawls up the slide and goes does head first!  Percy does not think about the consequences of his actions or the rules at the park.   When he gets hurt jumping off a swing, he is finally willing to stop and to reflect on his actions.  The next day Percy does all his favorite activities, but he learns how to do them safely and considerately.  At the end of the book, do and don’t pictures are side by side for children to talk about.  In the discussion questions about Percy’s experience, it is suggested that the listeners act out how to play in prudent ways and to discuss how to play safely. 

For information on Stuart J. Murphy’s educational Math Series, check out this previous blog entry.