Puppy Love - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 3. Although Puppy Love will increase young readers' understanding of some puppy behaviors, it does not pretend to be a training manual or a pet-care guide. It is simply a warm reminiscence of puppies the author has known. From Humphrey, a Great Dane who already seemed huge at 10 weeks old, to Dodo, a plucky little dachshund, King-Smith tells his animal stories in an intimate, conversational tone. Although the narrative presents important basics such as vaccination, housebreaking, and necessary supplies, it can also be enjoyed as a story. Jeram's illustrations reflect her own love of puppies. The animals frolic on the end pages, ready to wiggle out of the art and onto readers' laps. A helpful note on the title page explains that, although the stories span 50 years of dog ownership, the artist has depicted the family at the same age throughout the book. The illustrations subtly suggest that pet care is a family project, a way to enjoy one another as well as the animal. For readers in search of more detailed training tips, Judy Peterson-Fleming and Bill Fleming's Puppy Training and Critters, Too! (Tambourine, 1996) compares basic steps in training to the methods used by professional zoo keepers.?Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The pair that collaborated on I Love Guinea Pigs (1995) teams up again on a universally appealing subject, rendered quite personal by King-Smith. ``I especially love puppies,'' he states, and it shows: All kinds of puppies in all manner of poses and settings accompany his descriptions of his experiences with them: Humphrey, a Great Dane; a slew of dachshunds lolling in the house of a dog breeder; a German shepherd named Fly. In the explanations of behavior and care, King-Smith provides homey details that Jeram puts to good use, creating a cozy backyard scene that expresses a puppy's lack of balance beautifully, or many small scenes on a spread, e.g., a bulletin board with snapshots of puppies. Jeram excels in showing her subjects from a puppy's-eye view, and in capturing their awkwardly lovable postures. This tender guide is educational, humorous, and irresistible--like puppies. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.