"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Review: IF YOU WERE A DOG by Jamie A. Swenson, Illustrated by Chris Raschka (C)


by Jamie A. Swenson
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
Release date: September 30th, 2014
Published by: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan)
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Format read: ARC from the publisher.


SUMMARY

If you could be any kind of animal, what would you be? 
Would you be a dog that goes ARRRROOOOOOO? 
Or maybe you would be a sharp-toothed dinosaur that can CHOMP, STOMP, ROAR! 
Perhaps you might want to be a hopping frog that goes BOING, BOING, RIBBET! 

But maybe you would want to be the best kind of animal of all: a child!

With joyful, impressionistic illustrations from Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator Chris Raschka and spare, rhythmic text from author Jamie A. Swenson that invites playful interaction, If You Were a Dog is the perfect read-aloud for your favorite little animal.


MY REVIEW

Another sweet picture book to add to our favorite shelf! Sweet and captivating, IF YOU WERE A DOG easily captivates its young audience with an engaging repetitive storyline and recognizable pictures.

Numerous animals are introduced asking the child what they would do if they were this animal, and then proceeds to give them examples of what they might do. For each animal, the same questions are asked and the answers are enjoyably interactive.
For my boys and me, the funniest part of the book is when they ask us: If you were a dinosaur...? How silly, since dinosaurs are extinct!
And then the book concludes with how we are not any of these animals, but we can still do similar things as they do. And most importantly, we are who we are, and that is the best that we can be.

The illustrations are adorable, imaginative and nostalgic - they have a watercolor-feel to them. Simple, yet engaging and sweet. Children will definitely be drawn in and will relate to since the pictures embody the way a child would draw animals and their surroundings. 

Super cute and fun! Definitely a playtime sort of read for everyone to enjoy together!


*An ARC was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jamie A. Swenson



ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR - Chris Raschka



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