Chris McKimmie, The New Dog, Ford Street Publishing, May 2022, 32 pp., RRP $16.95 (pbk), ISBN 9781922696045
Life is pretty good as the new dog, with a choice of places to sleep and seven stuffed lobsters to chew on. There are plenty of things to do and smell and dig, although bath time isn’t so much fun. This book is all about Kiddo, the new dog in the family, and through his eyes we get to see what life is like for him. The notes for the vet that are included at the end of the book add another small touch that had me smiling, and I’m sure many dog owners can relate.
The story is a series of simple observations and statements from the perspective of Kiddo, told with understated humour and illustrated with collage artwork that mixes a number of different art styles. One of the details that I found intriguing was the list on the end page of artistic mediums that were used in the book. As an added bonus, the author’s grandchildren contributed to some of the artwork, and in a classroom setting this book could be a great jumping off point for young students to create their own artwork or stories about their own pets.
The text is well set out, and almost becomes part of the artwork in places, and there are a lot of fun details to note in the artwork. Young readers might enjoy trying to find the lobster that turns up on almost every page, for example.
This is one to appeal to young dog lovers of around 4 to 6 years who enjoy Lauren Child’s artwork, or the humour of Jackie French’s Diary of a Wombat.
Reviewed by Emily Clarke
