Richard Tulloch (text) and Heidi Cooper-Smith (illustrator), Sniffle Snuffle (Toodle the Cavoodle #1) , Big Sky Publishing, October 2022, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922765567
Picture books about animals are abundant, and for good reason. Kids adore their pets. Often a pet is a child’s first friend, so books about pets tap into that emotional connection. Stories where an animal goes on an adventure, and experiences tricky situations or big emotions are very accessible to young readers. It gives them a chance to see the world through their pet’s eyes.
In this story, Sniffle Snuffle, readers meet Toodle the cavoodle, an inquisitive, friendly, playful pet who wants to sniff out the world around him. He is especially after a “could-be-good-to-eat” smell. On his journey Toodle meets the people and explores the places of Lillipilly Lane and finds exciting things like an abandoned car, a ride on lawnmower and garbage.
This story is for very young children, so it is straightforward and gentle. Of course there is a conflict in the form of a dangerous situation for Toodle, and the resolution is swift and kind as he returns to safety and the community comes together to improve the street.
Elements of this book are reminiscent of the Hairy McClary series: the friendly neighbourhood, the puppy-like innocence of the dog character, and the fact that we never see the faces of the humans. Though Sniffle Snuffle is missing the rhyming text which made the Hairy McCleary books so re-readable.
For those with pet-loving kids, this book will be a delightful, shared experience.
Reviewed by Cherie Bell
