Doggone Feet!

PreS-Gr 2—When a puppy follows a pair of "Legs" home from the park one day, she is in for a bunch of lovable surprises. For a while, it's just her and her owner ("just me and two feet"). Months later, new feet arrive-"toe-tapping kiss-kissers," providing affection to both Legs and his pet. As years pass, "tiny pink socks," whom both Legs and Toes love, are thrown into the mix. Soon, "blue boots" arrive and "pound a beat … these doggone little feet." Confused by all the activity beneath the table, the dog becomes concerned until she realizes how a family morphs over time. Before long, there are 12 feet under the table, and the story takes an unpredictable turn as the dog has made room for her own family-a litter of three pups. Large, bright acrylic illustrations fill each spread, conveying the familiar situation of family life with an exaggerated style. Onomatopoeic words provide quirky associations, but adults will need to be animated when sharing the story with reluctant readers and listeners. Children will giggle at the silly dog's point of view, but will appreciate the sentimental idea of a growing family.—Krista Welz, The North Bergen Public Library, NJ