by Moe Zilla

Created on: May 30, 2010

"Emma's dog, Toby, was always in trouble."

This book delivers just what you expect - a funny story about a dog, with some simple, cartoon-like illustrations. The bug-eyed dog wags its tail cheerfully at the little girl, who's points to her backpack,and scraps of paper left on the floor (as the dog chews what is presumably, her homework). But the next page is filled with three more funny dog cartoon-drawings, matching the misbehavior described in the text. "On Monday he got into the garbage. On Tuesday he ran into the road…"

The text continues through the rest of the week (culminating with "On Sunday, he snoozed.) But there's one more funny addition to the pattern when you turn the page. "On Monday morning he got into the garbage again…" The book uses the days of the week to give the story a natural rhythm. Since the girl thinks the dog just wants more attention, she tries doing things the dog would like - so on Monday, she took him for walks, brushed his fur, and sang silly songs.

"But on Tuesday Toby ate a box of crayons. On Wednesday he jumped into the basket of clean laundry…"

I think this may be the most consistent children's book I've ever read, delivering page after page of the same funny drawings and the same fun text. The girl's mother raises her hands several times throughout the book, saying "Something has to be done about that dog" - which is always followed by a new suggestion, and then another week of the dog's progress. There's a brief detour to obedience school - where there's 10 silly-looking dogs, each involved in a different activity. But within just four pages, the dog has graduated, with a diploma on his wall. And then on Monday, "Toby got into the garbage. On Tuesday he ran into the road…"

And on Sunday, he even chewed up his diploma.

Children may find this story extra-gratifying, simply because the dog gets away with all kinds of misbehavior. But most of the enjoyment comes from its breezy pace, and it's playful sense of humor. (One of the posters on the walls reminds the dogs: "Don't Eat Shoes.") By the end of the book, the dog seems fully trained - instead of knocking over the garbage, he's actually taking it out himself. But on the last page, author Corinne Demas reminds readers that "no dog can be perfect always."

And the publisher's create a special effect for the book's big conclusion, showing that the perfectly-trained has dog chewed a hole through the book's final page…

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