Dog's First Baby: A Board Book

“A board book treasure.”

Natalie Nelson uses simple shapes and bright colors in this appealing board book. The characters of dog and baby, their family, and the home they live in, are all depicted in ways the youngest readers will instantly recognize and respond to. The plot is appropriately board book simple. The story is the opposite of the cliché of a child begging for a pet. Here the pet is the one narrating:

“I am a dog. Are you a dog? Hmmm . . . you don’t smell like a dog.”

After noting the few differences, dog goes on to list the many similarities between the two:

“But we both get sleepy . . . every now and then. We walk. We stroll. We streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch.”

And, of course, the biggest thing they have in common is that they’re good friends.

Children will delight at seeing the baby from the point of view of a dog, especially those who live with four-legged friends. Those who don’t have puppies around will be sure to beg for one after reading this board book treasure.