Murphy Helps Out. (The Puppy Collection). Susan Hughes. Illustrated by Leanne Franson. Toronto, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2014. 89 pp., pbk., $5.99 (pbk.). ISBN 978-1-4431-2411-9. Grades 2-3 / Ages 7-8. Review by Jane Whittingham. ** /4

excerpt:

Some puppies were brown, some were black, some were brown with white spots. Some puppies had perky ears and some had floppy ears. Some had big, wide paws; some had little dainty paws. All the puppies had sparkling eyes and wagging tails.

Kat is just crazy about puppies. Together with her best friend Maya, Kat helps out at her aunt's pet grooming shop where she plays with and walks Murphy, a shy Sheltie puppy. When Kat befriends Grace, the quiet new girl in class, it quickly becomes apparent that Grace and Maya don't get along, though Kat can't seem to figure out why. Can Kat keep both her new friend and her best friend, and can Murphy help the girls solve the mystery of a lost dog?

     Murphy Helps Out is the third entry in “The Puppy Collection”, a series of illustrated chapter books for "newly independent readers". The simple story will engage young readers who dream of owning a puppy of their very own, and it gently introduces themes of jealousy, compassion, responsibility, and rivalry. The book boasts a surprising amount of dog-related facts that will probably be devoured by young dog enthusiasts, even if they sometimes make for some unusual dialogue. For example, young readers will quickly learn to differentiate between English and American cocker spaniels based on the roundness of the dogs’ skulls, and they are introduced in great detail to familiar dog breeds, such as the sheltie, and less familiar breeds, such as the elegant Lhasa Apso.

     Written in a simple, accessible style and illustrated with plenty of cute puppy pictures, Murphy Helps Out is certain to appeal to animal-crazy young readers.

Recommended.

Jane Whittingham is a recent graduate of the School of Library and Information Sciences at the University of British Columbia.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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