CM Magazine: The Great Puppy Invasion.

________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIV Number 19. . . .January 19, 2018

cover
The Great Puppy Invasion.

Alastair Heim. Illustrated by Kim Smith.
New York, NY: Clarion Books (Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books), 2017.
40 pp., hardcover, $23.99.
ISBN 978-0-544-99917-6.

Subject Headings:
Dogs-Juvenile fiction.
Animals-Infancy-Juvenile fiction.
City and town life-Juvenile fiction.
Humourous stories.

Preschool-grade 3 / Ages 4-7.

Review by Stephanie Johnson.

***1/2 /4

excerpt:

One day, a puppy showed up in little Teddy’s town.

Then two.

Then hundreds. The locals panicked. They had never seen puppies before.

Little Teddy’s town had a long history of ridiculous rules. Fun was forbidden. Play was prohibited. Cuteness was downright criminal.

And today was quickly becoming a colossally…cute…catastrophe.

In the town of Strictville, “all work and no play makes for a great day.” That is why it is such a shock when the cutest puppies on earth explode onto the scene and terrify the townspeople with their adorableness. No matter what they do, the townsfolk cannot get rid of the puppies, and they are eventually trapped in their homes. Little Teddy is not convinced that these fuzzy creatures are so bad, and when he reaches out and begins to pet one, everyone discovers just how cute and cuddly these puppies can really be.

Everyone knows puppies are cute, don’t they? Apparently not! This lovely picture book turns cuteness on its head, and kids will love seeing adults being so ridiculous. The silly story is complemented by speech blurbs which showcase the real comedy of the text and allow the book to become a great read-aloud story by using different voices for each blurb. The engaging illustrations provide lots to look at while not being too busy, and they showcase a diverse range of characters. The Great Puppy Invasion stresses the importance of play in our lives, for both adults and children, and helps us to remember that there should always be time for a little fun.

Highly Recommended.

Stephanie Johnson is a graduate of the Master of Library and Information Studies Program from the University of Alberta and is the Director of Devon Public Library.

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