Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
A Dog Wearing Shoes
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Random House, 2015 ISBN: 978-0385383967
One day Mimi and her mother are driving home from Grandma and Grandpa’s house when a little dog runs out into the road. Mimi’s mother is able to slam on the brakes in time, and when she gets out of the car the dog, who is wearing little yellow shoes, comes over to her, as friendly as can be. Clearly (being as it is in the middle of a busy road) the dog is lost and so Mimi’s mother decides that they should take the dog home.
Not surprisingly, Mimi wants to keep the dog, but the dog won’t stop barking. Mimi’s mother thinks that the dog is homesick but Mimi insists that the “he doesn’t belong to anyone” because he isn’t wearing a collar.
To try to calm him down, Mimi takes the dog to the park and he is soon the center of attention. He is so sweet looking and he knows so many tricks. Mimi is proud of the little dog and so she lets him off the leash and throws a stick for him to fetch, which is when the dog runs away.
This based-on-a-true-story tale will delight young people who like animals. The wonderfully expressive pencil illustrations, which are picked out with a few touches of color here and there, beautifully compliment a narrative that will resonate with anyone whose heart has been stolen by a cat or dog.
