Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Aggie and Ben: Three Stories
Illustrator: Frank W. Dormer
Fiction Series
For ages 4 to 7
Charlesbridge, 2006 ISBN: 978-1570915949
Ben?s father has a wonderful surprise for him - he is going to take Ben to a pet store and Ben is going to be allowed to choose a pet. Naturally Ben is thrilled, but he is also unsure of what to choose. There are so many possibilities. Should he get a bird, or a mouse, a snake or a cat? Should he get a dog? Carefully Ben thinks through what it would be like to have each animal and in the end he knows that what he wants is a dog. Choosing the right dog is easy for one particular dog makes Ben laugh and she says "Ruff?" to him when he looks at her. And this is how Aggie becomes a member of the family.
Of course Aggie has a lot to learn. She has to learn not to chew Daddy's shoes and not to jump into the drier. She has to learn to drink and eat from dog bowls and to know that Ben is her new best friend. Ben also has much to learn about what it is like to care for a dog. One thing is for sure, and that is that having Aggie around is going to make things very interesting.
This delightful book is perfectly suited to the young reader who wants to read a chapter book and yet who still enjoys looking through a book with lots of illustrations. A simple but engaging text is perfectly complimented by amusing ink and watercolor illustrations which appear on every page. Any child who has a dog in his or her life will have no difficulty relating to this charming trio of stories.
