I Don't Want a Posh Dog - Hardcover

Emma Dodd is a rising star in the children's book world. She has been published by Templar and Ladybird and this is her first book for Orchard. Emma lives in Surrey, with her husband, two young children and the dog that inspired this story.

Kids want pets. And even if they’re not quite old enough to have their own, that’s not going to stop them from fantasizing. That’s where Dodd’s charming ode to picking the perfect dog comes in. An unnamed girl in a pink dress is certain of what she doesn’t want. An outfitted pooch in a handbag accompanies the declaration: “I don’t want a snooty dog. / A fancy, attitudey dog.” Three bruisers snarl through the following verse: “I don’t want a snappy dog. / A growly, never-happy dog.” The girl also rejects dogs who are gruff or needy or itchy. What’s left? “I just want a silly dog. / A sweet willy-nilly dog.” The rhymes are clever and succinct, and the simple line art incorporates photo elements (a purse, some Astroturf) that lend the right touch of surrealism. The return of all the discarded doggies in a climactic mad dash gives readers a chance to point out their favorite rejectees. A fun, light introduction to all the mutts in young readers’ futures. Preschool-Grade 1. --Daniel Kraus