As is the norm for largely picture books, I flipped through this initially just to get a feel of it from the illustrations. They were delightful, humorous even. I particularly liked one of the ones used on an early title page (not the cover) that shows a massive dog stretched out across more than 2/3 of a couch with its human looking small on the other end. That one is explained in the narrative, btw, which notes that the dog and its siblings went through, uh, several couches. Another that popped up not long after that shows three dogs in a row that seem to be, uh, using their noses. Dog owners will get my drift. In other words, though, these illustrations set the mood for the book which is largely upbeat and jam packed with snippets about this or that dog and their history and characteristics.
While I was expecting more of a story mode than is here, the juxtaposition of illustrations and info works well. It's concise and keeps your eyes moving across the page. While much of the info is factual, ie the origins of dogs and how they evolved over time giving the reader a look at how long dogs have been a part of not just we humans' lives but the earth. It notes that while the first "modern" dog appeared some 40,000 years ago, the canine family tree goes back much, much further. Did you know there's an Egyptian tomb painting that shows a man walking his dog? I need to remind my Daisy of that regal bit of info when we go out again tomorrow. Collars have been found with names like Brave One and North Wind, too, so they were definitely individuals to the humans involved.
In any case, I won't try to detail the narrative. It's someone at one time succinct and right-to-the-point while also managing to cover a wide variety of dog related topics, from their amazing noses to body language (and how they seem to read ours, too). As an Alaskan who has not only ridden behind a team of sled dogs but once owned a retired racing sled dog, I was glad to see these northern bred dogs get a nod in the book, I will note, however. And, oh, a teaser....check out the section on what seems to have been the legendary King Arthur's legendary dog, Cavall. Readers will enjoy the book, I believe, and appreciate the glossary and index of breeds mentioned at the end. Thanks #NetGalley and #NosyCrowInc for allowing me a sneak peek at this quite comprehensive book. Having my own furry friend beside me as I read made it even more special.
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