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4 out of 4 stars
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Imagine being inside the head of your pet dog. The story Adventures of Klaus, The Happy Schnauzer by Terry E. Gunn allows you to do just that. You will get to be inside Klaus’s head from the time he gets up in the morning with the sun until he lays himself down to sleep at bedtime. You will get to go on walks with him, see him interact with friends, see him loved on by his family, and much more. Children will be drawn into the story by both the illustrations and fun rhymes.
Gunn uses a fun, whimsical, poetic style as she shares Klaus with her readers. A varied rhyming pattern is used: sometimes two words will rhyme in a verse; other times, you will see three rhyming words. For example, “Good morning, Mr. Sun! The day has begun. Follow me! Let’s take a run.”
Illustrator Asiri Kulathunga brings Klaus visually to life with colorful, detailed watercolor drawings. I particularly enjoyed the way Kulathunga used a muted, smudged method to show movement. You see this best when Klaus is speeding past you as he heads out of the house. There is also a photo of the real Klaus, an adorable Schnauzer, whom the book is based upon.
The author presents an activity at the end of the book, where she instructs readers to find different objects on each page. This section would have been more beneficial if it had been included at the beginning of the book. The activity itself will be fun for the kids, as it engages them in the story. In addition to this activity, there is a Youtube link to an animated version of the story.
I rate Adventures of Klaus, The Happy Schnauzer 4 out of 4 stars. The book is exceptionally well-edited. Note that this is a revised version of the book. The minor issue with the activity location doesn’t warrant giving the book a lower rating. Toddlers and preschoolers will giggle alongside their parents as they immerse themselves in this short, fun story. I do not see it as an early reader for slightly older children as it lacks the phonetic structure needed when one is learning how to read.
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Adventures of Klaus, The Happy Schnauzer
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. Thank you so much for this lovely review!
