3 out of 4 stars
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D-Pug in New York by Janie Nugent is a children’s picture book about a pug named Doug and his human, Michael. Michael and Doug (aka D-Pug) just moved from Florida to New York. They make new friends in their new school and apartment building. Their best friends in their building are Scott and his dog, Luke, and Lorrie and her dog, Patty. They all love to go on adventures together. You’ll have to read this book to see what New York has in store for this group of friends.
The author started writing about D-Pug to raise money for animal shelters. I thought that this was a great cause, and the book did a great job of bringing awareness to shelters. All of the dogs in the book were adopted from shelters, and the characters volunteer at their local shelter and help raise money for it. This is a good conversation starter for kids and their families, especially if they are thinking about adopting a dog.
This book is intended for children age eight and younger. I thought this book was a good match for this group. The pictures were cute, colorful, and creative. I enjoyed looking at them, and I’m sure children would too. I loved that the pictures helped tell the story because this age relies on them when they are reading. The vocabulary was also ideal for the age group. There were a few challenging words, but there was nothing that was difficult enough to discourage children from reading. I would also like to point out that the book was well-edited, which is super important in children’s books. I only noticed one minor error within the book, and I was impressed by this.
The only major concern I had with the book is that the plot is a little jumbled. There was not a clear problem and solution. Because there really was no climax to the book, it got to be a little stagnant. I found myself waiting for something big to happen and then being disappointed that the plot didn’t build. There were parts that were also a bit repetitive. For example, it was pointed out that the characters were in 4-H within the first couple of pages. This was stated again later on, but it was worded as if this was the first time it had been mentioned.
I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I loved the cause that this book was written for, and the book did a great job bringing attention to that cause. The pictures were great, and the book was well-edited. The writing fit the age group the book is intended for. The only downfall was the lack of build and climax in the plot. I took away a whole star for this because the problem and solution are essential in a children’s book. Even without it, I would still recommend this book to pre-school and elementary age children and their families.
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D-Pug in New York
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