The thirty short verses without rhyme in this volume are arranged so we see a day from start to finish, from the point of view of a small Asian American girl who loves and is loved by a little Yorkshire terrier. The childlike observations she makes about her dog will apply to many canine pets: he fears the vacuum cleaner, likes to play catch, announces the arrival of the mail, hates to see family members leave the house without him, and looks so much smaller when he’s been bathed. Because of the arrangement and length of the poems, it is possible either to read this aloud as a picture book about a day in the life of a girl and her dog or to read selections from it. Highly Commended, 2000 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3-7)

From cold-nose wake-up to bedtime with a Little Dog-shaped lump under the covers, a day that a little girl spends with her Little Dog is recounted in thirty short, playful poems and enchanting watercolor illustrations. Little Dog protects the little girl from vacuum cleaners and beetles, chases cats, digs up flowers, and waits hopefully as kitchen preparations take place and as popcorn is eaten. The little girl, who loves Little Dog enough to "bake / birthday cookies with / liver powder," retrieves tennis balls, brings home a present from the pet store, and observes how little a wet Little Dog becomes at bath time. A perfect introduction to the pleasures of poetry, this beguiling volume belongs on every young dog lover's bookshelf.