Loose Leashes

Dogs do the darnedest things in this collection of poem and photo tributes. They turn the bathroom sink into a home spa (“I Will Not Go to the Groomer”), overcome fears (“Learning to Swim”) and take the great American road trip (the title poem). Ron Schmidt's photography won't make William Wegman nervous; he doesn't push his subjects much beyond cute anthropomorphizing (a greyhound wearing Harry Potter–style glasses perches atop a stack of books), although he does produce a couple of marvels: a Weimaraner with all four paws seemingly tricked out in ice skates poses alone on a frozen pond; and a pair of Labs rows a boat, oars gripped in their mouths. Amy Schmidt's poems are more notable for their variety than for their wit or use of language: the genres include free verse, limerick, rollicking ballad and even haiku: “Out among the pines/ A laberjack spends his day./ Timber!/ A tree falls.” Ages 3–8. (Jan.)