Zak: The One-Of-A-Kind Dog

This disarming photographic volume, first published in black and white in 1982, is the equivalent of a pair of big brown canine eyes and a pleadingly wagging tail between book covers. In Lidz's hand-colored photographs, Zak is a wiry, honey-colored terrier mix who is constantly asked, ""What kind of dog are you?"" After cataloguing his possible ancestors (""Trailblazer"" lifts his leg against a bush; ""City Slicker"" plays Frisbee on pavement) and ruminating about his identity, Zak concludes that he's ""special,"" a ""one-of-a-kind dog."" Lidz, whose photographs appeared in the adult book Rolling Homes, combines an eye for expressive dog antics with a delicate sense of color and strong, varied compositions. Although the photographs date back over 15 years, the hand-coloring ensures that they look timeless rather than dated. This affectionate celebration of the uniqueness of one friendly mutt will make dog lovers turn to Jell-O and help children to accept their own special qualities. All ages. (Nov.)