Our Very Own Dog

In calm, authoritative narration, a girl describes how her family’s new dog, Sophie, acclimated to her new home after being adopted. Her observations about common dog behaviors (“Sophie never minded getting dirty. One day, she splashed through every puddle in the park, then shook out her fur to get dry”) will be familiar to many readers with dogs, and assorted tips and facts, scattered across the pages, echo the girl’s comments (“Shaking is a highly efficient way for a dog to get dry—much quicker than a towel!”). Rubbino’s loose, smudgy, mixed-media art calls to mind finger painting, warmly capturing the activity—and occasional chaos—of life with a dog. Families in the early stages of bringing a dog into their lives should find this a reassuring guide to understanding their new pet. Ages 3–7. (Jan.)