Dudley

Witty, deadpan captioning gives this small-format photo-essay about a Jack Russell terrier its outsize personality. Dudley knows he will never be a large dog, but realizes he has a chance to become ""an athlete dog."" Crisp, snappy photos show Dudley in ""training"": he ""start[s] weight-lifting"" (he is seen carrying preposterously large sticks, in classic Jack Russell fashion), swimming, walking and running in all seasons and even doing ""chin-ups"" (he is seen dangling by his tenacious jaws from sticks and poles). He even flies (i.e., he sails through the air to catch Frisbees and tennis balls). Dudley also discovers that he's larger than some humans, such as the new baby whom he regards adoringly in a tub at home and whose carriage he guards outdoors. From the first winning puppy pictures to the parting shot of Dudley perched high on a rock formation--""Now he can see that it's the same big world for all of us""--this optimistic little book demonstrates that good things really do come in small packages. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)