If I Were A Dog

Kirkus

No wonder kids and dogs get along well. They’re so much alike. To hear the young narrator of this story tell it, they and dogs share all the characteristics that count—silliness, patience, nosiness, shyness, grumpiness, happiness, greater or lesser feelings of self-esteem, playfulness, and a host of other traits and feelings that children often (pups not so often) keep to themselves, including worry and loneliness. Like children, dogs might make mischief and have siblings and pals. In the end, no matter what, children and dogs can be assured of being loved. This brief, sweet, quiet book resounds with reassurance, and readers/listeners will snuggle to hear it, just as cuddling pooches do, in laps, at bedtime, or in small group-reading sessions. The watercolor illustrations’ palette is simple and features shades of blue, white, and black. The gently expressive artwork highlights dogs of various breeds and sizes and presents them against plenty of white space to keep young eyes focused on the pups’ activities. The narrator is seen only in opening and closing spreads and is depicted as a A sweet treat for dog lovers.

The Wall Street Journal

The dogs that Joanna Cotler summons in “If I Were a Dog” are puppies, really, and boy are they cute. In this picture book, Ms. Cotler uses a cool palette of grays and blues and the occasional pop of red to create a cavalcade of expressive canines. Some appear with their heads tilted in a winsome way. Some look out from dark and soulful eyes. Some are rolling around, others paw the air, still more dash across the page with their tongues flapping. The idea is for readers to identify with the varying moods both of the dogs and of a little girl who appears from time to time in silhouette. It is she who provides a narrative of emotional validation: “Sometimes I’d be grumpy. Sometimes I’d be happy. . . . No matter what, I know if I were a dog, I’d be loved . . . just like me.” With its airy illustrations and reassuring message, this is a book to gladden 3- to 7-year-olds.

School Library Journal

PreS-K–A small child, likely a girl, narrates about all the things she would be or do if she were a dog. The vocabulary is simple and sticks to easy descriptors like “nosy” or “silly” to describe both dogs and the speaker, which makes the text charmingly relatable. The text itself is clear and separate from the illustrations, sometimes changing size or shape to emphasize certain words. Cotler’s detailed drawings are in various tones of blue, with people in shadow, giving the book a universality: This is every child, this is every dog, this is one child and one dog. The book acts as a terrific analogy for diversity at a level that toddlers will understand; the shadows of people at the beginning and ending of the book only help cement this. VERDICT An intuitive, joyful book that gives children agency to imagine their own doggy selves, but also creates a foundation for discussions on differences and similarities.

–Margaret Kennelly, Media ­Specialist, Indian Head Elem. Sch., MD