A child wants a dog. She already knows all about how dogs behave so what is going on here? Piper does not want to play fetch or shake a paw and she does not do tricks or know the command to stay. Piper hides from the other dogs at the beach and the bath is a disaster.
So "I stopped giving Piper my attention and that's when she started to like me." Cat lovers will instantly recognise this story turning point.
I am sure have guessed Piper is not the worst dog in the world because she is a ...? Well, you can see her on the cover so unlike the child in the story your young reading companion will quickly grasp the joke and the mix up.
I had really high hopes for The Worst Dog in the World because Michel Streich's earlier book had so many layers of meaning but while this book is great fun it's not especially original. I imagine very young children under five will enjoy the visual jokes both through the book and especially on the cover. I was desperate to find another deeper layer of meaning beyond just a child and her pet and the forming of their relationship.
I did enjoy the exuberant illustrations and the colour choices of pale blue, orange, yellow and lime green. The end papers are subtle and so clever. This book does have a great design and the choice of matt paper works really well. Also, those band-aids on the face of the child say so much! This is an engaging and humorous book which will delight very young dog and cat lovers alike. The images add an extra dimension to the text and reveal more about the characters and their relationship.
This is a book you could happily add to the shelves of a preschool - it will be enjoyed by children aged 3+.
Companion books:
Michel Streich had a book in 2020 called Scary Bird. I was sure it would be the 2021 CBCA (Children's Book of the Year) Picture Book winner (yes it was that good) but sadly it did not make the cut.
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