This Is a Dog Book!

Judith Henderson, illustrated by Julien Chung

Image | This Is a Dog Book

(Kids Can Press)

In a rib-tickling display of duplicity and diversion, a bunny tries to show he has what it takes to be included in this dog book. "How did the bunny get on the cover?" "I don't know." "There ARE bunny books, you know." "I'm not a bunny. I'm a dog." To get into this dog book, a bunny attempts to prove to some skeptical dogs that he's one of them. Does he like to run and catch a ball? Of course. Can he use his puppy-dog eyes to get himself out of trouble? Absolutely. Does he smell dog doo-doos? Umm . . . can he get back to that one later? As the bunny answers a succession of questions that run the gamut of a dog's essential qualities, he does his best to demonstrate his dog credentials. Of course, in the end, a bunny is a bunny, not a dog. The real question is, does it have to matter?
Written entirely in dialogue, this playful picture book story highlights Judith Henderson's signature mix of dry and silly humour. On the surface, this is a giggle inducing crowd-pleaser. But in ultimately deciding that it's what's on the inside that really counts, the deeper character education messages of kindness and inclusiveness give the book lots of heart. Julien Chung's simple yet high-energy drawings of mostly thick black lines with splashes of red are a perfect complement to the snappy text and manage to convey a world of emotion. (From Kids Can Press)
Judith Henderson is a Montreal award-winning children's TV composer and producer. Henderson is also the author of the Big Words Small Stories series.
Julien Chung is an award-winning designer, illustrator and creator based in Montreal.

From the book

Image | This Is a Dog Book! by Judith Henderson, illustrated by Julien Chung

Caption: A page from This Is a Dog Book! by Judith Henderson, illustrated by Julien Chung. (Kids Can Press)