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I Love Dogs!: A Rhyming Picture Book About Dogs in the Park for Kids

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The tale of a rambunctious boy's journey through the park on his way to adopt the pet of his dreams—a dog, of course!

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 6, 2011

66 people want to read

About the author

Sue Stainton

8 books5 followers

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5 stars
64 (17%)
4 stars
107 (29%)
3 stars
150 (42%)
2 stars
33 (9%)
1 star
3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
Profile Image for Julie.
2,656 reviews33 followers
February 11, 2015
I loved the color and style of the illustrations, and thought that you could spend a lot of time exploring each picture with a child. There were many details such as a painting of the "Mutta Lisa" that could be talking points. Additionally, adopting a dog was enthusiastically encouraged!
Profile Image for Gloria.
469 reviews
February 22, 2015
Cute illustrations, but what makes this book for me are the last two spreads: finally quirky and witty and fun!
Profile Image for Mavis’s Dad.
291 reviews4 followers
February 25, 2025
The title doesn’t leave much to the imagination. But the fun illustrations do!

Moral: There’s a dog for everyone.

Length: Short, repetitive, to the point.

Favorite Line: “Dogs, dogs, dogs.”

Overall impression: You know you’re onto something when you’ve picked out a book that has this dedication: “To every cat who secretly wished they’d been born a dog.” This book won’t change the world, but you’ll wish you lived close to the park illustrated in this fun tale of all the reasons we love dogs. It’s a doggone good book.
Profile Image for Urbandale Library.
364 reviews16 followers
December 14, 2018
My dog-obsessed toddler loved this book! The illustrations are full of neat little details worth exploring. The overall story arc of the little boy journeying to the pet store to adopt a dog was simply precious. -UPL Library Staff
Profile Image for Tracy Schillemore.
3,836 reviews13 followers
September 29, 2016
There is very little text so this book will be fine for younger children. The pictures are great! The children will enjoy all of the different kinds of dogs. I like the rhyming.
Profile Image for Kathy Jones.
48 reviews
November 19, 2016
I do love dogs and I love this book. Perfect reading for my day care kids.
Profile Image for Christianna Lapine.
50 reviews2 followers
April 20, 2020
This is about a young boy who has a love for every type of dog. He loves strong dogs, long dogs, nosy dogs, pretty much every type of dog. The boy then takes the audience towards his journey to find his own perfect dog to adopt. There are so many beautiful illustrations within this book and the illustrator takes you through the boy's own little world. This is a great book to put into a classroom for readers at the kindergarten or 1st-grade level. This would be a great teaching opportunity to talk about differences of people (not just dogs) and to give an animal a loving home. The boy knows so much about dogs, and it is important that any pet owner do extensive research too.
Profile Image for Lu's Reviews.
102 reviews1 follower
July 24, 2020
This was exactly Luke's speed tonight. He was able to read enough of the words on his own that he felt wildly successful. There's not a 'plot', rather a list of dog features in rhyme. I did not find the illustrations appealing since they are in the Gary Baseman school-- but Lu was thrilled with the sheer amount of dogs.

(Library book, July 2020)
Profile Image for Pam.
1,655 reviews
August 25, 2018
The exuberant illustrations by Bob Staake totally make this book come alive! Sue Stainton's text is simple without any complexity but perfect for the detailed illustrations which you can study with your child. Definitely a good book for dog lovers!
Profile Image for Tay.
255 reviews50 followers
June 10, 2018
This was a cute story- illustrations were adorable. But it was sooo short and repeated a lot of the same words. The girl I nanny for seemed to enjoy it though
Profile Image for Roseanne.
335 reviews
December 5, 2018
I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE DOGS TOOOOOOOOO.

Was a great book to read when thinking about adopting a book. Very cute.
Profile Image for Denise.
405 reviews38 followers
June 6, 2023
So cute and perfect for dog lovers! 🥹🐶🫶🏻🥰🩷
162 reviews
August 2, 2023
Short and sweet. Young readers like to point out each type of dog as you say it.
Profile Image for Lauren Kramer-Theuerkauf.
Author 2 books45 followers
July 24, 2015
Prepare yourself to be bombarded by pooches of all kinds in "I Love Dogs!" by Sue Stainton. A little boy proceeds to tell the reader about all of the different types of dogs that he likes...which is quite literally EVERY kind of dog. The boy then takes the reader on a delightful (and colorful) journey through the world of canines as he heads to the local pet store to adopt a pup of his own.

Bob Staake does an amazing job of creating a whimsical world within his illustrations. His colorful cast of canines will delight readers of all ages. I especially enjoyed the dogs that were drawn to look like their owners.

Being the proud pet parent of five rescue dogs, I love the theme of adoption that runs subtlety through out the book. I can also relate to the different types of dogs that are featured in the story (especially the crazy ones!). Most importantly, I love that the little boy loves ALL dogs. He is not searching for a purebred or discriminating against Pit Bulls. He simply loves every dog that he meets.

With powerful life lessons and a cast of unforgettable characters, "I Love Dogs!" is sure to be a classic that will dazzle readers (and animal lovers) of all ages.
Profile Image for Shy.
112 reviews29 followers
July 4, 2017
The text doesn't have much depth to it but has good rhythm. The illustration style is very cute but just not quite to my taste. However there is a lot of colour and detail for kids to explore and point to. It hasn't become a big hit with Hawkeye but he does enjoy it from time to time.

Hawkeye rating standards

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hawkeye adores and mommy doesn't want to set it on fire even after reading it over and over and over and over and over and over...


⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hawkeye adores but mommy is not as enthusiastic. Or vice versa.


⭐⭐⭐ Hawkeye likes sometimes and Mommy doesn't hate it but nothing truly outstanding. Or else Hawkeye adores but mommy would rather poke her eye out with a fork than reread again. Or Mommy adores but Hawkeye won't allow it on pain of tantrum.


⭐⭐ Hawkeye allows to read occasionally but not excited, or doesn't finish and Mommy thinks the writing 


⭐ What? Really? My kid has better standards than that and he's not even three yet.
Profile Image for Romelle.
Author 4 books24 followers
February 11, 2015
What attracted me to this book was the lively, vibrant illustrations by Bob Staake. Pair that with the title, I LOVE DOGS! and I'm sold. Sadly, my expectations ran high so I was somewhat disappointed by the read. This picture book is basically a list of the different types of dogs we find: Fluffy dogs, yappy dogs, happy dogs, scruffy dogs... followed by the refrain, "I love dogs!" Its premise puts it in the category of concept books. This also reminded me of another (very) similar book I just read, Shaggy Dogs, Waggy Dogs by Patricia Hubbell. If your young reader loves pictures of dogs, then I recommend both books. I do give extra points to I LOVE DOGS! for encouraging adopting a pet as suggested by the illustration.
Profile Image for Denise.
486 reviews17 followers
April 19, 2015
A young boy exclaims his love for every type of dog there is, "strong dogs, long dogs, nosy dogs, cozy dogs..." All the while the dogs he refers to are illustrated in addition to many other dogs in what must be the busiest dog park ever. Illustrator Bob Staake manages to extend what is a very simple text through his illustrations by giving the reader much to look at while thumbing through this book. The boy's path through the park takes him to a dog adoption event which is advertised throughout the book. There he gets a dog of his very own. Staake's unique style steals the show. I highly recommend for purchase for public, school and home libraries. This makes for a great addition storytime as well.
Profile Image for Marathon County Public Library.
1,508 reviews54 followers
June 4, 2015
This rollicking book is filled with the exuberant joy of a boy who loves dogs. While spending the day at the park, the boy meets every type of dog imaginable. There are dogs that are spotty, dotty, wrinkly, crinkly... and many, many more! Will this little boy ever find the perfect dog for him? I highly recommend this book for all dog-loving kids!

Bettina P. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.
Profile Image for Becky B.
9,521 reviews199 followers
August 16, 2015
A simple, colorful book that celebrates dogs of all kinds.

The repetitive refrain of this book, and abundance of things to look at in the illustrations make this a good one for beginning readers. Of course, it'll also be a hit with dog lovers, and language arts teachers could use it when teaching about adjectives. There's way too much going on in the illustrations to take in during just one reading. This is a book to be looked at again and again. Could also be used in an I-spy game.
Profile Image for Margaret.
2,822 reviews
November 28, 2014
Every dog I have ever known embraces everything they do with enthusiasm. I Love Dogs! (Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, December 30, 2014) written by Sue Stainton with illustrations by Bob Staake is a cheerful celebration of one boy's complete, one hundred percent affection for dogs.


My full recommendation: http://bit.ly/1pl99Tr
70 reviews
June 4, 2015
This rollicking book is filled with the exuberant joy of a boy who loves dogs. While spending the day at the park, the boy meets every type of dog imaginable. There are dogs that are spotty, dotty, wrinkly, crinkly... and many, many more! Will this little boy ever find the perfect dog for him? I highly recommend this book for all dog-loving kids!
Profile Image for Kendra.
913 reviews61 followers
February 5, 2015
The text is nothing over the top special but it's a lot of fun to find the dogs mentioned in the text, plus lots of other things happening in the pictures. Would be a great one for sharing on a lap with lots of time to explore.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews