Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs in Alaska

by Chérie B. Stihler, Michael Bania (Illustrator)

OK kiddies, today we're going to learn about sled dogs and mushing! In this delightful and energetic counting book, the story centers on preparing a sled dog team for a race. Children count paws, ears, and noses as the dogs eagerly await the starting gun. A sled dog glossary helps little ones learn mushing terminology, the parts of the rigging, and sled dog facts. The cheerful text is excellent for reading aloud and makes for a wonderful way to get children excited about counting. Michael Bania's charming illustrations exude the happy canine enthusiasm for which Alaskan huskies are known.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting

32 pages, Paperback

First published February 3, 2009

Reviews

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun counting book! We were visiting Fairbanks and I wanted a book for my 2 year old niece - and this is perfect!
The repetition of the Wiggle-Waggle Woof plus the counting make it a perfect toddler/early PreK read but there is also great information on sled dog terms and dog sled racing.

[Amelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it a four rating because it isn’t an interesting book for an adult but the kiddos love it when they are learning their numbers! Especially the ones that have dogs at home!🐶

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is a great book to help students connect with counting and rhythm! With the wiggle wiggle wag wag it makes the book catchy and possibly stick in the kids mind!

[Regina L · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wiggle-Waggle-Woof 1-2-3″, by Cherie B. Stihler, has quickly become one of our favorite books! The book follows a pack of charming and energetic sled dogs as they get ready to mush on the Alaskan frontier. The pups are adorable and playful, but we learn they have alot of team work cut out for them by the last turn of the page.

The illustrations are great and give this book a classic, old-school book look to it because of the great bright yet muted colors.

Author Cherie B. Stihler is a teacher who lived about the arctic circle for 20 years, a fact that is not surprising and probably the reason the book feels so authentically Alaskan. The book does a thorough job celebrating and teaching the reader about this unique culture and way of life in Alaska. This board book, perfect for little fingers, is based on authors’ 2009 picture book, which Dolly and I absolutely must own now that we love this one so very much!

If these adorable sled dogs don’t encourage your child to begin or practice counting, no one will! We count up and down which is great practice both ways. Besides being a counting book, this book also teaches great first words, opposites, body parts (noses, eyes, ears, heads, tails) and senses (see, sniff). And, finally, in addition to those, this book also has fun sounds to accompany each number, “rattle”, “clang”, “jingle”. But of course it is most fun when repeating the main phrase “Wiggle-Waggle, Wiggle-Waggle, Woof! Woof! Woof!”! Read more at www.diapers-and-daydreams.com

[Tiffany Jolly]

Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs in Alaska
Fiction: picture story book. Counting, adventure
Stihler, Cherie. Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs in Alaska. Illus by Michael Bania. Sasquatch Books, 2009, unp, primary.
In Wiggle-Waggle Woof: Counting Sled Dogs in Alaska, follows 14 dogs who make their way to the starting line for the race, while counting the dogs. The style of the large print is creative and creates a silly tone, which is exaggerated through the use of the water color paintings that every child can enjoy.
Activity: Before or after book briefly discuss what sled dogs do. Using clay have students create their own dogs. After the dogs dry or are baked have the students go back and paint them but most importantly number the dogs 1-14.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book to a group of two-year olds and their caregivers. It went pretty well. The kids participated on the repeated "wiggle-waggle-woof" line. Some of the vocabulary was perhaps a bit too much for them, but we talked about it. I was really glad to be able to use an Alaska book in my storytime and to have an opportunity to point out to parents that there are books for toddlers in the library's Alaskana section.

I have since used this book again, including with preschool groups. I had kids stand up and participate in wiggling, waggling and woofing.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an entertaining counting book featuring adorable sled dogs. I loved the explanation of the different terms used in sled dog racing and while the rhyming narrative seemed awkward in places, I am sure it will appeal to young children.