Little Dog Poems

Little Dog

by Kristine O'Connell George, June Otani (Illustrator)

From cold-nose wake-up to bedtime with a Little Dog-shaped lump under the covers, a day that a little girl spends with her Little Dog is recounted in thirty short, playful poems and enchanting watercolor illustrations. Little Dog protects the little girl from vacuum cleaners and beetles, chases cats, digs up flowers, and waits hopefully as kitchen preparations take place and as popcorn is eaten. The little girl, who loves Little Dog enough to "bake / birthday cookies with / liver powder," retrieves tennis balls, brings home a present from the pet store, and observes how little a wet Little Dog becomes at bath time. A perfect introduction to the pleasures of poetry, this beguiling volume belongs on every young dog lover's bookshelf.

Genres: Poetry, Dogs, Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Nonfiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Kristine O'Connell George is one of the principal voices in contemporary children's poetry. Since her first highly-acclaimed book, The Great Frog Race was published in 1997, Kristine O'Connell George's poetry has generated excitement and earned honors and praise. Awards for her books include the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, International Reading Association / Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award, the Golden Kite, Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Awards, Claudia Lewis Poetry Awards, ALA notables, NCTE notables, School Library Journal Best Books, Hornbook Fanfare, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award, and IRA-CBC Children's Choice.

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of poems about a little dog. The poems are very short and each is accompanied by a colorful, watercolor illustration. They are free flowing, almost story-like and most do not rhyme, but they will still appeal to children of all ages.

We really liked that many of the poems are formed using interesting shapes, helping to illustrate the meaning of the poem (like the words in a spiral that describe how little dog curls up tight for a nap.) We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Courtney Barter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little Dog Poems follow a little dog and his owner. Some of the poems are written in creative patterns. For example, one poem is written in a spiral shape on the page. Very cute poems and GREAT for beginning readers. I have a little dog so this tugged on my heart a little bit! Poetry.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO cute! The poems are narrated by a little girl and describe the habits and behavior of her dog, Little Dog. Kristine O'Connell George certainly understands dog behavior! June Otani's illustrations were just right too. These simple poems can be enjoyed by readers from about 2nd grade on up. Recommended!

[A Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this is a good book to introduce children to poetry. The poems are short and fun to read. The dog has personality and the story is engaging.

[Katherine | readbykatherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Simple poems about owning a small dog. Would be ideal for young children (preschool or kindergarten aged) learning to read .

[Karol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Contains all the wonderful little things we enjoy with our dog.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very cute and my daughter loved it.

[Maddie Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO cute! I love all of the illustrations, and I also love how this book tells a story throughout the dogs day.

[Cristy Mendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute poem book about a girl and her dog.

[Camden Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute book! The drawings are incredible. Some of the poems are also in calligrams which is a fun and unique thing to point out and show the kids.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection of short poems about dogs. The media for illustration is watercolors. Each illustration is colorful and playful using interesting shapes. This book is flows like a story and has poems that do not rhyme. They can interest students of all ages. I can use this book to teach about poetry. I loved the poems and felt a connection to them because I love dogs.

[Yelim Kwon]

1) No Awards
2) Age 4-8
3) This book contains poems about little dog and little girl.
poem starts from their morning and continues as they spend a day together.
Poem finishes when they go back to bed.
4) I like this book because it shows little dog and little girl's day with all different poems.
The friendship that they have in this book is really sweet and lovely.
I feel like this book will be great for children who does not like to read about poems.
5) Lesson about friendship, or pets

[Shana Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Dog Poems by Kristine O’Connell George is a collection of poems about what a dog goes through with a little girl by his side. Each poem is labeled with a title above that relates to what the dog is doing such as looking in the mirror which is labeled reflection and barking at the vacuum which is labeled enemy. As all the poems come together, it is able to create a story line that explains the adventures of what a little dog goes through.

The sound of the poem is not similar to one another because some rhymes while others do not. Moreover, the poem is written in certain shapes that relate to the topic of the poem. For example, the poem morning nap states how the dog curls up to take a nap and the poem is in the shape of a curl. The images in the poem are supported by the texts which can create a vision in the reader’s mind. For example, the poem labeled enemy states how the dog barks at the vacuum and shows an image of the dog barking at a vacuum. The poem was able to create a clear insight by showing observations of what a dog does which can expand a reader’s awareness. In the poem it was able to meet the criteria of a positive stretch by creating illuminating observations. However, I believe it didn’t use creative word play because it didn’t rhyme and seemed simply written. Furthermore, the poem hits the criteria for appropriateness for occasions because it is able to deepen a reader’s awareness about what a dog does as well as the joy it brings to a household.

I didn’t enjoy the collection of poems since there were very few rhyming poems that I love reading. However, I was struck by the creative way the author set up certain poems in shapes that related to the poems topic such as the morning nap shaped as a curl. The poems are relatable to my life because I have two dogs myself that do a lot of the actions that was stated in the poem.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Staring at the reflection in a mirror, curling up in the last bit of sunshine on the floor, digging up newly planted flowers, and sneaking pieces of popcorn that accidentally fall to the floor. Little Dog is the star in this collection of poems about all of the little quirks a dog can possess. Each poem is given a title relating to a corresponding illustration. Little Dog could really be any dog which makes his character relatable. The poems are simple enough as they describe a particular aspect of Little Dog. The illustrations are excellent since they capture the cuteness and playfulness of the subject matter. Some poems are better than others, and most of them are presented narratively without any rhyming. Young children might like this book for the pictures, but it probably would not be a good choice for a unit in poetry.

[Lorena Magallanes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Dog Poems is a great way to introduce poetry to elementary aged children. Each poem tells a different aspect of a little girl and dogs day. The first poem is called Cold Nose, it is short but talks about the dogs cold nose waking up the little girl in the morning like an alarm clock. It goes through from waking up, to a morning nap, a car ride, obedience school, bath time, play time, and bed time.

Each poem is formatted in a different way. In the picture of "Morning Nap" the dog is coiled up cozy for his nap, and the text takes a similar shape of a spiral, as if it match up with the art and reality of a napping dog. Each poem is accompanied by a picture done in watercolor with no border. The golden hair dog is full of detail with his shaggy hair where you can see the strokes of the brush in his hair.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Dog Poems is a cute little story about a little girl and her dog. The book starts out at the beggining of the day with the little puppy licking the girls face to wake her. As the short poems go on different activities and scenarios that a dog faces thoughout the day were described. This goes on untill the day ends and the girl and the dog go back to sleep. I though this was a good books because it showed the bond between a girl and her dog, and showed us how the love that dogs can give. This is a good book for first graders because it has pictures and it is an easy read that the children could enjoy.

[Michelle Rosales · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book of poems is about a little girl and her dog. The voice of the poems is about the little girl and daily activities that involve her dog. The illustrations are beautiful and invite the reader into the home of the little girl. The watercolors are lovely and help tell the story about her dog and how his daily have impacted her so much to write wonderful poems. The lines in the poetry are nicely displayed. The lines in the poems are played with by moving in all types of directions. This makes it fun as well as exciting to read and learn about poetry.

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This ode to the relationship between one little girl and her very little dog is so satisfying for anyone who's spent time around dogs. I love the spare language of the poems and their accessibility. This would be a great pick for convincing kids to try writing their own poems. And heads up for #diversebooks fans since you can't tell from the cover, the girl is drawn as Asian-American. June Otani, who passed away in 2012, was Japanese-American. (Her family was held in an internment camp during WWII.)

[Mary Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

sweet little book with short, accessible poems about a little dog and her little girl. here's a favorite: "Morning Nap" (you have to visualize a concrete poem where the poem is written in a shrinking spiral shape) "Little Dog curls up tighter and tighter until Little Dog is exactly the same size as the sunny spot." Sure to be a hit with the little dog lovers.

[Marianne (Mia) Emery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Dog Poems is a wonderful introduction to poetry for anyone who loves dogs. Kids love dogs! This book offers a collection of short poems about a little girl and her pet. She encouragingly teaches her little brown dog all about day-to-day life. Young readers will love the illustrations and behaviors of this typical canine and will connect to the playful relationship between the two friends.

[Kathy Ellen Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet little book of poems about a girl and her little dog.
There are so many everyday things that a dog would do in here,
and the events are shown in such few words, and beautiful watercolors.

I could see children writing poetry about their pets after reading this book.

Haiku Review:

Oh Boy, Little Dog
You bark, and chase, and beg and
sleep with me at night.

[Alison Durbin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see myself using this book in a poetry unit for young children. This book has kid friendly poems with a subject matter that almost all kids will enjoy. I really enjoyed reading these poems, because it gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a dog. I think children would love having this as a resource if they wanted ideas for their own poetry.

[Pynteya Bate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute collection of poems for children in Pre-K and K. Each poem portrays different actions of one very cute dog. I have read this book in my Kindergarten class, my student love it!!! It help to start the discussion about the different pets.

[Brianna Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a specialized anthology of poems that are written about a little girl and her dog. The poems are very simple and easy to read. In addition, it is a great introduction to children of both rhyming and non-rhyming poetry.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of poetry that is short, sweet, and simple is a rare find, and this is it. Students learning poetry can easily identify different elements while having fun identifying with the dog. The illustrations add to the meaning and the fun. This book is a keeper.

[Edward Creter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice and very sweet mini-collection of poetry featuring an endearing little dog named, naturally, Little Dog. The drawings are exquisitely cute and the rhymes are awesome in their love for kids and little dogs in our lives. Read 'em and weep...with joy!

[Kate Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short and sweet. Young children will love these poems... ALL about a dog.

[Donde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quintessential dog. Cute, entertaining.

[Susan Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to add to your poetry stack. Easy to share one at a time.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

25 months - We just didn't love it. This might have been better not written as a bunch of short poems but instead as a rhyming story. That's just my thought.