I Didn't Do It
PreS-Gr 3–Distinct puppy personalities shine through in 14 poems. As in the companion Once I Ate a Pie (HarperCollins, 2006), the free verses are told from each dog's point of view. A small terrier objects to his owner's “Rules” and offers up his own code of conduct: “Drooling is good….Get muddy. Be happy. Howl!” A black Labrador retriever with woebegone eyes staring straight at readers sits in a bathtub and itemizes “What I Don't Like.” The list includes “My food/I like yours better./The mailman/Every single day he comes!” Schneider's striking oil paintings not only capture the impulsive and impetuous nature of pups, but also show such tender moments as newborns, “Born in the soft overcoat quiet of someone's closet,” nestled together. An irresistible treat for animal lovers.Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada© Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.