As part of our National Picture Book Month celebration on Kidsreads, Teen Board member Rachel B. tells us why she loved TEN DOGS IN THE WINDOW by Claire Masurel and illustrated by Pamela Paparone as a child.
Some of the books that have gained a place in my heart are not classics or best-sellers, but the picture books I read when I was younger. Perhaps the best of these picture books, although it is not as well known, is TEN DOGS IN THE WINDOW by Claire Masurel and illustrated by Pamela Paparone. This picture book is about how ten dogs play, eat, and sleep in a pet shop window until they are adopted one by one by people who resemble them.
One of the great parts of the book is how the text doesn't become boring although it is repetitive and rhyming. This book is also valuable because it is a countdown book, so it provides a fun way for children to learn the numbers up to ten. But the real reason why this picture book is so lively and interesting is its illustrations. The illustrations give a unique personality to each of the dogs. It also allows readers to guess what dog each person will adopt. Having to match visual patterns is a rare thing in books, so it is a treat to be able to flip through TEN DOGS IN THE WINDOW and laugh about how much people look like dogs!
I can't pick a favorite dog-human match, but the book begins with a great example. A stout man with a large, flat nose, wearing a brown suit and holding an ice cream cone approaches the pet shop. On the next page, the reader can see that the man adopted a bull dog that has a similar stature, nose and is a color close to that of the man's suit. The man is also sharing his ice cream cone with the dog in this illustration! Some of the other matches are easier and some of them are a little harder, but all are very enjoyable and lighthearted.
The only thing that disappoints me about TEN DOGS IN THE WINDOW is that there was never a "sequel!" The last page of the book shows ten cats in the same pet shop window so there was an opportunity for one. I can remember looking at the list of books from the same publisher, searching for a TEN CATS IN THE WINDOW. It does seem silly to expect a sequel to a picture book, but if a book is interesting, you always want to read more!
Rachel B. is a Teen Board member.
