WHEN DAISY MAE CAME TO STAY

In this illustrated children’s book, a rambunctious puppy upends a household.

Breuer draws on her experience as a dog owner for this work. The story features two canines, Tucker and Ridge, and a cat called Trouble who live with their humans in northeast Washington state. The trio gets along well and life is good until Daisy Mae, a German shepherd puppy, arrives. Daisy Mae is a “whirlwind of energy and activity” who disrupts the formerly “quiet, peaceful home.” The puppy cries at night, tries to bite the household humans and pets, attempts to steal food, and harasses the cat. The humans constantly shout “NO!” but Daisy Mae doesn’t understand their exasperation. “Learn to follow the rules. Then you will always hear ‘Good dog, Daisy Mae,’” Tucker tells her. Tucker and Ridge do their best to teach the puppy about walking on a leash, going potty outside, and leaving sleeping dogs alone. Trouble uses hisses and swats to reinforce boundaries. Tucker explains to Daisy Mae that “a good dog gets along with all sorts of people and animals. A good dog is calm even in strange situations. A good dog trusts its people to protect it from harm.” Over time, and with positive reinforcement, Daisy Mae learns to coexist peacefully with her housemates. By the end of the story, Daisy Mae is no longer just a source of chaos, but a beloved part of the pack as well. Breuer realistically captures the destructive antics of puppies, such as tearing up toilet paper and tipping over plants. The storytelling from Tucker’s point of view allows for humorous commentary: “‘Hiss’ is ‘Leave me alone’ in cat language.” Daisy Mae’s perspective is also unique and often funny in lines like “The people keep calling me ‘NO.’” Caswell’s dynamic illustrations convey Daisy Mae’s nonstop naughtiness and others’ emotional reactions to it. But the puppy-training techniques are barely shown in the story; instead, readers are told about them in a “Tips” section at the book’s end.

An entertaining, action-packed tale about raising a puppy that focuses on bad behavior.