GOOD DOG, AGGIE

Chaos erupts in the canine classroom when rambunctious Aggie attends obedience training. When Aggie is expelled from dog school, Ben tries to independently teach his pet, but neighborhood distractions overwhelm the pooch. Active Aggie won’t sit or stay until the boy finally pays heed to his blind neighbor’s advice and substitutes playing fetch for rigid commands. Ben proves to be the responsible pet parent in the anticipated conclusion when he maturely announces, “You are not a bad dog. But you must learn.” Slightly more complex in sentence structure and narrative than its predecessor (Aggie and Ben, 2006), this three-chapter story comically explores the budding friendship between a rowdy pet and her young owner. Dormer’s exaggerated angular designs capture the frenzy in calculatedlydisproportionate cartoons. Pen-and-ink and watercolors combine thin lines and bold colors to energize Aggie’s antics. While undisciplined, Aggie is one lovable pup; with a slight turn of her large head and a flip of her lopsided ears, she demonstrates why dogs are known as children’s best friends. (Early reader. 6-8)