Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

Starred Review Now this is how to train a dog! Ink-and-watercolor illustrations on plain white backgrounds show a young boy giving his dog the usual commands: "Sit. Stay. Roll over." But as the tale moves from usual to un-, we observe the dog obeying some not-so-common entreaties. A two-page spread of three vignettes with the words "Cook. Serve. Eat." show the helpful canine standing on a stool, stirring a meal on the stove. He then carries two plates, sits on the stool, and eats dinner th a fork the table with his best friend. When the boy opens the front door, backgrounds become colorful as the two companions pedal away from home, repair and sail a boat, build a spaceship, and rocket off to the moon. When their afternoon adventure is over, they return home to their (extra)ordinary lives. The reader gets to decide which of the two is the "Good Boy," since it appears that the dog is the one reading the bedtime story before the two settle down for the night. One or two words per page and help from the illustrations make this an accessible easy reader. What, at first, appears to be a customary story of a boy and his dog turns out to be so much more d so much more fun.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

A little boy and his dog share experiences at home and out in the wider world, including a trip to another planet.The unnamed boy has light skin and golden hair in the same shade as his faithful companion, a midsized dog with beady eyes and a round nose like his owner. At first the boy is in charge, apparently giving the dog traditional commands such as "Sit" and "Stay." The dog becomes more of a peer as he begins to stand on two legs and act like a human, cooking and eating dinner and helping sail a boat to a mysterious island. The pair build a rocket ship and fly to another planet, where they speak to some ETs before flying back home. A satisfying conclusion finds the dog reading and singing with the boy at bedtime before a reprise of the command—or is it a request, or simply a description of the action?—"Stay," and the concluding words, "Good boy." The final double-page spread shows the pair tucked in bed, two good boys asleep together. The story unfolds entirely in one- or two-word phrases that can be interpreted as commands to the dog or as succinct summations of the action depicted on each page. Soft-focus watercolor-and-ink illustrations in subdued shades convey a dreamy atmosphere that makes the unfettered lives of this pair believable.The bond between the golden-haired duo is quietly conveyed with an imaginative charm that deepens on subsequent readings. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A little boy and his dog share experiences at home and out in the wider world, including a trip to another planet.The unnamed boy has light skin and golden hair in the same shade as his faithful companion, a midsized dog with beady eyes and a round nose like his owner. At first the boy is in charge, apparently giving the dog traditional commands such as "Sit" and "Stay." The dog becomes more of a peer as he begins to stand on two legs and act like a human, cooking and eating dinner and helping sail a boat to a mysterious island. The pair build a rocket ship and fly to another planet, where they speak to some ETs before flying back home. A satisfying conclusion finds the dog reading and singing with the boy at bedtime before a reprise of the command—or is it a request, or simply a description of the action?—"Stay," and the concluding words, "Good boy." The final double-page spread shows the pair tucked in bed, two good boys asleep together. The story unfolds entirely in one- or two-word phrases that can be interpreted as commands to the dog or as succinct summations of the action depicted on each page. Soft-focus watercolor-and-ink illustrations in subdued shades convey a dreamy atmosphere that makes the unfettered lives of this pair believable.The bond between the golden-haired duo is quietly conveyed with an imaginative charm that deepens on subsequent readings. (Picture book. 3-7)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This gem of a story by Ruzzier (Fox & Chick: The Party and Other Stories) stars a boy in a green T-shirt that doesn-t quite meet his shorts. He has an exceedingly well-trained dog, and the comedy comes from the boy-s increasingly improbable commands. -Sit,- the boy says to the dog. -Stay. Roll over.- Pretty soon, they-re off to harder things: -Juggle,- the boy directs, and the hound obligingly lofts a ball of yarn, a bone, a liquid-filled drinking glass, and more. The dog cooks a meal and serves it, repairs a boat and sails the boy to an island, then the two blast into outer space (-Go,- says the boy from inside the rocket they-ve built). The unflappable child never seems surprised by his canine-s superb competence, and he-s willing to help out where necessary. When the duo opens the door to venture outside, ink-and-watercolor spot illustrations open out into views of land and sea bathed in warm, golden light. The sparse text, the tidiness with which Ruzzier works out his concept, and the endearing qualities of his two heroes make the book a small classic. Ages 4-8. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Feb.)