ALA Booklist (Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2001)

Welsh terriers Morgan Barker and his sister, Moffat, have never been alike, from their first steps to their potty training. When they enter school, their different temperaments and talents become even more obvious. Moffie, a classic type-A achiever, piles up academic gold stars, while easy-going Morgie accumulates friends. Turn-about is fair play, however, and with a tip from Morgie, Moffie finally makes a friend, and Morgie enjoys a rare moment in the academic spotlight. Although never stated, the concept of complementary talents is very clear, and children will get the point. DePaola's illustrations are full of his characteristic charm and humor. This fresh approach to first-day-of-school stories will entertain, reassure, and enlighten new students. The title hints that this may be the debut of a new series. If so, children will eagerly await the next Barker tale.

Horn Book (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2002)

When twin dogs Morgie and Moffie first start school, bossy Moffie calls out all the answers and gets gold stars, while quiet Morgie shares his dinosaur book and makes friends. Eventually, Morgie has a chance to show off his knowledge about dinosaurs, and Moffie makes a friend. Illustrated with trademark dePaola illustrations, the story is a pleasant if not dynamic introduction to school.

Kirkus Reviews

The ageless dePaola casts two of his own Welsh terriers in this carefully constructed series kickoff. When Morgan and his type-A older twin sister, Moffat, start school, he proceeds to make friends by sharing his dinosaur book, but doesn't shine as a student, while she apple-polishes her way to a row of gold stars. The roles reverse at week's end when Morgan suggests that Moffat and rival, Sally, put up a block tower together, rather than compete with each other, and then goes on to earn a star of his own when the teacher asks if anyone can name some dinosaurs. Besides building his story around personality differences and conflict resolution, dePaola has enlisted a literacy consultant, evidently to ensure that his prose is accessible to beginning readers. Which it is—delivering modeled behavior in light, positive ways, and fleshing out his puppy protagonists with artfully presented differences and similarities, he has crafted a tale that all brand-new grade-schoolers will effortlessly absorb and enjoy. (Picture book. 5-7)

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-A heartwarming story about two dogs starting school. Moffie is smart, outspoken, and always has to be first. She knows her colors, can count to 10, and is first to answer all of the teacher's questions. She is proud of her gold stars while her twin brother, Morgie, is proud of making a new friend who also likes dinosaurs. After the teacher has a talk with Moffie about not giving other children a chance to answer, the little pup realizes she does not have any friends, a situation that comes to a satisfying conclusion. Genuinely expressive, lovable characters, depicted in warm tones on handmade watercolor paper, make this a great read-aloud to calm first-day, first-week, or even first-month-of-school jitters.-Wanda Meyers-Hines, Ridgecrest Elementary, Huntsville, AL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.