School Library Journal Starred Review (Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

PreS-Gr 2 The typical pet picture book is turned on its ear in this witty and charming story. This independent pooch proudly takes care of himself: "I curl up at my own feet. Sometimes, if I'm not comfortable, I tell myself to roll over." He scoffs at the pets who follow commands and demonstrates how he throws and fetches his own stick, "it's fun." His life is pretty perfect&30;except for the itch on his back that he just can't reach. When a friendly person scratches the itch for him, then follows him home, the little canine can't help but adopt him. Young readers will get a kick out of the reversed human-pet roles, which are cheerfully and animatedly illustrated in pen and "hacked" kids' marker and colored with watercolor and crayon. The cartoonlike drawings perfectly illuminate the life and attitudes of this canine character, from his contented chewing on a slipper to his joyful, bowlegged run during a game of fetch. Minimal text makes this a great read-aloud for listeners with short attention spans, while the humor will tickle older kids and grown-ups.— Marian McLeod, Convent of the Sacred Heart, Greenwich, CT

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

The cheery, two-fanged grin of Stein-s bulldog testifies to his supreme confidence: -Nobody owns me. I own myself.- In the first half of the book, Stein (Dinosaur Kisses) develops the idea of canine freedom as the bulldog relaxes alone on his rug, a well-chewed slipper beside him: -Sometimes, if I-m not comfortable, I tell myself to roll over. And I do.- But when the bulldog finds a human who-s willing to scratch the one place on his back he can-t reach, he finds himself strangely affected: -The little guy followed me home. I felt sorry for him.- Soon the bulldog and human come to an accommodation. -Between you and me,- the bulldog confides, -I-m his best friend.- As final, quiet proof of devotion, Stein draws the man with his arm around the bulldog, his tie loosened, his eyes closed contentedly, happy to wear the chewed-up slippers. Stein-s role reversal is deliciously fun, and what makes it sing is the bulldog-s confiding tone, and the way Stein telegraphs a range of emotions-exasperation, resignation, and pure joy-with a few bold lines. Ages 4-8. Agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Aug.)

Horn Book (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

I'm my own dog. Nobody owns me. I own myself,

ALA Booklist (Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

It's an oft-made joke: Who is the person in this relationship and who is the pet? Stein makes amusing, adorable hay from the idea of an independent doggie who doesn't need a person ll, not at first. Nobody owns me, crows the confident canine. I own myself. Indeed, he rolls over when he wants to, throws his own stick to fetch, and greets himself in a mirror each day, saying, I AM A GOOD DOG. There's this itch on his back, though, that he can't quite reach, and so one day he lets a man scratch it. After the man follows the dog home, the dog goes ahead and gets a leash: How else am I supposed to lead him around? He then teaches the guy how to find squirrels, how to play the stick game, and more. Stein's pen, marker, and watercolor figures are endearingly slapdash and exude warmth; when the dog says, I've grown attached to the little fella, the duo's affection for each other is palpable. A fitting celebration of opinionated pups everywhere.