An Illustrated Guide to Picking Your Perfect Canine Companion
March 6, 2023
Book editor Maxwell debuts with this playful if slight guide to choosing the right dog breed. She provides tongue-in-cheek dating app profiles for 43 breeds, indicating their size, typical lifespan, activity level, and personality. Pomeranians, Maxwell writes, have “Big Dog Energy,” love being the center of attention, and are bad with kids. An “ideal first date” with an English bulldog consists of a stroll around the block, and they do best in air-conditioned homes because they overheat easily. There’s plenty of silliness throughout, such as when Maxwell jokes that Botox is a trend the wrinkly shar-pei can’t get behind (“Are you telling me that humans are trying to remove wrinkles? Make it make sense!”) and pokes fun at pugs’ fondness for napping by listing “zzzzzzzzz” as a “social cause I care about.” The illustrations are sweet and colorful, but the cutesy presentation comes at the expense of more in-depth, practical information on the care each dog requires. Additionally, the dating profile conceit leads to some cringe-worthy moments, as when Maxwell describes golden retrievers as “DTF: Down to Fetch.” This quirky outing might make for a fun gift, but there’s not enough substance to recommend it for prospective dog owners.
April 1, 2023
This short book from editor and children's book author Maxwell (Finny the Shark) aims to help individuals and families choose a new canine friend. It is filled with brief information that will help those who are brand-new to the dog world. Quick information on what to consider when deciding where to get a dog--with an easy-to-understand explanation of what it means to purchase from a reputable breeder vs. a pet store, if not going the shelter route--might not help the seasoned dog owner but will point a newcomer to the process in the right direction. Cute illustrations by Mulvanny, paired with "dating profiles" for different breeds, are fun to peruse, but they don't go in-depth enough to provide new insights. A "Paw-Fect Match Quiz" offers further pooch-picking guidance, and a quick-reference guide to breed characteristics adds a convenient detail to finish out the book. VERDICT An adorable read with colorful illustrations and brief breed descriptions, this book might be helpful for first-time dog owners, although it's not an essential guide.--Elizabeth Majka
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