Which Puppy?

29. Which Puppy?, by Kate Feiffer, illustrations by Jules Feiffer

It's a cute idea. When word spreads that the Obamas are going to adopt a puppy, all kinds of dogs, and other animals, want to be picked, and they decide to hold a contest. But the story doesn't hold together. The contests don't make sense, and then - out of absolutely nowhere - an "ancient custom" appears. And then there are three dogs which, if put together, meet the requirements. It's confusing.

The pictures are just okay. One of the fun things about children's books is that, often, there are surprises in the pictures, things to look for, particularly when there are "crowd" scenes. But there's nothing like that here. Just piles of dogs. Not that piles of dogs can't be cute, but it got a bit repetitious. I have to say, though, that the picture of the three dogs peering into the windows of the White House tugged at my heartstrings a bit. But then I can't read Mutts' Shelter Stories without wanting to dash off to the SPCA!