I Want A Dog
Jon Agee
Scallywag Press

When a little girl visits Happydale Animal Shelter, she’s determined to come away with a dog. However, while agreeing that a dog is an excellent choice for a pet, the helpful man there has other ideas. He produces in turn, an anteater, a baby baboon, a python, a frog, a goldfish (dead, rather than playing dead). The little girl remains steadfast, and then he brings in what he says is a dog …

Of course, it won’t do and nor will the wombat, the kangaroo or the albatross. With her body language speaking volumes, the child asks ’Do you even have a dog?” Time to admit the truth, so out goes the girl – almost. The persistent man has one more try, asking what makes a dog so special. Having heard her response, he offers something that fulfils all her criteria, although he admits it’s not of the canine kind. Instead he produces Lucinda and it seems to be love at first sight.

Back home go girl and, balanced rather precariously on her pull-along cart, her new pet.

Evidently, as the final spread shows, her parents are happy to accommodate this new addition to the household.

The interaction between the girl and the man at the animal shelter is superb – signature Agee wry humour, coupled with watercolour illustrations rendered in subdued colours (apart from the thick black outlines) and a perfectly paced text that includes a hilarious final twist.

A winner with this reviewer and so will it be with young listeners and beginner readers who will soon be joining in with the girl’s part of the dialogue.