Puppy Talk

Praise

Playful puppies with big personalities illustrate pairs of opposites. Professional photographer and author Coates presents a cast of cuddly, exuberant puppies who model a variety of useful pairs of opposite terms. “Front” and “back,” “far” and “near,” “awake” and “asleep,” and six other pairs of vocabulary words come to life in these charming and funny photos. Amusing comments from the four-legged models add an element of laughter and a hint of chaos, as well. A tiny picture of a Boston terrier, set back in the upper-left corner on an otherwise white page, accompanies the text “Max is far,” as Max calls out from the distance, “Hello-o-o!” On the facing page, “Max is near,” and a close-up of the dog’s face fills the page; Max says, in alarm, “Whoa! TOO close!” Sophie, an adorable Portuguese water dog, is “dry” on one page, remarking, “I need a bath.” The facing page reads, “Sophie is wet,” and the damp and annoyed-looking pup is wrapped in a towel, saying, “I need a hug.” All the dogs are photographed in color and presented on a plain white background, which makes the ideas presented in each photo impossible to miss. Featured vocabulary is printed in colored type. The front and back covers also feature Max, face-first or backside-first respectively, announcing “This is the front!” and “This is the back!” Silly and instructive; an animal lover’s delight.
—Kirkus Reviews