My Pup

by Margaret O'Hair

For the family celebrating the arrival of a new puppy or looking to nurture the bond between a preschooler and their energetic best friend.

Find on Bookshop.org Find on Amazon Save

About This Book

Reach for this book when your family is preparing for a new puppy or when your preschooler needs help articulating the joyful, chaotic bond they share with a family pet. It is a perfect selection for those moments when you want to celebrate the everyday magic of companionship and the simple responsibilities that come with love. Through rhythmic, bouncy text and bright illustrations, the story follows a young girl and her spirited dog through a day of play, naps, and gentle care. It mirrors the high energy of a toddler's life, making it an excellent tool for building vocabulary related to actions and emotions. Parents will appreciate how it models a positive, nurturing relationship between a child and an animal, emphasizing that while puppies are a lot of work, they are also our best friends.

Welcoming a New Pet Dogs Friendship & Loyalty Animals Joy & Gratitude Love & Family Becoming a Big Kid

What Parents Should Know

Sensitive Topics

None. This is a purely secular, joyful, and safe exploration of the human-animal bond.

Ideal Reader

A three-year-old who is currently obsessed with dogs or a family that has just brought home a new pet and wants to show their child how to interact with their new 'sibling' with love and excitement.

Parent Prep

No prep needed. This is a 'cold read' friendly book with a predictable rhythm that allows children to chime in on the rhymes. A parent might reach for this after seeing their child struggle to be gentle with a pet, or conversely, after witnessing a beautiful moment of connection between the two that they want to reinforce through storytelling.

Age Experience

For a two-year-old, the experience is about word-object identification and enjoying the cadence of the rhyme. For a five-year-old, the book serves as a mirror for their own responsibilities and a way to discuss how they help care for their own pets.

What Makes It Special

Unlike many pet books that focus on the 'trouble' dogs get into, this book focuses on the mutual adoration and the shared rhythm of a child and dog's day. The brevity of the text makes it accessible to the very youngest readers who lack the stamina for longer narratives.

Read plot summary

A young girl narrates her day spent with her energetic puppy. Through simple rhyming couplets, the book covers various activities including playtime, feeding, bathing, and eventually settling down for sleep. It is a celebratory look at the routine of pet ownership from a child's perspective.

This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.