My ten year old is an animal lover. He wants to learn everything about animals, and he claims that he wants to work with animals, as he gets bigger. So, when we received the opportunity to review Dogs: A Kid’s Book of Dog Breeds, he was delighted. We received a 47-page eBook edition of the book, which can be purchased for $7.99.

This book contains a wealth of information about 20 different popular dog breeds. The breeds included are: German Shepherd, Golden Retriever, Poodle, Beagle, Collie, Chihuahua, Dalmatian, Cocker Spaniel, Yorkshire Terrier, Saint Bernard, Jack Russell Terrier, Dachshund, Boxer, West Highland White Terrier, Great Dane, Corgi, Bloodhound, Schnauzer, Siberian Husky, and Labrador Retriever. There’s also a section at the end of the book containing information about a few careers your child might be interested in if they are interested in working with dogs.

The examination of each dog breed contains a predictable pattern. The section begins with a lovely picture of the dog breed being examined. Then, the dog is described with the author discussing any special features or special talents that the dog has. Famous people who have owned a dog of this breed are mentioned, as well as presidents who have owned a specific dog. Finally, a little bit about the history of the breed and how this breed was formed is shared.

This was a really great exploration for my ten year old, and my eight and five year old children also enjoyed flipping through the pages, looking at the pictures and picking up facts about the different breeds. As a homeschooler, I think it would make a great spine for a unit study on dogs or for having your child create a notebook or lapbook with information on each of the dog breeds in the book. The information is given in an almost story feel and the writer’s style is very warm and kid friendly.

The only con I really with this book was that there were a couple of times when I felt like the celebrity owner of the pet mentioned in the book was perhaps one not appropriate for the age range of the intended audience. However, on the whole, most references were appropriate and the children enjoyed hearing them.

This is a lovely addition to our home library, and it is one that my ten year old has referred to often. In fact, after reading this book, he made me to see if this author had any other animal books that we could purchase for him to read. To me, that is the mark of a successful book.

-Product review by Rebecca Ray, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January, 2016