Move Over, Rover!

K-Gr 1 -Reminiscent of Mirra Ginsburg -s" Mushroom in the Rain" (S & S, 1987) and Audrey Wood -s "The Napping House" (Harcourt, 1984), this is the cumulative story of many animals all attempting to shelter from the rain in a doghouse. Children will love the hilarious ending when all of the inhabitants hastily vacate after an odiferous intruder tries to squeeze in, too. The marvelously textured watercolor-and-acrylic illustrations convey the feeling of a driving rain, the fur and feathers of the various creatures, and the joy of Rover when his house is once again his sole domain. The repetition of key phrases, the rhythmic text, and the cumulative structure of the narrative make this book an ideal read-aloud. The pictures and text evoke the cozy, warm feeling of curling up for a nap on a rainy day and the unbridled thrill of leaping out into the sun." -Tamara E. Richman, Somerset County Library System, Bridgewater, NJ" Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

* (starred review)  "The bouncy rhymes and expressive paintings complement each other well, melding into a simple but satisfying story that will fit into story hours with themes of rain, dogs, or sharing."  —Kirkus (August 1, 2006)