Roy Digs Dirt

PreS-Gr 1—Roy is a little spotted dog. And he is a dog that digs dirt. He digs in it all day long. He loves to sit in dirt and roll in it. Dirt makes him happy and extremely dirty. Roy eats, sniffs, and even listens to it. He creates imaginary friends out of dirt and hunts for buried treasure in it. Roy really digs dirt. The only thing he doesn't like about dirt is getting clean—and ants! When there is no dirt around, there's usually trouble. Roy becomes mad and agitated. He tears the newspaper apart and rips the carpet. Then he scratches the door to get back to the dirt. Roy really cares about his dirt, too. He protects it against nighttime critters and dreams about it in his sleep. To Roy, there's nothing better than dirt. Shannon pens another zany, kid-friendly tale. Children will love the Roy's antics with his favorite thing...dirt. The text is simple and large, and the pictures do a good job telling the story. This is a light and breezy feel-good book that's perfect for storytime. VERDICT David Shannon fans—old and new—will enjoy this delightfully dirty book.—Barbara Spiri, Southborough Library, MA

There's a classic Onion headline, "Dog Experiences Best Day of His Life for 400th Consecutive Day." One such dog is certainly Roy, a sturdy, uninhibited white pooch with black patches, pointy ears, and a gleam in his tiny eyes. Roy's raison d'être is dirt: "Roy digs dirt.... Roy eats dirt, sniffs dirt, watches dirt, and listens to dirt," writes Shannon (Mr. Nogginbody Gets a Hammer). The filthy hound dominates every page, wallowing in mud ("dirt gravy"), creeping through a deliciously loamy "jungle" (the garden), and defending his turf ("GET AWAY FROM MY DIRT!"). The book doesn't hinge on any big plot point or obstacle--the biggest drama is the bath Roy has to have after encountering a skunk (baths, after all, "are the opposite of dirt"). But what this book offers is a real gift: the chance to spend time with an outsize personality whose happiness is pure, all encompassing, and seemingly without end--so long as the dirt holds out. Ages 3-5. (Apr.)