Good Dog, Aggie

PreS-Gr 2This early chapter book about a disobedient dog has plenty of humor and charm. Ben experiences a ton of trouble with his feisty friend, Aggie. While her antics are not particularly original, they will capture the interest of young readers, especially dog lovers. After the canine is dismissed from obedience school, the boy embarks on a training program of his own, determined to teach his pet to sit and stay. But Aggie chases a squirrel and a cat, and she goes wild in a hat store when she interprets her own image in a three-way mirror as three other dogs. Blind Mr. Thomas understands Aggie and advises patience. The quirky cartoon illustrations are delightful. For independent reading, this title works well with Maggie Stern's "Singing Diggety" (Scholastic, 2001). For a read-aloud unit on well-behaved and incorrigible canines, consider using "Aggie" with John Grogan's "Bad Dog, Marley!" (HarperCollins, 2007), Barbara M. Joosse's "Bad Dog School" (Clarion, 2004), and Lois Ehlert's "Wag a Tail" (Harcourt, 2007)."Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT" Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.