I love kids, and they seem to all love me, too. I’ll tell you, dogs and children have a special bond. I also love to read. Now, I’ve read a few books in the past about children, so it got me to wondering. Are there any books about dogs that children can read? Well, much to my surprise, there are so many books about dogs that children can read! They all look so good, too. Now, if only I could perfect the skill of reading to a child. Until then, I’m taking applications for any children volunteers who would like to read to me!
Board Books
If you’re looking for a board book for young children, Eric Hill has created so many wonderful books that your kids will beg you to read time and time again. Choosing which Spot book to include in this post was so difficult, but I went with Spot Loves Sports. Why? Well, young children, before they can read, often identify with shapes. Since many sports use balls – basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and many more – your children will be able to “read” along by identifying each ball on the page while you read the words to them.
If your son or daughter (or niece or grandchild or friend or neighbor) loves Spot the dog, there are so many other excellent books in the collection. My suggestions would be Spot’s Favorite Colors, Spot Says Please, and Spot Loves His Daddy.
Introduce Your Child to Poetry
If you’re looking for a way to introduce young children to poetry, check out Good Dog by Maya Gottfried and Robert Rahway Zakanitch. This book is loaded with detailed portraits of dogs – hey, why wasn’t I included? – by Rahway Zakanitch, which are accompanied by Gottfried’s poems written to capture the personality of each pup. I love hearing poetry being read. Will someone please read this to me?
Choose Beautiful Illustrations
I’m trying really hard to refrain from saying, “I told you so!” Even though Dog Loves Books is fictional, it’s a great example of of what I’ve been trying to tell you. Canines love reading!
Have you ever wondered why there are so many pictures in children’s books? It’s because children understand the words better when they can see the action on the pages. Why not choose a beautifully illustrated book about dogs? Not only is this a great read, but it’s nice to look at, as well.
Encourage Your Children to Read on Their Own
When children first start reading solo, it can be a very exciting, yet nervous time for them. Step Into Reading books are a great investment for beginning readers. They can start off on the first level, move up the the second level after some practice, and continue to challenge themselves. If your new reader is ready for a second-level book, I’d recommend Shampoodle – a book about dogs who get in all sorts of trouble while getting groomed. It’s a funny, rhymed text your children will be sure to soon master.
Picture Books Aren’t Just for Babies
Please tell me you’ve seen some of the Underwater Dogs pictures. If you haven’t, check this out. I’ll wait for you. Okay, now that you’re back, I’d highly recommend the Underwater Dogs: Kid Edition for any little human who loves dogs. This awesome book even comes with a poster they can hang on their bedroom wall!
Use Books to Help With Training
Training your new (or old) dog shouldn’t just be a parent’s job! Children often want to be involved in the training of the household pet. 101 Dog Tricks: Kids Edition is filled with so many tricks – 101 to be specific – your child can teach your dog. Each trick is explained with a full-color, step-by-step example of the training. Some tricks can even be taught in under 10 minutes. Empower your children and your dog today! Side note: If any child is looking for a dog to train new tricks, I’m available!
Learn a Different Language
Want your child to learn how to speak a language? That’s an excellent idea! Let’s first start with the canine language! How to Speak Dog: A Guide to Decoding Dog Language, a National Geographic book by Aline Alexander Newman, is an awesome book that all humans should read. I especially recommend it if you’re looking for a book about dogs to give to a child. This book is super informative, yet still fun.
Introduce Young Readers to Novels
For older children who’ve mastered chapter books, I’d suggest introducing them to the novel White Fang. I was so engrossed in this book. Have you ever read it? Now, I’m not one to give spoilers, but let’s just say Jack London’s page-turning book about an animal who is part wolf and part dog is full of action and suspense. My favorite part is the happy ending. I can’t tell you what that is, though. You’ll have to read it for yourself!
If you’ve read any of my top choices, please tell us what your favorite is in the comments! If you have any other favorite books about dogs, please share those, too!
Side note: Do you run a business in the pet industry? Would you like to drive more traffic and sales to your site through a search-optimized pet blog? Get in touch with my office-mates at Lantern Content Marketing!
Everyone loves it when folks come together and share opinions. Great blog, continue the good work!