Can I Be Your Dog? Paperback – Picture Book, February 8, 2022

My 3 year old picked out this book. We read every night at bedtime and were in need of some new books. I was worried it would be a tear jerker (stray dog looking for a home), but it turned out with a happy ending and is very sweet.

Arfy is a dog in need of a place to stay, so he emBARKS on a mission to find a forever home by writing letters to everyone who lives on Butternut Street; asking the question, one house, one fire station, one butcher shop at a time, “Can I be your dog?” He truly is one persistent pooch! Without much persuasion, I bet that Arfy would have you convinced that he’s the dog for you. Each letter will simply make your heart melt.Can I be Your Dog? was a pure joy to read and it made me want to snuggle with my own fur-baby Schnoodle, Susie-Q, who my nephew used to call “Susie Cute.” She was given to us by my aunt and she has been the sweetest little addition to our family. She is often my reading buddy at night before I go to bed. We are her people as much as she is our dog and we love her to pieces. Much like what we have, Arfy just wanted a family that he could call his own and with each letter he writes, the reader likely will be vying for Arfy to send a letter to them, in which case he would have no problem finding a home because every child is going to want to take him in. When I introduce this book to my students this school year, they are sure to fall in love the same way I did. Something tells me that I’m going to need to get my hands on more than one copy for our library.In this book, Troy Cummings is both author and illustrator and as you flip through the pages you will quickly adore Arfy as a playful, cheerful, determined dog. Here are some of the reasons I really enjoyed this book:The cover! – Our students love dogs and will be drawn to Arfy’s adorable face. Also, note that the forever stamp on Arfy’s envelope is a forever home (LOVE this!)The front matter – There is a collection of awesome stamps to start the book of varying color, price, and size.The letters – Arfy is a pretty persuasive writer. His letters are so sweet and filled with hope. I like the different paper that he finds to write on and the various responses he receives. Some nice, some not so nice…but it only takes one yes!The ending – It will melt your heart (no spoilers, so that’s all I’m going to say).The final letter from Arfy – Arfy provides tips on how to help homeless animals, including links to the ASPCA and the Humane Society.I can think of at least two activities to try with students after reading this book:Have students write a response letter to Arfy. Would they have said yes to him and invited him into their home? Why?Have students write their own persuasive letter as Arfy. What might they want to say that would convince someone to be his forever family?Have you read the book? What else will you plan to do with your students? Maybe a service project to help homeless animals?Be sure to check out Troy Cummings’ other books. I would highly recommend his Notebook of Doom series as it has been a HUGE hit at my school. There are 13 books in total and it is the sort of story that will hook all readers. Check out the trailer on Scholastic’s Branches website (link below in the Shout-Outs).

Purchased a couple of new books for the grandbabies' visit this past weekend. This was fun to read and the author/illustrator did a great job of matching the contents of the. letters, as well as their look, to the place that was being asked to take in Arfy, the dog. Very creative and Arfy's response to the replies were also appropriately designed with specificity to the place the was queried. The kids laughed about Arfy 's response to the firehouse letter and empathized with his lonely munching on freeze-dried giblets from the butcher. Of course, the end of the story was great and you can see it coming to that by the look on a character's face as Arfy's search progressed.Specs considered:The illustrations helped tell and round out the story with great supporting visuals.The story moved along well with bits of writing that allowed me to use fun expressions.Let's face it, the writing is genius! So dang cute...Info at the end about how to support, and help prevent, homeless animals is great to start a conversation about responsible pet ownership with kids.

As a mom of a 5.5yr old boy co-running a local independent non-profit animal rescue out of our home it’s easy for my son to forget the big picture. This wonderful written and beautifully illustrated story showcases how the kindness of just one person can change the world for a dog named Arfy.*Pictured is my 15th foster dog Rocky. For 13yrs he lived outside in the elements with a horrible case of double ear infections that went untreated for years. No more ruff life for Rocky. Only the comforts of a safe, loving, warm home 🏡 #AdoptDontShop #FosteringSavesLives

Great book

If you are looking for a story full of humor and a message of perseverance, hit "Buy It Now". My family has been a fan of Troy's since he visited my son's school last year. REWIND: When I heard Troy Cummings was coming to my son's school, I checked out his "stuff". It didn't take long for me to realize "Dang, this guy is good!" The better children's writers do not write down to their audience, they tell stories that a child will find something in at every level & discover something different each time they read it. We read this for the first time a few nights ago & upon a reread last night, both my sons were pointing out different things. As an adult, Troy's work feels timeless. His artwork reminds me of the old Hanna-Barbera cartoons, so clean and full of joy that you can't help but smile as you read it.The message: This book can be read as a simple A-Z story, but, it's even better when you use it to create a dialog with your child/children. We were able to talk about reacting to your environment, never giving up, why we help others and treating everyone with respect and dignity. At the end of the day, it is a wonderful little story.If you get it now, you can brag to all the other parents how you "discovered" it before it won a Caldecott Medal...

I bought this book to replace one I lost at school for our librarian. This book is adorable! It will tug at your heart a bit, but all the kids at school love it!

We read this to our fifth graders as part of a March madness reading challenge and they loved it! It was so cute from the dogs perspective!