Children love these classic dog books...

[Cypress]

I work in a children's library. Clifford the Big Red Dog is such a beloved character here. I have a whole shelf of Clifford books. What kid wouldn't like to have a dog big enough to ride around on?. I know, I know, he's fictional in a BIG way, but I thought I'd ask what storybook dogs you loved from children's literature and why you love them.
I like Carl, the big Rottweiler, in the books such as CARL GOES SHOPPING and CARL GOES TO DAYCARE. These books are by Alexandra Day. There is little to no text in these books. The beautiful pictures do the talking. We look at these books together and the kids make up the story and I write it down for them.
Your turn! :woofpup

[WendyGirlfriend]

The Summer of Riley. I can't remember the author's name. It's a chapter book for kids that mine read last summer. A boy adopts a dog that 5attacks a horse. The poor dog is sentenced to be put down for it. The boy and his friend fight to save the dog, even hiring a lawyer, and in the very end the dog gets a reprieve and a job chasing away geese on the runway at the airport. Not the happy reunion ending we were expecting, but it taught the kids that even they too, can fight for what's right and be heard.

They also loved the Henry and Mudge series of books by Cynthia Rylant when they were in first grade or so. Mudge is such a great dog! :)

[Meggie'sMom]

I think it's great that kids still love Clifford. The PBS series has breathed new life into him, but he never was out of style with the kids.

Older elementary kids love the Shiloh series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor about the abused and rescued beagle. I used to be an elementary librarian and these books touched a real spot with kids in 3rd through 5th grade. I hope it made some of them think about the way a dog should be treated.

One of my favorite children's dog's books is Three Names by Patricia MacLachlan (Sarah, Plain and Tall). I love the way Three Names is part of her grandfather's day to day life on the prairie, just like the dogs I knew as a little girl were always a part of anything we were doing.

[Skokie]

When I was a child "Angus and the Cat" was one of my favourite stories. If you're not familiar with this story (and there were a series of Angus stories) it was about a Scottish Terrier and the resident cat. Of course the cat was always getting Angus into trouble. Eventually my parents bought me a West Highland Terrier...and I named him Angus....

[Cypress]

I have a picture of Angus in a little frame in my library!!! That is so cool. I just love it.
Anybody know about MY DOG MY HERO by Betsy Byars? True stories about heroic dogs in an easy to read format, the book is popular with 3rd grade and up. I know a 4th grade teacher who read it aloud over the course of about a week, and the book had everyone in tears, including herself. They were passing around the Kleenex box. Then they voted on their favorite hero. They're still talking about it. :woofpup

[IronsGold]

"The Rory Story" by Bill Binzen is a beautiful book of photographs following the first few months of a Golden puppy's life. It maybe out of print, but it's well worth looking for.
ISBN 0-385-08752-7
ISBN (lib. bdg) 0-385-09332-2

My Mom was a childrens librarian for over 30 years, and ordered a disproportionate number of books featuring Golden Retrievers. I see nothing wrong with that!