Thank you so much to NetGalley and Publisher Spotlight, Albatros Media for my copy of Atlas of Dogs by Stepanka Sekaninova in exchange for an honest review. It published April 27, 2021.
This was a beautifully illustrated book, so fun for my young dog-lover! This would make an excellent gift, or even a coffee table book!

The art work in Atlas of Dogs is so awesome that I will buy copies for all my dog-loving friends! While the book says it is intended for children 6-10, I think this book would appeal to dog lovers of all ages.

Atlas of Dogs consists of facts about different breeds and trivia about dogs as well as stories about historical dogs. Over 200 breeds are discussed in this book and I guarantee you that there are some that you have never heard of before (such as Beauceron, Porcelain, Broholmer, Cane Corso, and Hovawart, which sounds like it’s from Harry Potter books but it is not. These are all real dogs).


The book is divided into 10 chapters — (1) Sighthounds, (2) Scent Hounds, (3) Pointers and Setters, (4) Terriers, (5) Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs, (6) Retrievers, Flushing and Water Dogs, (7) Spitz and Primitive Dogs, (8) Dachshunds, (9) Pinschers, Schnauzers, Molosser Breeds and Swiss Mountain Dogs, and (10) Companion Dogs.

The book begins with some great tidbits about dogs, such as the fact that they have 20 times more scent receptors than humans, they cool down their bodies by sticking out their tongues, and they only produce sweat on their paws. Here’s one I didn’t know — dogs will poop in alignment with the earth’s magnetic fields. Also, that Bloodhounds can sniff a scent that’s up to two weeks old. There is also a great chart for converting dog years to human years and it’s not as simple as we always thought because it is different for small, medium and large dogs.

Each chapter begins with the overall category of dogs, designated in the chapter title, and it is rated and evaluated on seven key dimensions — (1) Intelligence, (2) Obedience, (3) Activity, (4) Guarding, (5) Barking, (6) Family Type, and (7) Ideal Home. Note that Intelligence, Obedience and Guarding are all based on a five star system.

Throughout the book are pages from the “Dogs’ Post Daily,” which began back in 1613. There are stories of friendship and heroics abound as well as interesting interviews (e.g., with dachshund puppies) and historical/iconic dogs (e.g., the story behind the picture of Nipper staring at a gramophone, Rin Tin Tin, etc.) Did you know that the story behind the Beatles song “Martha My Dear” was based on Paul McCartney’s Old English Sheepdog?

Atlas of Dogs is an exceptionally well researched book with great illustrations and information. This is definitely a book for all ages and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Albatross Publishing and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Atlas of Dogs is a cute, accessible, and heavily illustrated nonfiction book that briefly explores dozens of dog breeds alongside interesting stories of canines from history and breakout boxes of facts.

The book is organized into chapters based on basic groups of dogs, such as terriers, retrievers, or dachshunds; each group then presents a selection of dogs from the well-known to the obscure with about a paragraph dedicated to every breed. The authors have done an excellent job of presenting a lot of information in a small space as each of these paragraphs is written from the perspective of a dog, giving a unique and sometimes funny voice to these figures. Chapters are broken up by stories from "Dogs' Daily Post," a newspaper that offers exclusive interviews with famous dogs and insight into the lives of these pups; this fun gimmick will delight younger readers while offering fantastic facts. Králik's accompanying illustrations are gentle and cartoonish, clearly depicting the dog's main physical features while giving the subject human-like expressions (most often a smile).

However, the first thing that one might notice upon opening this book is that it is not an atlas by any definition as there are no maps; this may cause some initial confusion or disappointment for some patrons. The title was, most likely, a mistranslation as the book was originally published in the Czech Republic. However, I asked other staff members for input regarding this error but we all ended up agreeing that kids would still be delighted to see the illustrations and information, regardless of their initial expectation.

In regards to the actual content, there is one piece that left something to be desired. The illustrations depict only one person of color throughout the entire book, despite having over 20 opportunities to do so (images that referred to a specific person or historical event were not counted in this number). While not a deal-breaker, representation is often a factor when librarians select titles.

Overall, this a fantastic browsable nonfiction title that can be opened to nearly any page at any time for a quick read. Young dog fans will enjoy flipping through the chapters and reading the humorous content.

If you're looking for a gift for a young dog lover, this book will be a hit.

The simple illustrations capture the features that make each breed distinct, and the dogs look like they're having fun being themselves.

Breeds are organized in categories with great information about each’s disposition. The use of first person narration for each dog breed adds even more personality to the short descriptions making them useful for younger readers to identify which breeds would fit best with their lifestyle.

Sprinkled throughout the book, the Dog’s Daily Post features stories of significant dogs throughout history from dog firsts to inspiring stories of hero dogs. Some of the stories center around famous dogs kids may know from movies and TV, but others may be new to them. I could see some kids reading about one of these dogs and wanting to do even more research.

At the end of the book, there are more fun facts about dog record holders, tips on how to care for dogs, and a visual dictionary of dog body language. I was happy to see the book promotes positive rewards-based training, and good advice for caring for a dog.

While there's a lot of information to look at on each two-page spread, the layout is not cluttered. I think younger readers would enjoy poring over this book multiple times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Albatros Media for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Great, lively illustrations. Stories about historical canines, and information about the multitudes of breeds that make up man's best friend.

This will certainly be a popular book with the 2nd-6th grade crowd. Who can resist a book about dogs!

What do you know about dogs? I thought I knew a lot until I read this atlas. The smallest chihuahua to a hairy Komondor will be in this book plus all the dogs in between. You will learn about he basic behavior of each group of dogs. In fact there is a chart that give how smart they are. Even if they are smart, it doesn’t mean they will be easy to train. Some dogs are great for kids while others are great with adults. There are some good with children and adults! In the chart, there are many facts that will help you decide on a type of dog you want to live with. Different dog information is also written about the dog next to its picture. I learned which dogs bark the most and which dogs are the bravest! There is also a dog newspaper that includes stories to read before going to sleep.

This is a great nonfiction book written for children but as an adult I certainly learned a lot. I wish I had known some of these facts about dogs when I was a kid. The illustrations are great! It is definitely helpful regardless of your age.

As a child, I loved looking through dog breed books and seeing all of the different dogs. This would have been my favorite! Not only are there beautiful illustrations of dogs but also stories of dogs throughout history. This will be a very popular book!

Atlas of Dogs is a fun and well illustrated catalog of dogs & dog breeds by Štěpánka Sekaninová. Due out 27th April 2021 from Albatros Media, it's 104 pages and will be available in hardcover format.

Although it's aimed at younger readers, this collection includes a really surprising number of lesser known dog breeds and lots (and lots) of facts and trivia about dogs and canine history. The art is simple and colorful but well done and full of details. The different breeds are clearly recognizable and the stories are fun and engaging.

The dog breeds are grouped by category: sight hounds, scent hounds, pointers & setters, terriers, sheepdogs & cattle dogs, retrievers, spitz & primitive breeds, dachshunds, pinschers schnauzers & molosser breeds, and companion dogs. Each breed is illustrated with a short and simple description including some general characteristics and activity levels. Scattered throughout the book are nicely illustrated stories about heroic and amazing dogs throughout history.

This would be a good choice for public or school library acquisition, gifting, or for families doing research with an eye to adopting a new canine family member.

Five stars

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

If you love dogs and learning all about them, then this book is for you!! This book goes through so many different breeds of dogs, what they do throughout their life, and what they are most known for. Interesting facts are all over the pages. This would be great for a classroom library or a home of a child who is fascinated with dogs,

This is such a fun and informative book! All kinds of dogs are featured and each one has a charming illustration and a paragraph about the dog's personality and history. I appreciate that the author gave insight into negative traits as well as positive (though all dogs are presented as wonderful), to help families decide if a dog is a good fit. Along the way there are profiles of all kinds of dogs throughout history in film, literature and real life. Absolutely delightful.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

I loved everything about this! This is a book I would have begged for as a kid. I collected books about dogs and different breeds and what made them all so unique and this would have been perfect. The little blurbs for each dog was perfect and the illustrations were adorable. I loved the rating systems and that even letter known breeds were in this book. This book just honest brought so much joy to my dog lover heart! I am so glad it is going to be out there in the world for other dog lovers to be able to read and enjoy.

Atlas of Dogs is an excellent entertaining reference of dog breeds. The book features a huge variety of breeds, fun facts, and stories about famous dogs throughout history. The illustrations are adorable and whimsical. A perfect book for a young dog lover!

Thank you Albatros Media and NetGalley for providing this ARC.