A Near Plum Perfect Little Story!

Overall: 5⭐
Plot/Lesson:° 5📍
Smiles: 4 😂
Illustrations: 4.5🖌️
Suggested Ages: 0 - 5 y/o

“Mom's” Review:
If you're a dog lover, this is the book for you! Sweetest illustrations of the different dog breeds. Such fun little details throughout the pages for kids to enjoy looking at. And a great lesson in comparatives and relatives - two breed may be close is size, but they're easily [bigger/smaller] than another breed!

I especially enjoyed the *guest appearance,* if you will! It was quite the silly interjection into the story and definitely piqued my interest!

Both kiddos squealed with happy laughter throughout this story!

A's Review:^
I couldn't stop laughing at the silly puppies! We have big dogs at home, so it's always a good thing to see the different sizes!

I read the whole story by myself! Twice! And didn't need any help with the words at all. I can't wait to read it again! After we finished rereading the book, I asked Mommy to show me even MORE “Giant Dog Breeds.”

C's Review:*
This book was so silly! So many cute puppies! I saw our doggies in the pictures and I knew they were not the biggest dog in the book!

"The biggest dog was as big as our house!" [Direct quote!🤣 From the mouth of babes!] He was so big and so fluffy! My sister read the book to me all by herself and even re-read my favorite pages so I could hear them again. I can't wait to read this again! [Also a direct quote!]

Thank you to authors Ben Lerwill & Mark Chambers, as well as DK Publishing & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

All opinions are my own.

° = Our Plot/Lesson rating is how well the kiddos picked up on the morals/lessons learned or well received the facts were.
^ = A, "Ready to Read" level 3, voracious reader
* = C, learning her letters, but memorizes stories well!
I paraphrase the kids’ opinions 90% of the time, but will call out their direct quotes.

Dog lovers unite! Lerwill and Chambers take readers on a journey to the dog park for a who’s who of all the good boys and girls in their quest to find the biggest pup of them all! Repetition creates a familiar story structure, and delightful illustrations make this a wonderful choice for story hour and one-on-one read-alouds. A giggle-inducing ode to all dogs, may they yip, bark, or boof, with something for everyone to enjoy.

This was an adorable book to read with my five year old! He loved the dogs and thought they were so funny. We both enjoyed seeing all of the different dog breeds and learning more about them! Definitely a fun book to read with any doggy loving kiddo!

Thank you for the ARC. My son loves dogs so this was a fun book to learn about different types of dogs and their sizes. The illustrations were very cute.

The Biggest Dog in the Book by Ben Lerwill is a pawsome read for dog lovers of all ages!
From giant Great Danes to fluffy giants you’ve never heard of, this book is full of fun facts, adorable illustrations, and BIG dog energy.
Perfect for curious kids (and grownups who love a good woof)! This book was a favorite!!

Lively, humorous canines are here to not only help young readers learn to read, but entertain them and teach them a bit about the various dog breeds showcased at the same time. I tend to overuse the word "fun" when describing children's books but this one is just that. The author and illustrator use humor well, even managing to make a star out of a turtle in a dog book. Nope. Not telling. You're going to have to read the book to figure out how. It words nicely, though, The use of repeating words and phrases as we count down to "The Biggest Dog in the Book" and use of wit and humor throughout will bring a smile to both the adult and child reading together.

Don't rush through the book, either. Take time to not only read the word but to look at the illustrations. See if you catch the photo atop a table early on, for example, or the various birds that pop up as the story moves along in a lively, frolicking way. Sharp eyed readers can spy various doggie toys and dogs doing, well, dog things throughout. My retired teacher brain definitely appreciated the info given on how best to read the story on various devices as well as print. Let's face it, there are many options available nowadays, so a handy bit of information. Make sure you read the bios for the author and illustrator at the end, too. It's always fun to get a peek into the creators' minds, even if it sounds like we might not want Lerwitt to entertain us with a guitar solo as we read.

Bottom line, a fun book with lots of fun little things that will provide for multiple readings. In the process, children will get good practice with the repetition and learn about dogs in the process. Thanks #DK - #DKChildren for sharing this early look at a fun book with humor and wit. This dog fan will definitely be recommending it to dog loving friends with children. Heck, adults can enjoy this one, too.

Ben Lerwill’s text perfectly matches the illustrations by Mark Chambers.

We meet 12 dogs in this delightful picture book. Each one is described with a few fun details, and each gets progressively bigger. There is humor and intrigue (who will be the biggest?), and it will serve as a great mentor text in younger grades for adding details.

Ben Lerwill’s The Biggest Dog in the Book, illustrated by Mark Chambers, is one of those absolutely adorable children’s books that you just can’t wait to have in your home or, if you work with kids, in the office. Dogs are such a near universal love that just about anyone can have fun reading this one. I’m also excited to report that, while there are some harder words for emerging readers in this book, there’s a repetitiveness to the simpler words—quite literally the title—that emerging readers will find easier to engage with.

The story is a simple one, just introducing kiddos to different kinds of dogs and referencing their sizes as each new dog is brought in. I love this about the book as size is one of those concepts that can be tougher for some to understand and just being able to compare the dogs to each other is such a wonderful way to work through the ideas, helping children by providing a visual basis.

There are lots of beautiful illustrations throughout the book—I was, admittedly, quite partial to the Border Collie—and moments of adorable hilarity as well. But one of the best parts is the mystery—who is the biggest dog in the book? I certainly had my own guesses and while I was not correct in the end, I do agree with and like who the biggest dog was.

Definitely a book to pick up!

The Biggest Dog in the book explores different dog breeds and what it means to be friends, no matter who you are. It made me laugh, and has cute pictures. I think kids 3-7 would enjoy this title. It will be published on June 10, 2025.

Thank you to DK and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for this ARC!

This was just DELIGHTFUL! I had a few giggles and many smiles throughout this story. This one is perfect for reading aloud and I will definitely be asking if the library can purchase this book - it will DEFINITELY be a storytime pick for me! So cute, and repetitive enough to be fun without being annoying or weird. Highly recommend!

Excellent book for toddlers. This book explores sizes and comparisons of dogs which not many kid books dive into! Fun, cute and educational. The turtle was my favorite and funny for the parents. My son loved this and we are definitely buying a copy!