Be More Dog

Be More Dog is a wonderful story about a young child and their dog. When dad goes off to work, the child is sad. Leave it to Sam, the dog who never stops wagging their tail, to show the way to see happiness everywhere you go. Great story to show kids that happiness really can be everywhere you look, as long as you are open to it and approach things with the right attitude!

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advanced review copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review on the book!

I knew this picture book was going to be a winner just by looking at the cover. The illustrations are absolutely charming and fit the story perfectly. This appears to be a family where the young boy has his Grandmother and his dog to keep him company at home during the day while his father works long days. Not every child lives with his mother so it’s good to see books showing non traditional families. Although the boy misses his father a lot, his dog shows him how to find happiness in the little joys of life.

As I type this, my own dog is sprawled on the floor, her head resting on my foot. Is she happy? From the contented smile on her face, I'd say yes. Dogs tend to be happy, happy in the moment. She isn't being active, begging for a treat, or even checking out her front yard for monsters. She's simply enjoying the moment of togetherness. Sam the dog of this story is a pro at not just finding joy in about everything from a run with his boy to wallowing in a muddy puddle (with his boy, I might add).

Sam's boy was sad when his father left for work but followed Sam's example and found happiness in the everyday things about them. True, the mom would have probably preferred they skip the mud puddle but, hey, happiness doesn't always come in a neat package. This book will remind you that happiness isn't something big but that we just have to be open to it in the little things as we go about our day. Fortunately, Sam is ready to lead his boy to a day of fun as they find happiness. As Sam also shows us, we don't have to be perfect at things. We can still simply enjoy them.

One of the things I've come to adore about children's books is the depth behind their often seemingly simplicity. This one is one of those. The illustrations are fun, with Sam and his boy looking like real children who've been romping around together for the day might, and, more importantly, shows how important family is to Sam's boy. I loved the moment of sharing with the grandmother that was prompted by Sam's actions and the look of joy when the dad comes home seems genuine on everyone's faces. In other words, this book not only shows us that we need to be open to happiness and be alert to find it all about us but brought a smile to my face. I'd say that makes it a "good boy," er, book.

Thanks #NetGalley and #FlorisBooks for letting me spend some happy moments with Sam and his boy. Now I think I'll go scratch my own dog's ears and give her another happy moment to savor.

Be More Dog is an uplifting story about a young boy, his dog, and finding happiness in the most unusual circumstances. The main character shares his emotions with readers as his happiness instantly dissipates. He must find his happiness again, and who better to help him than his best dog friend? Young readers will find humor in Sam’s antics and relate closely to the main character. Another brilliant book by Caroline Crowe, with the incredible illustrations of Carlos Vélez!

A boy notices that his dog is mostly always happy and decides to study the things that make him happy. Is this the key to happiness? Do we all need to "be more dog?" Read this delightful children's book by Caroline Crowe with warm, engaging illustrations by Carlos Velez to find out.

A beautiful depiction of how dogs enrich our world without even trying. I read a story like this and I can’t help but think of how certain people exist without these furry friends in their life. Impossible! This was a lovely story with beautiful illustrations that evoked a feeling of happiness. I would definitely recommend this to any child, animal lover or not!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this free e-arc!

This is a delightful story about the lessons we can learn from our dogs about being present in the moment. We often stress about things we are unable to control when there are so many joys to be found in the moment. Wonderful reminder!

Be More Dog by Caroline Crowe

A feel-good story that will leave you in your feelings. Be More Dog is a story about a young child and their dog, Sam. When dad goes off for the day, it leaves the child feeling sad. Thats when Sam finds ways to see the fun and happiness in all the places he can. This is an adorable story to read to children that shows you can find fun and happiness just about anywhere if you look for it. I loved the illustrations; they are super cute, and you can see the fun they are having on the pages.