Published: 2022
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Animals, Childrens, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Family, Humor, Activism
Audience (Grade Levels): Elementary; Grades PreK-5
Number of Stars: 5-Stars
Goodreads Link: Every Dog in the Neighborhood
Triggers: None
Review By: Mary Beth Cavalieri
Publisher’s Summary:
Louis wants a dog, but his Grandma insists, “There are enough dogs in the neighborhood already.” But how many dogs are in the neighborhood? Surely a sternly worded letter to City Hall will clear this up. When it turns out that City Hall doesn’t keep an official count of this essential demographic, Louis and his Grandma do their civic duty and take matters into their own hands. Together they meet all sorts of dogs with hilarious names and personalities. When they’re done, Louis’s grandmother is sure he’s missed one particularly lovable dog, a mutt named Baklava in need of a new home.
Philip Stead and Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell have once again shown their knack for making quirky and endearing stories about grandparent and grandchild duos in the tradition of Follow That Frog and Special Delivery.
Review:
There aren’t many books to share with elementary-aged students about being a good citizen that they completely understand, but this book truly hits the spot. Through a tale of an adventure with a purpose and MANY dogs with adorable and hilarious names, Stead creates a story that makes doing your civic duty as a kid and as an adult a totally achievable task. Grandma and Louis both are called to action by submitting letters to City Hall. While Louis does end up with a dog of his own by the end, it’s unexpected and innocently revealed to him as he spends most of the story working toward his goal of counting neighborhood dogs. Grandma also comes up big at the end with her goal, although this comes as a huge surprise to the reader. This story is a beautiful teaching tool for standing up for what you believe is right.
What makes this book so delightful is the wonderful dynamic between Louis and his eccentric grandmother. Matthew Cordell’s loose, expressive, and humorous ink-and-watercolor illustrations bring each of the neighborhood dogs to life, capturing their quirky personalities perfectly and enhancing the book’s lighthearted, warm tone. The cover is bright and instantly eye-catching, which will easily draw in young readers who love animals. The narrative pacing is spot-on, keeping children engaged as they follow the duo from house to house.
I highly recommend this picture book to elementary school librarians, classroom teachers, and parents. It serves as an exceptional resource for introducing young children to local government, community action, and basic statistics or counting in a fun and accessible way. The book also subtly supports diversity and inclusion by showing a vibrant, varied neighborhood where different people and their unique pets coexist happily. It’s a fantastic, comforting read-aloud that will leave children smiling and maybe even inspired to count the pets on their own streets. Ultimately, this title is a highly valuable addition to any library collection because it empowers children to see that they can make a difference in their communities, no matter how small they are.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Studies / Civics: An excellent tool for teaching younger students about local government, records, civic duty, community organizing, and how citizens can take action when they notice a problem.
- Math / Counting: Perfect for early elementary lessons on data collection, tallying, counting, and organizing demographic information.
- SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): Highlighting the beauty of intergenerational relationships (grandparent and grandchild), patience, and working together toward a shared goal.
- Social Studies: This book is a perfect selection for a library read-aloud or a classroom community unit. Librarians and teachers can host a “Neighborhood Pet Census” extension activity. Students can practice their data collection and counting skills by tallying and drawing the different types of pets they have at home or see in their own neighborhoods, creating a giant school-wide pet graph.
Diversity & Representation:
The book supports diversity, equity, and inclusion by showcasing a beautifully diverse urban neighborhood filled with neighbors of different backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles. It normalizes different family structures, focusing heavily on the loving, active relationship between a grandson and his grandmother.
Readalikes:
- Special Delivery by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
- Follow That Frog by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
- City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems, illustrated by Jon J. Muth
