I have two favourite parts of this next book: the cover and the end papers. The front cover features a small boy clinging to a lamppost while a woman walks by holding the leashes of five dogs. The back cover has a policeman buying a hotdog from a street vendor, and one of the leashed dogs straining toward him while a row of pigeons looks on. The front end paper shoes a large tree, and the same small boy from the lamppost peering around it. A small dog's head is peering around the other way. The back end paper shows the same image reversed. This time we see only the small boy's head, while the small dog peers around the other side of the tree.

The small boy is Daniel, the self proclaimed bravest boy of all. He's not afraid of snakes, or thunderstorms, or dogs. He just doesn't like dogs. Unfortunately, Daniel comes home one day to discover a dog in his very own house! Aunt Rose had to go away, so Daniel's family will be looking after her dog Bandit. Daniel stomps to his room, and stays there throughout dinner, all the way till bedtime.

However, even the bravest have to pee, so in the middle of the night, during a thunderstorm no less, Daniel sneaks down the hall to the bathroom. Phew! But guess who's in the bathroom?! A very frightened Bandit scares the socks off Daniel, who hides in the tub. Eventually, Daniel realizes that Bandit isn't attacking him. In fact, she's scared of the thunderstorm. Good thing Daniel is the bravest boy of all, because he knows just what to do, as he carries Bandit for a snuggle in bed. I feel like this book deserves a little sigh at the end.

Highlights of the book include the aforementioned cover and end papers, but really, Larry Day's illustrations in general are pretty great. I am also a big fan of Daniel's sister Jenny. She is always pointing out that Daniel is afraid of dogs at inopportune moments. Gotta love the older siblings!

Not Afraid of Dogs written by Susanna Pitzer illustrated by Larry Day
ISBN 0802780679
32 pages