Review by Gabrielle Tselos
Tundra Books, Penguin Random House, April 2024
48 pages, Hardcover, $18.99 CAD, 9780735265967
Picture Book, ages 3-7
Fiction, Humour
“You’d be surprised what you’d learn if you got to know your neighbors,” said Roy.
Roy Is Not A Dog is a picture book co-written and illustrated by Esmé Shapiro and Daniel Newell Kaufman. It depicts the story of Weasel, a young newspaper delivery man, who wants to uncover the mystery of who his neighbor Roy really is. While he may believe Roy is a dog, his neighbors (including his good friend Pam Pam) are not convinced, so he goes on a quest to prove his discovery and get confirmation for himself.
One take-away readers can draw from this story is the importance of meeting one’s neighbors and community. As Roy emphasizes, you never know who your neighbors could be, the interesting stories they have, or the fun skills they may have mastered. It can also be daunting moving somewhere new, and this story may help encourage a young reader to reach out and make friends in their community. The authors’ use of humour also makes a very age-appropriate way to learn this valuable lesson.
The drawings in this book are very whimsical and intriguing. They are made up of bright colors, with brush strokes and lines left visible. Many of the drawings of the different animals make a reader wish they could have friends just as cute. One of my favorite images depicts the unique details of Roy’s house with fire hydrants and bones sprinkled across the front lawn. Inside, readers see a garland of bones dangling along the walls in the kitchen, too.
This is a fun, lighthearted book to add to any child’s library. Although simple, it holds important lessons that could help open up a child’s view on getting to know the people around them.
This review was written by Gabrielle Tselos. Gabrielle is a 3rd year psychology student at UBC, who hopes to minor in creative writing. She enjoys writing, baking, and taking photos in her free time.
YOUNG ADULTING 