It's a Dog's Life: How Man's Best Friend Sees, Hears, and Smells the World

Gr 1–5—Susan E. Goodman's nonfiction book (Flash Point, 2012), with hilarious illustrations by David Slonim, explains the real meaning behind your dog's every move. Who knew they had such a secret life? All is revealed about "how man's best friend sees, hears and smells the world." For example, with 220 million special cells in their noses (compared to our mere 5 million,), no wonder dogs are obsessed with sniffing the fire hydrants. Insights abound in this clever recording as the history of human-canine interaction is traced. The start of a beautiful friendship with dogs began as an epiphany: "Ah, a garbage disposal and watchdog in one!" So, humans began breeding dogs to do other work: hunting, guarding, herding, and hauling. In modern times, their superior snouts have been used to catch criminals, find missing people in rubble, and sniff out drugs and even bedbugs. While Johnny Heller provides a nuanced narration of the humorous text, the audio falls flat without a scrap of musical introduction or sound effects. With a Woof/English Dictionary included, it cries out for doggie sound effects at the very least to enhance the meaning and auditory experience. Point of view is contrasted through the use of a female voice articulating for people, while Heller's wisecracking voice expresses the canine. At the risk of sounding barking mad, a few well-placed yowls, woofs, or pants would have gone a long way towards transforming the audiobook into a rollicking, revelatory exposé.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur and Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Binghamton, NY