This is a fun beginning reading book about a pet groomers. A day in the life of making sure dogs and cats get baths. This is a true level to leader with more difficult word, but there is rhyming pattern and cadence that makes it fun and easy for kids to read. ( )

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This beginning reader book uses rhyme. As an educator, I dislike this for two reasons. 1. Most of my students, particularly the boys (I have no idea why) groan when they realize a book is a rhyming book. 2. When authors try to make their entire book rhyme, they focus so much on meter and rhyming words that the vocabulary selection is limited and strays far from the level of the reader. It would be an OK book to have available for independent reading in the classroom. ( )

Holub, J. (2009). Shampoodle. New York: Random House, Inc.

9780375855764

32 pages

First off, how fun is the name shampoodle? I can already feel that I'm going to start wandering around, saying I have to shampoodle my hair today. And then people will have yet another reason to think I'm crazy.

Appetizer: This early reader is a Step into Reading step 2 book. In it, it's bog picture day, so a young boy and girl (both white, in case you're on the search for more racial representation in early readers) take seven dogs to be groomed before they have their picture taken.

The grooming process is complicated when a few curious cats show up, causing chaos.

The story uses a lot of rhymes to help students with the sounds (but there is no clear rhyme scheme, so it may not be that helpful).

The illustrations will help provide visual cues, but not enough for new readers to figure out all the words on a page for themselves. The illustrations do include a lot of action though and quite a bit of humorous imagery. I personally liked that a sheepdog was included among the many dogs getting groomed (I had one when I was growing up).

Despite those plus sides, I didn't like most of the text of the story. I read the book out loud (as a teacher would most likely ask a beginning reader to do) and I was regularly stumbling over the words. The phrases are very clunky. While I suppose some might argue that this will help new readers to be aware of the sounds, I think the text may be too frustrating for that.

Dinner Conversation:

"At the park,
it's picture day.
Dogs need grooming
right away."

"We do dog-dos."

"Nosy kitties.
Out for fun.
Puppies spot them.
Run, cats, run!"

"Groomer snipping
gets a care.
Dogs end up
with wacky hair."

To Go with the Meal:

Before or after reading the book, a teacher could have a child draw a picture of their favorite type of dog, encouraging the student to have some fun with the colors they choose. As the child draws, a teacher could encourage the child to narrate about a pet or dog they've seen. If the child's helped care for or clean a dog or other animal, they could talk about that. As a show and tell activity, kids could also bring in photos of their pets or their favorite animal to share with other students.

Tasty Rating: !! ( )

First of all, just look at that cover. Doesn't it make you want to giggle? I've been chuckling every time I glanced at it, and now that I've read the book my chuckles were not ill-founded.

It's time for a bath and a motley collection of dogs are going to the groomers. Baths, haircuts, and fancy touches are in store! But, uh-oh, something's gone wrong!

This is a level 2 Step Into Reading, which in their system means "reading with help". There are enough familiar simple words that a child can feel confident on their own but plenty of new fun words to sound out with a little help. Even with the limitations of language in an easy reader, Joan Holub has created a fun rhyming story that kids will enjoy working their way through and parents and teachers won't mind listening to for the fiftieth time!

Tim Bowers' illustrations are the perfect touch of hilarity, especially when he matches the dogs' crazy 'dos to their groomers' own haircuts. The pictures enhance the text without offering too many clues to readers.

Verdict: Hand this one to fans of Capucilli's Biscuit series and kids who like funny stories and stories about dogs. It's also going to be a good starter for kids reluctant to try stories on their own, as the fun pictures entice them in to try the chewy words for themselves! Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-0375855764; Published October 2009 by Random House; Review copy provided by author; Added to the library's wishlist