The cover and title led me to think this story would be something different than what it really is. I expected a sentimental story about how much a girl loves her puppy. Instead I experienced a sweet list of ways that a dog will protect the castle (because the girl lives there). The list begins with realistic dangers (squirrels and bugs) and quickly becomes silly (meteors, lightening, the sea). The story will be enjoyed by both boys and girls, but the cover will make this a hard sell for some of my boys. ( )

An adorable little puppy narrates this simple picture-book tribute to the love a dog has for his child. Describing himself as the keeper of the castle, the puppy lists all the ways he keeps his domain safe, all the intruders he drives away. Why does he do all this? Because his little girl lives in the castle, of course!

A sweet little book that pairs a heartwarming text and cute illustrations, Always strikes me as a title better used in one-on-one story-time sessions, rather than in large groups, as it is quite small, in terms of dimensions. Pascal Lemaître's artwork is quite expressive, and captures the little puppy's adoration of his human girl, and his determined defense of his home. Recommended to all young dog lovers, or to any child who has a close bond with their animal companion. ( )

This book is about the bond between a dog and a child. The book goes through everything the dog will go through to keep the owner safe.

I loved reading this book. This was such an adorable book for younger children. The book was about a dog protecting, defending and watching over his "castle" (his home). I really enjoyed how engaging the book was to the reader. The author draws the reader in with all the things that the dog will do to protect the castle. The dogs says he will block meteors, he will block lightening, he will calm the sea and many more noble acts. The reader is drawn in by questioning what the dog will do next to protect the castle. The reader can start to make predictions as to all the different things the dog will do and why for that matter.
I really enjoys the illustrations in the book. With every action there is a picture that shows the dog doing that action. For example when he says he will calm the sea, there is a picture of him putting his hand up, stopping the waves from crashing down on the house (castle).
The main message in the story was love for others. The dog at the end of the book says, "I will keep the castle safe. Always. Why do you ask? Do you mean to say you don't know?", and he then proceeds to look at the little girl and say, "Because you live here". The dog is willing to do anything to protect "the castle" because the little girl lives in "the castle" and he loves her. ( )

I have to say that while I liked this book there was not much benefit of knowledge other than showing the connection between dog and owner. This short but heartfelt story about a dog protecting his house and owner was entertaining and good for beginning readers. The main idea of the story is to show loyalty, love, and true friendship in a fun way. I liked the way that the author used very descriptive adjectives beyond the simple words you would see in a children’s book. Words such as “ambush the enemies” and “halt the avalanche” introduce children to new words that they can use in their writing as well. The illustrations truly made the book because without the over the top dog fighting squirrels, riding giant horses, and floating away in a hot air balloon the book would seem a bit more dull. ( )