One brown rabbit was sitting on a hill, sitting very still and enjoying the sun, when…
This dog Bruce comes sniffing along, wagging his tail and looking for FUN! With a hippity-hop, the rabbit was gone.
Bruce is a delightfully bouncy pup who just wants his friends to play with him. Unfortunately, his friends don’t seem to want to play . Bruce is baffled until they explain that he is just too rough. Fortunately, Bruce is able to think of a game that they all can play.
This Dog Bruce is a lively read-aloud title that young prereaders will adore. Perfect for sharing, youngsters will soon pick up the repetitive tagline and will also catch on to the inbuilt counting lesson. With lovely rhyme and rhythm, adult readers will enjoy sharing this one too and will overlook the slight awkwardness of the shifting tense (from past to present and back again).
The animal illustrations of Bridget Srtevens-Marzo (who most recently illustrated Margaret Wild’s Kiss Kiss) are perfect for the tone of the story, with lots of colour and cute expressions. The four fluffy ducklings are especially appealing.
This Dog Bruce is a delight.
This Dog Bruce, by Frances Watts and Bridget Strevens-Marzo
Little Hare Books, 2004