My Puppy Gave to Me

PreS-K—A pet-inspired take on the traditional carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas," this story is written from the perspective of a young girl and tells about her misadventures with her dog. The mischievous pup begins by taking the lights off the Christmas tree and continues to misbehave each day leading up to the big day. Bulbs are broken, ribbons shredded, wrapping paper rumpled, and cookies crumbled. However, while he is admittedly a bad dog, at times he is also very lovable and brings the young girl fluffy friends, sloppy kisses, and chocolate Santas. Readers familiar with Elise Lewis's poem "A Puppy's 12 Days of Christmas" will note similarities. Nevertheless, children will enjoy reading about the trouble the cute canine unintentionally causes. Slightly less enjoyable are the images accompanying the story; while the depiction of the dog matches the sweetness of the text, Kremsner seems less skilled with her portrayal of humans.—Graciela Gallegos, Los Angeles Public Library