The Dog Encyclopedia for Kids

Gr 4–8—Concise single profiles of more than 150 dog breeds make this an appealing resource for pet shelves. Breeds are divided into seven groups, such as toys and hounds, with a short overview of each, including coverage of appearance, personality, and training and care notes. The information is not extensive but provides enough to provide readers with a good sense of the breed's key individual qualities. Other data includes country of origin and date of the breed's official recognition by the American Kennel Club, plus historical background for some but not all. Layouts work well; every information bite is set off by white space and a bold, colorful heading. For each breed, there is a full-body photograph and a "fun fact" inset, accompanied by a smaller photo. The short tips about care and training make this title useful for prospective dog owners as well as kids who just want to browse. However, the content in this single volume is virtually identical to a concurrent series publication: the set "Dog Encyclopedias" consists of seven separate books, one for each group, and uses the same words, pictures, and layouts. While some libraries may decide that having the same content in one book and in several series books might be valuable, selectors should be aware of the duplication.