Underwater Dogs: Kids Edition

K-Gr 3—More than an adaptation of Casteel's adult book (Little, Brown, 2012), this edition features more than 30 full-color photographs that show energetic divers of different breeds, from American pit bull terriers to Yorkshire terriers. Casteel used a digital SLR camera with a fish-eye lens to create remarkable underwater portraits of these dogs, their heads overly large, eyes wide, ears back, and mouths open. They look out at youngsters through splashing water and a cascade of air bubbles as they pursue favorite toys in swimming pools. A simple rhymed text accompanies the pictures. "Grinning, happy, full of joy,/You just found your favorite toy!" The book closes with a spread showing small black-and-white photos of the dogs on land with information about their breeds. This title is sure to bring lots of smiles and some laugh-out-loud moments to young dog lovers.—Mary Jean Smith, formerly at Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN