Too many dogs by Maura Finn. Illus. by Lucinda Gifford

The first endpaper shows an array of cats and the things they get up to, causing mayhem and damage in the house. Readers will love seeing the looks on their faces, the damage they are causing, and their wonderful names. But the book is about dogs, so the stage is set for conflict between these two animals. 

Percy is cross, he gets all the blame when things go awry, especially after he chases the cats around the lounge room, knocking over plants, upsetting the board game, causing mayhem.  In rhyming lines, we see poor old Percy take the situation in hand, as he leaves home in search of something new away from the cats. A dog park! He finds a bunch of dogs! Absolute heaven.  Again readers will love looking at the varieties of dogs, their facial expressions and the wonderful things they do. Initially Percy is absolutely rapt, he will have fun all day long. He will be free to do what he wants to do: roll in the grass, settle under a tree or dig a hole to bury something nice and smelly. But soon he runs foul of some of the other dogs.  He gives up the smelly thing he wanted to bury, but when they want the bone he finds, he takes a stand.

Things are not so free! He finds them bossy and tough, and unwilling to play, so he heads home for his cats. Initially he is not sure of where to go, but hears the cats calling for him, and he is able to go back to the  place where he is always top dog.

A funny story of friendship and belonging, Percy presents the feeling we may all share at some stage, that of not fitting in. He tries the alternative and finds that home is the best, a place where he feels he is understood and part of the fabric of the community. 

The wonderful illustrations by Lucinda Gifford, accentuate the different cats and dogs that serve as pets. The endpapers are covered with the various breeds, and the images between show the personalities of all of them. Kids will enjoy poring over the range of dogs and cats sharing their knowledge of the animals and their own pets. They will love looking at the expressions on each dog/cat face, sharing their attributes. 

Themes: Dogs, Cats, Friendship, Relationships, Home, Dog parks, Humour.

Fran Knight