Age: Toddler-Preschool

A fun-loving dog tries to keep up with the activities of his boy--getting himself all kinds of messy along the way. The text is simple and has exquisite rhymes that play with the Hickory Dickory Dock theme. Murray keeps the rhymes fresh by going beyond Hickory Dickory D words, while maintaining the integrity of the story. For example, as the dog follows around his boy, they go the lunchroom with "Hickory, lickery, lunch; Some yummy food to munch."

This book will serve as a great read-aloud not only for the bold illustrations and the simple text but for the discussion-generating pictures--especially following the dog getting messier and messier.