Ralph’s First Day of School
.gif)
By Terry Simons
DogEared Books
Every child wants a dog. But most children don’t understand that you can’t put a dog back on the shelf like a stuffed animal when you’re tired with him. In Terry Simons’ new children’s picture book, Andy understands that his dog, Ralph, is a real creature that needs friendship, care and discipline.
If the name Terry Simons sounds familiar, that’s because you’ve probably seen him run agility at the national level, give an agility seminar or act as a television colour commentator for AKC agility on Animal Planet. Children’s author is a new role for Simons, and he brings some unique ingredients to the picture book genre.
Simons’ book combines the basic ingredients of dog training with a sprinkling of imagination to intrigue the young reader. The tale begins with a boy and his dog coming up with ideas for how to spend a rainy day in the house. They decide to play school, which includes some obedience lessons for Ralph the dog. The story follows the two friends through the day’s activities, and special attention is given to Ralph’s quirks, whether he is dreaming about butterflies, stealing socks or chasing his tail.
While the narrative doesn’t have an edge-of-your-seat plot, it does appeal to dog-loving young children who value having a day-to-day relationship with a furry friend. It held the interest of all three of my children, ages three, six and eight.
Shannon Darch’s comic illustrations lend a goofy charm to the book. In fact, her depiction of the boy and the dog rolling over and over together had my three-year-old cackling with delight.
Throughout the story, Andy gives Ralph simple commands, and when Ralph obeys, he earns a reward. The simple lesson that rewards help teach and reinforce good canine behaviour is one that most pet owners don’t put into practice, so it’s great for dogs everywhere that Simons is teaching this to a young audience.
At the end of the book, there are some general training tips and specific instructions on how to train the behaviors and tricks Ralph performs in the story. This is a great way to bring grown-ups and children together to train the family pet. And who knows, Ralph and Andy may inspire a whole new generation of dog sport competitors.
The book is available online.
This review written by Anne Douglas of Dogsport Magazine, Canada © 2007.
