Sonderbooks

Sonderbooks Book Review of

Down Girl and Sit

Smarter Than Squirrels

by Lucy Nolan
illustrated by Mike Reed


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Down Girl and Sit

Smarter Than Squirrels

by Lucy Nolan
illustrated by Mike Reed

Review posted October 13, 2008.
Marshall Cavendish, New York, 2004. 64 pages.

With four chapters, lots of pictures, and lots of implied humor, here's a book perfect for a child ready to read chapter books on his or her own.

Down Girl, a busy dog, narrates this book. She and the dog next door, Sit, have an important job.

Down Girl says,

It is up to us to keep the world safe. Sometimes Sit and I wish we had help, but we've gotten used to doing the job alone.

The secret to our success is simple. We are smarter than squirrels.

I don't think people realize how many birds and squirrels are out here. If they did, they'd never leave their houses.

Birds and squirrels steal almost everything in sight. What they don't steal, they eat. They are very clever, but they are not as clever as we are. Guess where we chase them. We chase them up trees!

You never see a dog in a tree, do you? That's because dogs are smart. We know it would hurt to fall out.

Birds and squirrels never remember this. It's easy to keep the world safe from birds and squirrels.

Down Girl's master is named Rruff. It is obvious that Rruff loves Down Girl, since he shouts her name so often.

When a new creature comes to the neighborhood named Here Kitty Kitty, the dogs know their job has gotten more challenging. Fortunately, Down Girl and Sit cleverly rise to the challenge.

A look at life from a dog's point of view. Lots of fun!