Don’t Mix Up My Puppy!

Discover some exciting dog tales—or rather, tails—in this interactive board book.

New and future readers will meet a bevy of doggies as they figure out which tail belongs to which canine. The dog on the cover will have to share, as they aren’t given their own. Each clue is presented in a formulaic text block: “Don’t mix up my puppy! Her tail is spotted and dotted.” “Don’t mix up my puppy! His tail is black and velvety.” Readers are then tasked with turning a blue wheel in the upper right-hand corner of the page to find the correct tail—although once you’ve found the first, the others appear in order when the wheel is turned clockwise. The gimmick of the wheel relies on color and texture, with each tail made of furry material. The back of the wheel features images of the dogs, but these don’t align with the correct answers. The five internal dogs are identified on the back of the book—a silky terrier, poodle, Irish setter, dachshund, and Dalmatian, but the cover dog (which may be a King Charles spaniel) is never identified. The Irish setter tail makes a good pairing for the cover, however, so each canine looks complete. The book is charming, and the illustrations are delightful. The wheel’s solid construction assures that this one will survive many spins before retirement.

One doggone cute book! (Board book. 1-3) —Kirkus Reviews

This offering combines a spinning dial with touch-and-feel elements. Little ones can twirl it until they align the correct tail with the right puppy. The text offers vocabulary-building descriptive words including “velvety,” “flowy,” and “fluffy.” Other series editions feature dinosaurs and ocean life.—Horn Book Magazine

Baby-Toddler–With Pat the Bunny-like use of textures, but with the addition of a spinning wheel to change, for example, the spotted tail of the dalmatian to a curly poodle’s, this book will have toddlers reaching for rereads. There’s an illustration of a dog—dachshund, setter, poodle, terrier, or that dalmatian—but the tails, seen through die-cut holes, are three-dimensional, movable, and distinctive.VERDICT With a smiling carrot, a happy bee, and other touches, this lighthearted game will lead to mix-ups and “Put it back!” and plenty of happy accidents. A keeper.—School Library Journal