FICTION

Dog Loves Baby

by Natalie Nelson (text) & illus. by Natalie Nelson
Penguin/Quirk. Dec. 2025. 28p. Board $9.99. ISBN 9781683694526. Baby-PreS
COPY ISBN
Baby-PreS–“Hello. I am Dog. This is Baby. Today we are celebrating love.” The narrator pauses. “What is love?/ Is it something to sniff?” This is pitched as a Valentine’s Day book, so there will be heart-shaped cookies at the bakery, boxes of candy delivered, garlands of hearts. But there are scenes of family meals and walks in the neighborhood, plus subtle signs of love—like the sound of keys jangling at the door. For drawing childlike observations into a philosophical meditation without becoming heavy-handed, this book can slip into various story hours. Dog’s family has brown skin.
VERDICT A pleasant, bite-sized reverie on the meaning of love, this can be added judiciously to the holiday shelves.
Reviewed by Kimberly Olson Fakih , Oct 01, 2025

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