Harry at the Dog Show

K-Gr 2–Harry, a white dog with black spots, loves today because it is “going to the park” day, which is much more enjoyable than bath day. On this particular day, Harry and the children discover a dog show at the park, and dogs of all shapes and sizes are there. When Harry runs away from his human companions to join his canine friends, he finds himself unexpectedly drawn into the dog show as he attempts to escape from the many humans who wish to groom him for the event. Fans of Zion’s Harry the Dirty Dog will love this return to the iconic character in a modern context. A similar illustrative style incorporates charcoal lines and watercolor, while there is a wider assortment of diverse faces in the images. The illustrations provide increased comprehension of the text because of how closely they match the words, and these visuals are just as enjoyable as the narrative. The text utilizes some repetition, and it also introduces a plethora of new vocabulary in the form of action verbs. Additionally, the story includes several elements of punctuation that will enhance reading fluency, including quotation marks, question marks, and exclamation points. Children who are becoming more confident reading independently will appreciate the accessibility of the narrative and the challenges it includes.