The Great Dog Wash

By: Shellie Braeuner
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 
Publication Date: July 2009 
ISBN: 978-1416971160 
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler 
Review Date: November 2009

Instead of a car wash day, it's going to be even more fun when the children have a dog wash day. Watch out because everyone, including the dogs are on the run. Two girls grab the hose while one wide-eyed pup is firmly held by a boy who, of course, has his eyes shut. "Slippery, slobbery, do a good jobbery. Wash all that dog smell away." Pee yew! There are all kinds of different dogs that need washing. You can see a tall Afghan hound and a roly-poly beagle. Some are fancy purebreds while others . . . let's just say they are a little mixed up. There is a St. Bernard being scrubbed in a tub. Ooops, when he got up he decided to do a little shaking and a lot of water splashed in a little girl's eyes. WAAAAH!

Now the dog wash is in full swing and many people are lined up with their animals. Is that a cat at the end of the line? "Oh, gee! Look at that! Now, who brought a cat? Watch out! Be careful! Oh, no! Just what we need, a doggy stampede. And up the street all of them go." Soap suds are all around. The hose is on the ground and the little girl clasps her hands over her mouth. The poodle, the beagles, the dalmatian, a German shepherd and dogs galore try to catch that darn cat. Of course the kids will have a hard time rounding up those dogs. Is this going to be the end of their "Great Dog Wash Jamboree?"

This uproarious, madcap scramble of kids, dogs n' cat will delight young children everywhere, especially if they have a dog. The rhyming scheme was perfect and words like "slobbery" add a nice little twist to the already humorous story. The artwork is lively and vibrant and adds a lot to the adventure of the story. This is Shellie Braeuner's first book, the winner of the "Cheerios New Author Contest." If you or your youngster are dog lovers, this might be one you'll add to your list...forget the dog shampoo, the bucket and the hose!

Quill says: This uproarious, madcap scramble of kids, dogs n' cat will delight young children everywhere, especially if they have a dog!