Who wants to be a poodle - I don't by Lauren Child
Puffin, 2009. ISBN 978014138490.
(Ages 4-8) Recommended. Trixie Twinkle
Toes lives in the lap of luxury
with a maid, a cook and a butler to cater to her every need but she is
unhappy.
Although she is adored by her owner, Verity Brulee, she would really
love to leave
all the pampering behind and just step in puddles.
Lauren Child has written a gentle satire about the fashion
of dressing dogs up in clothes, and taking them to beauty parlours,
when really
all they want to do is to act like a real dog. Information on the back
cover
tells the reader that 'poodles were originally trained to hunt
waterbirds' and Trixie
Twinkle Toes certainly proves that she is a 'dazzlingly dangerous
daring dog'
when she rescues little Gripper from certain death in a puddle.
Appealing collages tickle the funny bone as the exploits of
Verity Brulee and Trixie Twinkle Toes are brought to life by Child's
expert mix
of illustrations and cut-outs. The vibrant colours of Verity's elegant
clothes
and shoes will appeal to those interested in fashion, while dog lovers
will
rejoice to see that Trixie Twinkle Toes finally manages to act like a
dog.
Pat Pledger