Ah! So much heart in this canine tale! Loved every furry page.

I read this book a while back but for some reason, I never logged it into Goodreads. I loved the book even more the 2nd time around. Of course, I was drawn to it because it has a dog as the main character but it's a great book to use for letter writing, personality traits and so much more. Can't wait to share this as a read-aloud since it's on the 2019 2x2 list.

I love this book! As a school librarian, this is definitely one of my favorite read alouds ever. It's a joy to read to with lots of opportunities for engagement as Arfy writes letter after letter to the folks on Butternut St. "Will they take Arfy as their dog?" Shouts of no or yes. As students begin to see the pattern, you can ask why not? So many details to love. When Arfy is at his lowest point, it's raining and he's in a soggy box. Great discussion about setting and word choice to set a mood. Spoiler: Then one of the best page turns is when Arfy comes running to greet the mail carrier. You just want that dog to jump right off the page. I watch kids air hug him every time. When the story ends, I love going back and showing them how they missed Mitzy Whipple in every page. It's a rare kid who has noticed her.
A truly heartwarming story that has a positive message about rescuing pets at the end. A must read for everyone!

Age: Kindergarten-2nd grade
Community Helpers: Butcher, Firefighter, Junkyard, Mail Carrier

A v. smart street dog writes request letters to people in the community to be their faithful pooch. Rejection letter after rejection letter leaves Arfy dispirited. The last couple pages depict Arfy in a battered cardboard box, all alone in the dark in the rain. It's real sad, guys. But in the morning, there's a letter stuck to his box--addressed to him! "Can I be your person?" starts the letter.

Spoiler

The next page shows the mail carrier (which we've seen throughout the book delivering Arfy's letters) waiting for Arfy to arrive.

This has the sweetest ending for dog lovers and people with hearts.

Made me cry. Cute story.

Yes, I cried

I confess, I am a dog person all the way! I love stories about dogs and Can I Be Your Dog? is a sweet addition to my picture-books-with-dogs-as-featured-characters list.

Arfy the dog wants to belong to someone. He writes a letter to every house on Butternut Street with all kinds of reasons why he would be an ideal companion. Everyone turns him down. Lonely and miserable, Arfy receives a letter from someone who also needs a friend, and finds his forever home.

The text is completely within the structure of Arfy's letters (and the one he receives). The illustrations begin with bright colors and gradually become darker, filled with browns and grays, dark blues and black as Arfy's future seems to grow bleaker, culminating in Arfy's heartbreaking howl as he huddles in a soggy cardboard box in the rain. The letter to Arfy brings with it brightening colors--yellows and greens, sky blue and pink--emphasizing the loneliness and then the joy of finding a companion.

Can I Be Your Dog? is a fun read-aloud or independent choice for young readers--especially for those families (like mine) that love a good dog story! The text blurb says it is a "heart-tugging" story; the text and illustrations combine perfectly to make it just that. Innocent and sweet, Can I Be Your Dog? WILL make you want to run and cuddle your own canine companions!

ADORABLE <3

A dog adoption story told through letters. Just when all seems lost, there's a surprise ending.