Focused on the ways in which dogs and cats communicate their needs and moods, "these approachable and informative volumes belong on the shelf of anyone who lives (or is contemplating living) with a dog or cat," wrote PW in a starred review. Ages 6-9. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 2-5-Beginning with a sentence whose truth will be recognized by any cat owner, "You are being honored if a cat is living with you," the author provides a kind of Berlitz-type quick guide to cat language. She begins with enough history and psychology to make the brief discussion of behaviors understandable. Postures, actions, the angle at which the whiskers are held, and all the various and varied sounds made by cats are explained, as are the many meanings expressed by the tail and the ears. Some of this information will help children understand that certain postures mean that they had better back off and leave the animal to its own pursuits. Other information may actually help readers communicate with their pet-or have fun trying. The writing style is breezy, conversational, and amusing, and is helped along by the many color illustrations. The photographs of the author are cleverly combined with humorous cartoon drawings of cats that display a great deal of intelligence and comedic personality, so that they appear to be interacting in ways that are often very funny. A useful and readable addition to any pet collection.-Marian Drabkin, Richmond Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(Primary) Jean Craighead George How to Talk to Your Dog; illus. by Sue Truesdell 36 pp. HarperCollins 2/00 isbn 0-06-027092-6 9.95 g Library edition isbn 0-06-027093-4 9.89 (Primary) Written for the age at which many children are ready for pet adoption, these informative, good-natured guides to pet behavior emphasize the importance of learning the ways in which pets communicate emotions through their actions, facial expressions, and body positions. The characterizations of animal-human relationships are grounded in their historical origins: cats and humans enter into a relationship of equals, while dogs expect a leader-follower relationship. A respect for animals is constant throughout the books-it is the responsibility of children to learn to interpret their pet's signals. In the same vein, anthropomorphic tendencies are avoided. Indeed, the full range of emotions that animals feel and express are explored and skillfully described. Careful attention to the information provided in these books will prevent the scratches and bites unwitting children might otherwise incur when misinterpreting or ignoring animal mood signals. The only miscue here is the art: the combination of photographs of the author and cartoony illustrations of animals works against the factual insistence of the texts; however, the illustrations (particularly those of cats by illustrator Paul Meisel) are for the most part skillful at capturing familiar animal expressions. d.j.f. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Gr. 2^-4, younger for reading aloud. George, who has mostly written about wild animals, turns to domesticated ones in these lively offerings. She wants readers to know that cats and dogs communicate with their owners through touch, smell, and body language, and that kids who know what their pets are "saying" can communicate right back. Each book begins with a short history of the animal and how it became domesticated. Then George goes on to discuss how to recognize the different signs and sounds that make pets endearing or annoying. The design is part of the fun: cut-out color photos of George show her mingling with cartoon cats and dogs. She's patting a head or down on her knees nuzzling a nose. The typeface mimics handwriting, giving the book a friendly look. Some of the information will be easy for kids to process--what the look of an animal's tail signifies, for example; other facts are less well explained--it's hard to differentiate meows in print. But overall, these books are full of intriguing information that kids can use to make friends of their pets. --Ilene Cooper