Wild Dogs: Past and Present

Do you remember when you were in elementary school, and you would grab one of those “little nonfiction books”, and spend hours poring over the pictures, diagrams, and maps? Somewhere along the way, you were nudged away from them because they were so short (aka, “too easy”), and a longer book (without pictures—sad face) was pushed into your hands?

Kelly Milner Halls* is an author who is on the cutting edge of what I consider “New Nonfiction”—her nonfiction books may be shaped like picture books, but they are the grown-up version of a picture book. Yes, you’ll spend hours poring over the pictures, diagrams, and maps (and family trees, photos, and charts), but the reading is rich and detailed, with vocabulary that fits the topic.

Wild Dogs includes everything you ever wanted to know about dogs—and some things you didn’t even know you wanted to know! The author takes you back to the time just after dinosaurs to explore modern dog’s prehistoric roots all the way through geographically-specific breeds.  She engages the reader in a trek borne of her own curiosity. Dog lovers will be fascinated by the graphic elements, sidebars, glossary, and resources—and might end up researching on their own as a result. Glossy full-color illustrations, including maps and photographs, will attract even the most reluctant readers.

Halls, K. M. (2005). Wild dogs: Past and present. Plain City, OH: Darby Creek Pub.

*Disclosure: Kelly is an amazing, award-winning author—but she’s also my friend. How lucky can one reader get?