School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-A shoe-loving pup that lives in an animal shelter and dreams of having a real home with things to chew is adopted by a shoe-loving older woman. As the newcomer chews up his first pairs of boots, sneakers, and flip-flops, his person calls out, "Shoe Dog.You're so cute, but.." When he is well behaved, his world is full of nose kisses, ear scratches, and head pats. But when he transgresses, there are no "Cozy Covers," "Big Bed," or "Land of Upstairs" for him; instead, he is sent to the lightless basement-"the Land of Sad Puppies." Rich language carries readers through this superbly paced story of successful puppy training (with the aid of a new member of the household, Shoe Cat). Movement is key in the page layout and the kid-friendly illustrations in crayon and charcoal are digitally collaged.-Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Shoe Dog has a big problem: his new owner (referred to as "She, Herself") is a shoe lover, and he's an incorrigible shoe eater. He's barely settled in from the animal shelter, when "Shoe Dog chewed through five high heels, four flip-flops, three sneakers, two boots, one wing tip," reports Judy Moody author McDonald, who last collaborated with Tillotson on It's School Picture Day! Neither his owner's repeated cries of "BAD DOG!" nor the thought of being sent back to "the Land of Sad Puppies and Scratched-Up Cats and One-Eared Bunnies" can discourage Shoe Dog's gleefully relentless footwear search-and-destroy missions. But what if Shoe Dog discovered a shoe of his own-one that brought out his best, kindest instincts? Tillotson's canine hero is a marvelous creation, conjured up out of swiftly crayoned, coiled black lines and filled in with charcoal smudges; he looks like a tangled Slinky that's sprouted bright eyes and pink triangle ears. Anyone who's ever loved a goodhearted but ill-behaved dog will want to eagerly adopt this book. Ages 4-8. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
