School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Stella, a newly adopted pound pooch, tells all in 29 poems, humorously describing her life. Readers get her opinions on topics from humans to Hollywood. She endures boring food and dress-up, but delights in the dog park and treats. "I am, of course,/a grateful sort,/who doesn't like to quibble./But, really, friend,/do you intend/to feed me only kibble?" Ashman aptly captures life with a pup, balancing the sweet (lap naps) with the sour (shedding). The final selection, "At Your Service," sums up why dog lovers exist. Meisel's realistic acrylic, gouache, and pencil illustrations are filled with a variety of people and pups. "Water!" shows a priceless view of bath refusal and "The Bow-Wow Boutique" abounds in festive details. This collection of rhymes is ideal for family read-alouds.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
A series of poems tells the story of Stella, a newly adopted dog. Each poem reports from the pooch's point of view, and Stella has quite a sassy sense of humor: "But, really, friend, / do you intend / to feed me only kibble?" Acrylic, gouache, and pencil illustrations add another waggish layer to the dog's tale, showcasing the lively, loving mutt. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A perky brown dog named Stella is the first-person narrator in this collection of 29 humorous poems written from the canine perspective. In short, rhyming verse, the appealing dog describes her adoption at a shelter by a kind family with three children, their selection of a name and her impressions of the parents, children and other pets. Other poems focus on particular aspects of Stella's new life, such as playing at the dog park or going to the groomer. The amusing, well-written poems are presented in a variety of formats, integrated into the illustrations on each page by the placement of the text on the wall or floor of the family's cozy home or the sky or grass in outdoor scenes. Meisel's illustrations bring Stella and her family to life with a bright palette of cheerful colors and a cast of characters that have real personality. The proficient design is also integral to the success of the book, with a clever cover illustration and a typeface that echoes a child's printing style. Poetry collections about pets are as common as fleas on a dog, but Stella's poetic narrative is one bark above the rest. (Picture book/poetry. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
A tricolored stray mutt, Stella, finds just the right home and, being quite articulate, tells children all about it . . . in doggerel, no less. Ashman's poems, each one about a different aspect of Stella's new life and family, are lots of fun, recalling everything from how she ended up with just the right name to how she interacts with each of the puzzling humans with whom she lives: from the brother, who plays her favorite games; and the sister, who loves to dress-up; to the baby, who Stella feels is best when confined to its chair. Busy, gleeful pictures extend the comedy of Ashman's verses, with Stella, alternately naughty and nice, at the center of it all whether grudgingly accepting the purple veil she must wear to Sister's tea, straight-arming Pop to forestall a tub bath, or luxuriating in a tummy rub. Pair this with Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel's Mr. Mutt (2007) for a sunny, fun-filled canine storytime.--Zvirin, Stephanie Copyright 2008 Booklist
