Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates (Red Fox Picture Books)

So this is the book that started Dog's wonderful journey of discovery across three very succesful books. We were very lucky to spot this at our local library so grabbed it with both hands.

We did things in a slightly higgledy-piggledy order (first reading "Dog Loves Drawing" and then most recently "Dog Loves Counting") but this is our favourite by far.

Dog is a happy-go-lucky little fellow who just happens to love books more than anything else. Best of all dog loves to share them so one day Dog decides that the best way to do just that would be to open his own bookstore.

With books a-plenty in stock, Dog busies himself one breakfast time and gets ready for work. The shop opens, and Dog prepares himself for customers...

...and waits

...and waits.

Poor Dog. Thankfully the greatest thing about being in a bookstore is that you're surrounded by lots and lots of books, so while waiting for legitimate customers to turn up (and I had to laugh at the first few he gets, particularly the woman asking for tea, because it reminded me of the lovely Hedgehog books and their tales of woe of tricky customers!) Dog escapes into the bookworld! Hooray!

As with the other 'Dog' books, the masterful way Louise Yates draws Dog helps build on a fantastic story - with lots of lovely references to books and how sharing them is one of the best feelings in the world. It's why we do what we do here, after all!

Charlotte's best bit: Poor forlorn dog when he realises the shop isn't quite buzzing as it should

Daddy's favourite bit: Loving his first proper customer, an inquisitive little girl very much like one who contributes hugely to this blog!