SuitabookI Want a Dog
Jon Agee
- Reading
- Read the repeated requests with pauses so the child can anticipate the reply, then examine the illustrations for the adult’s changing demeanour. After the twist, compare wanting a particular pet with discovering an unexpected possibility.
- Themes
- Persistence and personal choice: The girl consistently asks for a dog and rejects a succession of other animals, while the shelter owner keeps trying to persuade her. The girl’s clarity and persistence are treated comically and sympathetically, but the repeated refusal is also linked with ‘pester power’, leaving room to discuss when persistence helps or becomes pressure.
- Worth knowing
- The comedy includes frustration and persistence: the girl refuses several alternatives while the adult becomes increasingly desperate to please her. The ending’s exact emotional effect is not clear without reading the full book.