Puppy Too Small

Golden Naptime Tales

by Cyndy Szekeres

Puppy is too small for some things, but there are many things he can do that are nice for other people. On board pages.

Genres: Childrens, Animals, Picture Books

14 pages, Board book

First published May 1, 1992

About the author

Cyndy Szekeres (pronounced "zeck-er-es") is the daughter of a toolmaker, Stephen Szekeres, and his wife Anna Ceplousky Szekeres. In 1954, Szekeres earned a certificate from the Pratt Institute in New York. Szekeres has illustrated over 40 children's books, and is best known for her animal characters. She has also written or compiled and self-illustrated 67 titles. Szekeres won the AIGA Award for her work on Moon Mouse (1969). Szekeres currently lives on a farm in Vermont.

Reviews

[Bryce Behn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book "Puppy Too Small" was a really cute book! I would recommend this book to younger children looking for an easy read. This book was about a puppy that was too small for a lot of things. He could not reach the doorknob, but he could reach the cookies on the table and he shared one with Mouse. He was sad because he was too small to move his toy box but Mrs. Bunny said he was a perfect size to pull the wagon full of her baby bunnies. Puppy said he was too small to climb a tree, but he was just right to swing from it with Squirrel. He was too small to hammer on the work bench with Daddy Pup. He was just right to fix the leg of the work bench. The message here is just because you can't do one thing doesn't mean you’re useless, there are tons of other things in the world that you could do. This was a very good and touching book!

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only semi-bad thing about this one is that the puppy is, to be honest, annoying. “I’m too smalllll” ok maybe you should stop and think for a second because you’re like 4 times the size of all of these mice and chipmunks and other wee woodland creatures you keep hanging out with, and how is whining about being small going to make them feel?

That aside, this book is a classic and kids LOVE it because it gets them. It’s about every kid who is frustrated, a million times a day, by all the things they want to do but aren’t big enough for yet. So, every kid ever. It also appeals to every kid’s desire to be a helper and “help” with all of the thing that they can’t yet do independently. It has that repetition that kids love too (every time puppy is too small there happens to be a related activity he is just the right size for). It’s a very satisfying book and the end neatly sums up the point without moralizing or talking down to readers. The illustrations are adorable and you just want to give that chunky smol puppy a big hug.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

My children absolutely adore this book. Reading literature is so important to the development of a child's mind, and I cannot think of thing I would rather do then sit down to read to them in the evenings. Imagination and growth are so vital in those so young.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I ever received from my mother as a baby. I have a soft spot in my soul for it always❤

[Hester Rathbone]

I remember this as being one of my favourite books when I was a child. Being 3 months premature and having a mother who is only 4'10", it was inevitable that I would be a small child. Now I'm still short, but much more adult-sized. When I was little, my dad used to read me this book all the time. I really do remember books like this helping me to feel okay about being the "tiny one" in all of my classes at school.

Inside the front cover is an inscription - Hester's Book from Daddy, October 1985. It's been amazing to go through and catalogue all of these books and re-organize them and remember all of these wonderful stories from my childhood. There are some books that I realize I must have given away over the years, and it makes me sad to not see them with all of these other great moments from my past. Maybe if I haunt half-priced books long enough, I can find them!

[Katie Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute read about a little puppy who is sad because he feels he is too little to do anything that he wants to do, but meanwhile he is plenty big to do lots of really good things (that is mommy later reminds him of). The best part? Mommy dog tucks him in with a "kiss, hug, and squeeze" which we now have to reenact every night, whether we read this one or not!

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very simple story with colorful pictures. I was hesitant about sharing this book with the kids because none of them have ever fretted about being too small, and I don't like to plant anxieties where they don't already exist. However, I like the way Szekeres shows that when you can't do one thing, you can probably do something else.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love these childrens books!

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story and pictures!

[Cindy Ann Marentette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I use to translate this book to french for the boys, they loved the kiss and big squeeze at the end.

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is about a puppy who is too small to do some things, but learns he is just the right size to do other things.

[Kara Borchert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of the first books I memorized as a new reader, and I still love it to this day! I think books like these are important for children because they remind us that no matter how incompetent we feel, we can always do good things and be helpers. I will be reading this to my own kids someday!

Guided Reading: G
Lexile: N/A

Six Traits: Ideas, Organization