A Dog Wearing Shoes

by Sangmi Ko

This sweet and hilarious doggy adoption tale features a pooch wearing—wait for it—bright yellow shoes.
 
When Mini finds a small moppet of a dog, with fluffy ears, no collar, and wearing yellow booties, she understandably wants to take it home. Despite Mom's insistence that the dog probably already has a family, Mini gets attached and is awfully proud of her new pal, who can sing, sit, and give both paws. But when the pup runs off one day at the park, Mini comes to understand how someone else out there might be missing the little guy too.
 
This story, by a debut author/illustrator, perfectly captures the undeniable bond between dog and owner.

"A charming tale of compassion and empathy, with a resonant message about getting your new best friend at the animal shelter." —Patrick McDonnell, creator of MUTTS

"Immensely funny.... Comedic pacing and simultaneously scrupulous and silly artwork will leave readers howling." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Animals, Childrens, Storytime, Adoption, Humor

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2015

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mom found a discounted hardcover of this book and picked it up, thinking it would make a great gift for someone. It hasn't found its new home yet, so I thought I'd have a quick read.

A Dog Wearing Shoes is absolutely adorable. Based on a true story about the author's niece, it shows a cute little lost dog wearing yellow shoes. Mini and her mom rescue it from a busy street, and of course Mini gets very attached to the dog.

The story is cute enough, but the illustrations are really what make this book work. The facial expressions on the humans are hilarious, and the facial expressions on the dogs (especially the one wearing yellow shoes) are priceless. There's so much joy emanating from the pages, and anyone who's had a dog will be able to relate to the exuberance and unfettered happiness shown by the motley crew of dogs. The pictures look like they're drawn in pencil or charcoal, with just tiny touches of colour (yellow for the dog's shoes, red for its leash).

My only complaint (and perhaps the reason why this book hasn't been gifted yet) is the unnecessary author's note in the back about how to adopt a dog. I think the fear is that a kid might get obsessed with getting a dog, even if their living circumstances aren't appropriate for one. This section is also heavily skewed toward Americans, and the same procedures might not apply elsewhere.

All that said, however, I can't fault the story itself. It's a charming one with hilariously joyful illustrations. It didn't hurt that the dog reminded me of one I had growing up. Although, our dog never wore cute yellow shoes...

[Janie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book this month that my grandson and I read together. This one was so enjoyable, and it had such a great message to it. The plotline was awesome and it flowed very well making it very easy for grandson to understand. I liked the little girl in the story quite a bit too along with the star of the story, the dog wearing shoes.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great (and adorable) story about a little girl who finds a lost pooch.



Sure to warm the heart of any dog lover.

[حسناء · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love it

[Kid Lit Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the middle of a congested avenue sits a small, adorable, yellow shoe-wearing pup. Young Mini’s mom stops and the pup runs right over. He and Mini hit it off immediately and so they take the pup home. Once there, the pup no longer wants anyone or anything. He howls as if home sick. Mini tries to take him for a walk, but he pulls the opposite direction, until . . . the park.

To Read More, Go To: http://kid-lit-reviews.com/2015/11/23...

Debut Children's Book by author/illustrator Sangmi Ko

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something felt missing from this story. The child who finds the dog wearing shoes is devastated when he runs away during a game of fetch but then willingly gives the dog up with a smile when the dog's real owner shows up. It felt like there needed to be more explanation about how those feelings changed.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book! The illustrations are black and white with a little bit of color here and there - eye-catching. And I love the message of the story - there's a dog for everyone. PLUS there are tips at the back for how to adopt a dog from a shelter. Makes me want to go to an animal shelter today!

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cute book in which a dog wearing shoes is found, cared for and loved, with a happily ever after. The gray illustrations, offset with the yellow of the dog's shoes, and the red of the leash, etc, are beautiful and match the tone of the book.

The content deals with responsibility and being able to let someone/thing go if you really want them to be happy, which might be better suited for older elementary aged students.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mini finds a lost dog that is wearing shoes. Mini wants to keep the dog because it is so cute and fun. A dog wearing shoes must belong to someone though.

A cute story about a child who finds a dog and wants to keep. We've all been there, amiright? The mother tries get the girl to realize they cannot keep the dog, since surely a dog wearing shoes belongs to someone. Loved the black and white artwork with pops of color.

[Becky Loader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mini and her mom find a dog. A dog who is wearing shoes. A dog who is lost. They take him home, and Mini falls in love with him. When she takes him on a walk, she lets him off his leash, and he runs off. She finds him again at the local animal shelter, and then comes to terms with the fact that he belongs to someone. She finds his owner, and then finds her own dog at the shelter.

Very nice illustrations.

[فاطمه · Rating 4 out of 5]

good drawing with nice story

[Kristin Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations drew me in right away! (Oh hey, see what I did there? I didn't even realize it at first!) The black and white pencil drawings and the facial expressions are so good! They really tell the story.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl, Mini, and her mother are driving home from Grandma’s when there, in the road, is a little dog wearing shoes. There is no owner around, so they take him home. He is adorable, and Mini loves, loves, loves him. They go to the park, get lots of attention which makes her love even stronger. But she goes too far, and lets him off the leash to show how he fetches. Instead, he disappears. The sadness of her loss, then the joy of finding the dog once again shows Mini how much the real owner must miss this sweet little dog. They put up signs and the real owner is found, another little girl. Mini realizes that she must adopt another dog. It’s a sweet story, showing how empathy works, as well as a kindness done. There is a page about shelter adoption at the back. Sangmi Ko’s illustrations are in black and white pencil sketches, with lots of detail and expression.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming depiction of dog adoption told through fantastic penciled illustrations. Mini and her mom find a lost dog and Mini's enthusiasm knows no bounds. But this little pup with his bright yellow shoes appears to already have an owner, something Mini's mom keeps trying to tell her. When the doggie runs away from Mini, she experiences a longing sadness. Luckily, they find the dog at the shelter and take her home. Knowing the heartbreak she experienced when the dog ran away, Mini makes it her mission to find the dog's real owner.

Ko highlights real emotions such as sadness, compassion, and dedication that ends in a fulfilling and happy way for everyone involved.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl comes across a dog wearing yellow shoes and instant falls in love with him and wants to keep him, even though her mother warns that he probably already belongs to someone else. During a walk to the park, the dog gets away and the girl understand now how the original owner of the dog must feel.

Loved the illustrations - all B&W with yellow for the shoes and red for other important things.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable story about an exuberant young girl who finds a lost dog . . . wearing shoes! But a dog who has shoes must already have an owner, and so Mini needs to decide between what she wants, and what is best for the dog. The black and white illustrations with flashes of color (yellow dog shoes, red leash) are wonderful, and there's information about pet adoption at the back of the book.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very charming tale with dogs. I loved the black and white illustrations. Certain items such as the dog's shoes appear in color which make them pop! The message about adopting pets from a shelter is an important one.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute black and white illustrations with a splash of color- girl finds dog, girl doesn't want to find owner, girl loses dog, girl finds dog again, girl finds owner, girl adopts dog of her own from shelter. The end.

[Cora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Per my first graders: It was funny because the dog was wearing shoes. It was cute because the dog was wearing shoes and a skirt. It was awesome because they were wearing the same clothes.


Great illustrations, great message, cute picture book appropriate for K-4

[Emily Scheinman]

The expressions in this book are priceless. Can't wait to see it in print!

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute dog story about a girl who finds a dog wearing yellow shoes. Will she be able to keep him? Includes a list of websites for pet adoption at the end

[Baby Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Today, we read A Dog Wearing Shoes by Sangmi Ko, a fantastic story of the bond between pups and their people.

Mini and her mother are driving home in traffic one day when her mother slams on the brakes: a floppy, fluffy little dog wearing bright yellow shoes is in the middle of the road! Her mother looks for the pup’s people, but to no avail, so she tells Mini they’ll be taking the dog home in order to find the owner. Mini is delighted, but wants to keep the dog instead, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that her new friend may have a home (despite his shoes). She takes the pup to the park, proudly showing off her new pet’s tricks, until the dog wanders off and becomes lost again! Mini is brokenhearted, and when they track the dog to the local shelter the next day, she realizes that her furry friend’s original owner must be worried and missing him just as she had. So while it may hurt, she knows she has to give him up… but perhaps she’s made room in her heart for a brand new friend instead.

This book was SO good. I love books that encourage children to do the right thing, especially when doing so means having to put aside selfishness. Mini’s conundrum feels so real; she adores the dog, and presents the kind of arguments against finding the original owner that a child in denial might use. It’s realistic, as is the story’s wonderful conclusion that ties in the importance of rescuing animals rather than buying them. It’s a very honest book with multiple real-world lessons, and we loved it. The illustrations are adorable, using only hints of the color yellow to draw the eye over gorgeously detailed pencil art. The length is good, and JJ loved it. We highly recommend this one, and it is Baby Bookworm approved.

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Jenna Vick · Rating 3 out of 5]

One day while driving to the grandparent's house, they came to a halt when a dog came running across the street. There was something special about this dog. He was wearing bright yellow shoes. The dog has no collar to identify him so the family took him home. When they arrived home, the dog began to cry because he missed his owner. So Mini, the little girl, decided to take him for a walk. The dog was a huge people person. He attracted a crowd by showing off all of his tricks. Mini threw a stick for him to fetch and he ran right past it. This resulted in the dog running away. Mini could not find him. They went to the pound a few days later and there was the dog. Mini was heartbroken when she could not find the dog which made her realize how the owner must feel. This made her put up signs for the owner to know that she has him. The owner and dog reunited. Which made the mom realize what needed to be done... so they got her a puppy.

I enjoyed this book. It was very cute. It was a good story of how honesty is the best way of things. Because she gave what was not hers back even though she wanted to keep it. It does have some funky pictures though.

I would only use this in my classroom for a fun read. While it does have a good message about honesty, it does not seem to be something you would use for a whole lesson. I think that the children would enjoy this book due to the funky character of the dog and the cool pictures.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet little picture book with lovely illustrations about a girl who finds a lost dog and decides to keep it, even though it obviously misses its owner terribly. Having lived through that situation myself at about age 12, I related strongly to the development of the story, though in my case there was no replacement puppy in spite of the repeated facile promises of adults around me.

It was an excellent conversation piece with my fourteen year old friend, about respecting other people's needs and feelings and putting yourself in someone else's shoes, even if that someone is just a little dog. The endnote regarding adoption procedures was useful too. I asked my friend why the law requires you to be 18 or older to adopt a pet from a US shelter. She gave me "that look" and replied, "Because otherwise some kids would just want to take dogs home left and right, and get their parents in trouble." I asked her if 18 was old enough to adopt a dog and she thought for a moment. "Most people, yeah, I guess," she said. "But not even older people are always good parents."

Indeed.

[Casidy Strother]

Summary- This book is about a girl named Mini, who found a dog in the middle of traffic. This wan't just any dog, this dog was wearing bright yellow shoes. Mini took the dog home with her and she loved the dog. She took the dog to the park to play fetch. When she threw a stick, the dog ran away. Mini couldn't find her new dog. Soon, Mini and her mom went to the shelter and the dog was there. Mini realized that someone else must be missing this dog too. So she put up posters and the owner came to get his dog from Mini. She was very sad, but she soon got a new dog of her own,

Review- This was a very sweet book. The illustrations showed Mini's emotions well throughout the book. I enjoyed the mystery of the dog's original owner throughout the book.

Connection to Profession- I can use this book in my classroom to show my students how to do the right thing. Mini didn't want to give the dog to its original owner, but she knew it was the right thing to do. This is also a book that demonstrates many emotions. My students can see how Mini responded to her emotions.

[Hannah Fay · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book a girl named Mini finds a dog wearing yellow shoes. She immediately falls in love with the puppy and takes him home. Mini finds out that the dog can do lots of fun tricks and is great to cuddle with! After awhile, Mini realizes that there is probably someone missing their dog with yellow shoes. She finally decides to find the dogs owner and the owner is great grateful. Although Mini is sad to part with her new friend, she is glad she did the right thing. And then, she gets a new puppy!
This was a sweet book with a lot of lessons to be taught. The one that stood out the most to me is to do the right thing even when it's not easy. Although Mini did not want to give the dog back, she knew it was the right thing. This was a fun book to read that I think would be very popular in a classroom!

[Afton Shirey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was about a little girl and her mom who are driving, but a dog runs out infront of them. They take the dog home and he is visibly sad. Mini takes him to the park and he runs away, but they find him at the shelter. His original owner finds him and Mini’s mom takes her to the shelter to get a new dog.
I liked this book. The way the pictures were drawn in pencil and only had color at very intentional points was very clever to emphasize that. Some of the facial expressions the characters made I thought were a little scary especially for a young child.
This would be a great book to read in a class if you knew one of the students' dogs ran away or something. It also can teach empathy like the girl in the book had. She tried to find the dog's owners, but also got her own dog at the shelter.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a girl who finds a dog wearing bright yellow shoes. Of course, the little girl falls desperately in love with the little dog and begs her mom to let her keep it. She takes the dog home, but her mom encourages her to help the dog find its original owner. When finally the owner has been found, will the girl be able to give the dog back?

I honestly loved this book! The pictures were so cute and funny, and the message was very powerful.
I think many people can relate to the little girl not wanting to give the dog back.

I would love to read this book to an elementary classroom and discuss kindness. I think it has a very powerful message of caring for other people before one's self which is something I think every child should talk about.

[Emily Chaffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was about a family finding a dog in the middle of the road and taking it home because it did not want to get hit. The dog doesn't have a collar but it has yellow shoes so they know it has an owner. Read to find out what happens next and if they find the owner.

I loved this book! I loved how it was all in black and white except for the little matching things that the owners and the pets had together. I think this tells a touching story about what can happen when you lose a pet and how it feels.

I would love to use this in my classroom to talk about how the black and white pages adds effect to the writing and how it influences the story. It can also teach empathy, and I can teach the students to maybe detect some moods and emotions from characters.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SOOO adorable!!

It’s hands-down the cutest picture book I’ve read this year. Admittedly, my first reading was just marveling at the simple but striking pencil sketched illustrations; my second time through was spent cooing at Mini and the missing dog she and her mellow mom find in the city. The dog is wearing bright yellow shoes and is as rambunctious as Mini herself.

The artwork and the characters’ expressions are so enjoyable and hilarious. I wish I had a little kid to read it to because I know they’d get a kick out of the animated illustrations, as well as find heart in the message of hope and love for puppies in need of a home.