Spare Dog Parts

by Alison Hughes, Ashley Spires (Illustrations)

A stumpy tail, mismatched paws, a long, drooly snout and the biggest dog heart that ever beat. In a celebration of what makes a pet unique, a little girl imagines how an odd assortment of parts combined to make the perfect dog.
With spare, inviting text from Alison Hughes and charmingly offbeat illustrations by award-winning illustrator Ashley Spires, this gorgeous picture book is sure to be an instant classic.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Dogs, Kids, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 26, 2016

Reviews

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a strange children's book! There's no story, really, other than a little girl explaining how her dog ended up with a set of seemingly mismatched parts. Now, that premise isn't so weird... but the illustrations are! Not that they're bad; they're actually pretty cute. But they're odd. As the little girl is "building" her dog, she's growing this creature that resembles Frankenstein's monster, complete with stitched-together parts. At one point, she's even pulling around the half-finished dog--just a head and torso--in a wagon! That's just a bit macabre...

I can see where the author was trying to go with this, but I don't think the observation that some dogs appear to have mismatched parts is really enough to make a picture book. The illustrator did her best with what she had to work with, but it's just such a weird premise to begin with.

I don't think I would necessarily recommend this one. Maybe to kids who adore funny-looking dogs and don't really care if the book actually has a story...

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opened up at random from the public library's Tumblebooks collection. Cute! I approve this pro-mutt messaging.

[Dewi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somehow this book moved me. Talking about imperfection and unconditional love.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's no problem in the story; hence, no tension and slightly boring. The kids liked the pictures.

[Brooke Milone · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is very colorful and isn't too long. Throughout the book you see the pictures that the little girl made around her room. It doesn't tell you the girl or the dogs name, but it tells the reader how the girl thinks her dog is made up of leftover parts from around everywhere and how they go together perfect. Other people may not think his slobbery face, cold nose, different colored hair, and rough fur is perfect, but she does. Its not about what he looks like, but how much love he has for her.

[Ashley King · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book told by a girl. She describes how her dog was made with "spare parts." Her dog is a mixed breed and she talks about all of it's different parts that are mixed and matched and they must have been leftovers. She loves these different things about her dog and all that mattered to her what that these parts worked. She thought the leftover parts must be parts that other didn't want but those parts made her dog perfect.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy little story about a dog made out of spare parts. Found in the celebrating Black Identity during a TumbleBooks site review, which seems an odd placement, the little girl is African American but there is nothing celebrating her culture or heritage.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story of a girl and her dog. While we are all different and slightly flawed we are all the same underneath it all.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable

I feel like my cat was made with spare cat parts

She has a squirrel tail and rabbit feet

Loved this book

[Victoria Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our imperfections create perfection 💗

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet. It gave me fond thoughts of my dog, and I even cried a bit.

[Lara Bate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about a dog who isn't perfect looking but perfect for its owner. He is very much loved.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute illustrations, and a girl thinking about the important parts of her dog, not the looks.

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spare Dog Parts is about a young girl and her imagination. She believes that her dog was made from left-over dog parts and put together like a puzzle. She has a body that wouldn't fit any other dog, and since there were no matching sets of dog legs left, she got four unique ones instead. Even though the dog is looks strange, she is a perfect friend for the little girl.

This is such a sweet book. Kids love their pets, even if they look weird. Kids always think their pet is perfect.

The text is simple and sweet, each word chosen with care. The illustrations are also fun, adding to the story alongside the text. I love the white lab coat the little girl wears and the connection she has to her pet.

This is a good book for pet lovers ages 4-7

Orca Book Publishers sent us a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

My blog: Batch of Books

[Kid Lit Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What would your perfect pet be like? Would it drool? Maybe it has somber grey eyes. How about a patchwork body? This little girl made her dog from a mound of possibilities. She pieced it together on a corkboard, and then patiently and lovingly put her beloved dog together using leftover pieces. All the other dogs have taken the best parts, but it does not matter. The girl’s dog will be perfect, as she is, having received the best parts for her role in the girl’s life.

Spare Dog Parts is an ode to pets everywhere, especially the dog. From her first body part to her last, the dog is happy, as all dogs usually are with their pet parents. Just as the girl’s dog is perfect in her eyes, most of us consider our pets as perfect, even with their imperfections. Not every dog needs . . .

To Read the Full Review and View Interior Spreads, Go To: http://bit.ly/SpareDogParts

[Cheriee Weichel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a lovely book about what makes a dog (or anything or anyone) perfect. It isn't about what is on the outside. It is all about whether the parts work, and it does what it should. I was in love with this book as soon as I read this section on the body:
There was an odd, tubby, stubby body that didn't fit any other dog. they used that, and covered it with leftover wiry, scruffy fur. It's a comfortable body, perfect for cuddling.
Ashly Spires illustrations (always stunning) show that the body has met all the important criteria.

I am unfortunately allergic to furry things, otherwise, I would run out and get a dog after reading this book.
I just reread this and decided to give it another star.

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is clever and fun to read, perfect for dog lovers. A little girl with a great imagination tells how her dog was put together: with leftover parts and put together like a big dog puzzle. That explains the odd-shaped body, the mismatched legs, the stumpy tail, the floppy ears, the snuffling nose and the drooly snout. But in spite of all these strange features, the girl loves her dog and wouldn't trade her for anything. The illustrations, rendered in ink and watercolor, are humorous and help tell the story wonderfully. This would be a fun book to have in my classroom library.

[V.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute little book about a girl who imagines how her dog came to be. I thought it was a cute story for those that own mutts and I would definitely use this in storytime. Cute story and fun illustrations!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really cute. I like the store that had dog parts on sale - I wish I could create my own frankendog too! I love that our main character wears a lab coat throughout.

[Karen Upper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this picture book!!

[Carrie Gelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for a good dog book and this one is fantastic. A must-read for any dog-loving mutt owner.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is why Mutts are my favorite breed! ;-) Very cute story for young dog lovers and old.

[Jenn C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute book with one of my favourite illustrators! Would be good for 6-9 year olds and could create an activity around it (build your own dog!).

[Laura]

Always enjoy Ashley Spires illustrations.

[Pug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cute. I have a feeling that this book was inspired by a real-life dog, and I would have liked to see a picture!