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Dog Rules
A hilariously interactive picture book that will have kids barking, growling . . . and chirping—but mostly laughing out loud. A companion to the popular Cat Secrets by Jef Czekaj.
Two dogs must teach their new puppy to be a good dog.
The puppy has to learn to growl . . . but it keeps tweeting.
Roll over . . . but it eats worms. . . .
Will this puppy ever learn the Dog Rules?
Two dogs must teach their new puppy to be a good dog.
The puppy has to learn to growl . . . but it keeps tweeting.
Roll over . . . but it eats worms. . . .
Will this puppy ever learn the Dog Rules?
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2016
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Jef Czekaj
22 books45 followersJef Czekaj is a cartoonist, children's book author and illustrator, and musician.
Jef has written and/or illustrated 12 books with titles like Hip and Hop Don't Stop!, Cat Secrets, A Call for a New Alphabet, and Austin, Lost in America.
His books have been named Junior Library Guild selections, designated "Must Read" by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, and won awards with names like the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award and the Young Hoosier Book Award.
His comic, Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters, ran in Nickelodeon Magazine for more than 10 years. A collection of the first three years of the comic was published with the help of a Xeric Foundation Grant and distributed byTop Shelf.
Jef lives and works in Somerville, MA.
BTW, Czekaj is pronounced "check-eye"!
Jef has written and/or illustrated 12 books with titles like Hip and Hop Don't Stop!, Cat Secrets, A Call for a New Alphabet, and Austin, Lost in America.
His books have been named Junior Library Guild selections, designated "Must Read" by the Massachusetts Center for the Book, and won awards with names like the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award and the Young Hoosier Book Award.
His comic, Grampa and Julie: Shark Hunters, ran in Nickelodeon Magazine for more than 10 years. A collection of the first three years of the comic was published with the help of a Xeric Foundation Grant and distributed byTop Shelf.
Jef lives and works in Somerville, MA.
BTW, Czekaj is pronounced "check-eye"!
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 8, 2019
The feline narrator of author/artist Jef Czejak's
Cat Secrets
returns in this second story, tricking a dog couple into thinking that an egg is their offspring, and that they must raise the bird that hatches from it as a puppy. Many humorous misunderstandings ensue, as Papa and Mama Dog attempt to teach their tiny bird how to growl, how to roll over, and most importantly, how to bark. When the canine couple discover the ruse, they tell their adoptive child they love him anyway, and are immensely proud when he uses their lessons to chase the malicious cat away...
Like its predecessor, Dog Rules is an amusing tale, one which provides young children with the enjoyment of being 'in the know,' as they witness the dogs being fooled initially by the feline trickster. I can see this story being used as an adoption tale - after all, the canine parents reaffirm their love for their avian offspring, even after his true identity is revealed - but it is also a satisfying example of the prankster getting caught and given a taste of his own medicine, in the end. Like Czejak's other books, this title boasts colorful, cartoon-like artwork, which (although not really to my personal taste) works very well with the story. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed Cat Secrets , as well as to anyone looking for humorous picture-books in general.
Like its predecessor, Dog Rules is an amusing tale, one which provides young children with the enjoyment of being 'in the know,' as they witness the dogs being fooled initially by the feline trickster. I can see this story being used as an adoption tale - after all, the canine parents reaffirm their love for their avian offspring, even after his true identity is revealed - but it is also a satisfying example of the prankster getting caught and given a taste of his own medicine, in the end. Like Czejak's other books, this title boasts colorful, cartoon-like artwork, which (although not really to my personal taste) works very well with the story. Recommended to anyone who enjoyed Cat Secrets , as well as to anyone looking for humorous picture-books in general.
May 5, 2018
With the same bright colors as "Cat Secrets" and one of the cats, two dogs fall for a practical joke...that involves them sitting on a nest and teaching the hatching "puppy" to be a good dog. They do their best, with the help of the reader, all while Cat watches from the sidelines laughing his whiskers off. Great fun, interactive, and a sure Storytime audience pleaser.
August 25, 2020
Dog tries to raise a baby bird as a puppy. Cute. A lot of speech bubbles.
November 1, 2016
Read with "Bark, George!"
June 9, 2018
PreS-K- In this silly story, two dogs are tricked into raising a baby blue bird as if it were a dog. Their calls for "you to show Junior" will have kids growling, rolling over, barking, and then giggling in fits when the bird doesn't mimic them. As one might expect, this bird, acts like a bird. However, as a finale, the author defies expectations one more time, when the bird scares the naughty cat responsible for this mischief with one mighty "WOOF!" Czekaj's straightforward text and humour are perfect for storytime. The same is true of the visual style. Characters have large features, colours are solid shades, and there are plenty of opportunities for dialogic reading (especially when the cat pops up). Pauses are incorporated right into the illustrations, so even with an active or question and answer component, the flow is barely interrupted. As a side note, Dog Rules has a positive underlying message about adoption. VERDICT Like Czekaj's previous work Cat Secrets, Dog Rules is a great readaloud for engaging and amusing those "ants in their pants" toddlers with short attention spans. Especially recommended for fans of James Proimos.
*reviewed for School Library journal
*reviewed for School Library journal
July 5, 2017
Two dogs fall for a cat’s wild goose chase when they find an egg in a nest with a note, directing them to ‘teach baby to be a good dog’. Baby (bird) calls (boy) dog ‘mama’. The dogs try hard to teach their baby to be a good dog. They teach him to growl, roll over and bark, but all the baby does is tweet. The cat finds all this hilarious. Find out what Baby does to defend his family. A silly book for fun reading and lots of laughs.
July 16, 2022
Cat leaves the dogs a nest with an egg in it and a note to sit on the next, hatch the egg, and raise the puppy. The dogs do as instructed, but the puppy is struggling to be a good dog. What could be wrong?
The interactive elements in this are the dogs trying to teach their "puppy" how to be a dog, and asking the reader to help show the "puppy" how to growl and roll over and such. It's a silly story that some kids will fine quite fun.
The interactive elements in this are the dogs trying to teach their "puppy" how to be a dog, and asking the reader to help show the "puppy" how to growl and roll over and such. It's a silly story that some kids will fine quite fun.
August 17, 2017
No matter where you come from or if your blood or not you'll be loved just the same by two loving dogs. Silly cat thinks he's pulled the wool over the dogs' eyes but little does he know he's in for a big surprise. WOOF!!!
November 8, 2021
Was given this and two other books by the author for kid's birthday. Sent them to goodwill by the end of the week. Really low effort art, no story, just the kind of book a parent dreads to find at bedtime. Looks like they were done in ms-paint by a bored student. Just trash.
January 25, 2018
Good laughs! Kids will love his.
April 3, 2018
In the same vain as Cat Secrets but not as clever.
August 24, 2018
Super cute story of two dogs becoming dads to a baby bird.
September 17, 2018
Pretty good. Cute pictures.
September 19, 2018
Preschool me would have loved this. Adult me only wants to read this once. This book is a 2018-2019 Young Hoosier Book Award selection.
November 12, 2018
Note: would be a really good storytime book. interactive.
June 11, 2019
Similar to "Cat Secrets" but in this book, two dogs are tricked into raising a bird as a dog. Humorous and interactive.
August 14, 2019
Very cute! Another MK fave.
May 18, 2023
Simple. Easy for young readers to follow. Bold illustrations. Good elements of a picture book.
October 17, 2024
Read to my 4 year old. I don't think he liked this one as much as Cat Secrets, but he did giggle a little.
November 10, 2016
Interactive. Could be a perfect book for adopted little ones.
March 14, 2017
This book is about a cat who tricks two dogs to raise a bird as a dog. The dogs try and teach the bird how bark and do dog things but then they finally realize its a bird not a dog. I loved this book and thought it was absolutely hilarious. Kids would really enjoy this as a read aloud book. The illustrations are really simple but really bring out the characteristics of the dogs. The illustrations are not really detailed but rather a simple background for the dogs.
October 2, 2016
Richie’s Picks: DOG RULES by Jef Czekaj, Balzer + Bray, September 2016, 32p., ISBN: 978-0-06-228018-3
“You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog”
--Elvis Presley, 1956
“‘How do we know if they are cats or not?’
‘We can test them!’
‘But how?’”
--from CAT SECRETS
DOG RULES is the picture book tale of a pair of dogs whose child doesn’t behave as a dog should behave. It’s a brilliant and hilarious sequel to the author’s subversively funny CAT SECRETS (2011, Balzer + Bray). As with the first book, DOG RULES is an audience participation story that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
In CAT SECRETS, a trio of cats with a book called “Cat Secrets” confronts the reader: The book is for cats only, and the cats challenge the reader/audience to prove they are cats by meowing, purring, stretching, and napping on command.
In DOG RULES, the action begins on the title page where the black cat, who’d been the ringleader in CAT SECRETS, has climbed a ladder to paint over what had said “Bird Rules” to now say “Dog Rules.” Then, on the copyright page, the cat is surreptitiously placing a nest containing an egg and a note on the ground.
A pair of dogs come upon the nest and read the instructions:
Sit on nest.
Hatch egg.
Teach baby to be a good dog.
Through rain and snow, one of the dogs obediently sits on the egg, and it hatches. The baby does not at all behave like a dog, but the “parents” get to work teaching the baby to be a good dog.
This is where the audience participation comes in. The dogs ask us to demonstrate proper growling, rolling over, and barking.
Nevertheless, the dogs are mystified by their child’s strange behavior.
“‘Hmmm….Our puppy hatched from an egg, tweets, flies, and eats worms.’”
But this is all a set-up a satisfying, belly-laugh of an ending involving the trouble-making cat, and the well-taught bird...err...dog.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog”
--Elvis Presley, 1956
“‘How do we know if they are cats or not?’
‘We can test them!’
‘But how?’”
--from CAT SECRETS
DOG RULES is the picture book tale of a pair of dogs whose child doesn’t behave as a dog should behave. It’s a brilliant and hilarious sequel to the author’s subversively funny CAT SECRETS (2011, Balzer + Bray). As with the first book, DOG RULES is an audience participation story that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
In CAT SECRETS, a trio of cats with a book called “Cat Secrets” confronts the reader: The book is for cats only, and the cats challenge the reader/audience to prove they are cats by meowing, purring, stretching, and napping on command.
In DOG RULES, the action begins on the title page where the black cat, who’d been the ringleader in CAT SECRETS, has climbed a ladder to paint over what had said “Bird Rules” to now say “Dog Rules.” Then, on the copyright page, the cat is surreptitiously placing a nest containing an egg and a note on the ground.
A pair of dogs come upon the nest and read the instructions:
Sit on nest.
Hatch egg.
Teach baby to be a good dog.
Through rain and snow, one of the dogs obediently sits on the egg, and it hatches. The baby does not at all behave like a dog, but the “parents” get to work teaching the baby to be a good dog.
This is where the audience participation comes in. The dogs ask us to demonstrate proper growling, rolling over, and barking.
Nevertheless, the dogs are mystified by their child’s strange behavior.
“‘Hmmm….Our puppy hatched from an egg, tweets, flies, and eats worms.’”
But this is all a set-up a satisfying, belly-laugh of an ending involving the trouble-making cat, and the well-taught bird...err...dog.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
November 9, 2016
What happens when one species tries to raise a young one of another species? In this case, dogs find an egg in what appears to be an abandoned nest, actually put where they'll find it by a mischievous cat. So of course the dogs "adopt" the egg and then try to raise the young bird, as a dog, which is all they know. The baby bird insists on being a bird, because that is what it knows. Adorable illustrations along with hilarious text will be sure to tickle young ones in the Pre-K to 1st grade age range. This might be useful for those who have adopted a child of a different race, nationality, etc.
November 17, 2016
An amusing story about two dogs tricked by a car into raising a baby bird as a dog. Diversity and respect for differences underlies the simple story. Simple cartoonish illustrations add to the the humorous elements. A table turning ending may appeal to some who require just desserts.
September 16, 2016
A fun follow up to Cat Secrets that is great for reading aloud.
September 23, 2016
Written with word bubbles ala Don't let the Pigeon Ride the Bus. Very cute story about a bird raised by dogs ;-) Surprise ending will appeal to preschoolers.
December 28, 2016
Very cute!
March 25, 2017
Cat plays a prank - gets two dogs (relationship never defined, but I got a strong "two dads" vibe) to raise a baby bird with love and care. Some prank! Everybody winds up happy (except the cat).
Great story about unconditional love even for a baby that's different than expected.
Great story about unconditional love even for a baby that's different than expected.
April 20, 2017
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews