What do you think?
Rate this book
I Want a Dog
A girl seeks her perfect pet at a wonderfully unusual animal shelter in this comical read-aloud by the award-winning creator of Life on Mars
The Copley County Animal Shelter has an aardvark, a lizard, a goose, a weasel, and plenty more. But do they have a puppy? The girl with her wagon is ready to adopt a dog—not an aardvark, lizard, or goose! Can the shelter manager help her to find her perfect pet?
The Copley County Animal Shelter has an aardvark, a lizard, a goose, a weasel, and plenty more. But do they have a puppy? The girl with her wagon is ready to adopt a dog—not an aardvark, lizard, or goose! Can the shelter manager help her to find her perfect pet?
34 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2019
About the author
Jon Agee
53 books170 followersI grew up in Nyack, New York, just up the street from the Hudson River. In our house, there was always an art project going on.
My early drawings were very animated: a lot of stuff zipping around, airplanes, racing cars, football players. No surprise my first published drawing was a pack of rats running along a highway (The Rat Race). I did that for the New York Times Op Ed page when I was still in high school.
I went to college at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. I studied painting, sculpture and filmmaking, but what I loved doing most—in my spare time—was drawing cartoons and comic strips.
When I graduated, I hauled my pile of doodles into the offices of a bunch of editors, with the wild notion that somebody might publish them. When that failed, I wrote a story for kids to go with my pictures (If Snow Falls). It was two sentences long (which counts, by the way). Frances Foster, a wonderful editor at Random House, saw something in that book and signed me up.
The next book, Ellsworth, was about a dog who teaches economics at a university. When he gets home, he throws off his clothes and acts like a dog, which is fine, until some fellow teachers discover this and he loses his job. Somebody told me that Ellsworth was a story about "being yourself." I never realized it had a moral.
I moved to another publisher with Ludlow Laughs, the story of a grumpy guy who laughs in his sleep. This book was doing very poorly until the comedienne Phyliss Diller read it on PBS's Reading Rainbow. It stayed in print for over twenty years.
My fourth book, The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau, was a hit. One of the first people to see it and give it the thumb's up—literally, hot off the press—was Maurice Sendak. We bumped into each other at the printers. It was a lucky first meeting, and happily not our last.
That was all a long time ago. Since then I've written many other picture books, illustrated a few by other authors, and created a series of offbeat wordplay books, beginning with the book of palindromes, Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog!
I visit schools across the country and sometimes around the globe. I live with my wife, Audrey, in San Francisco.
My early drawings were very animated: a lot of stuff zipping around, airplanes, racing cars, football players. No surprise my first published drawing was a pack of rats running along a highway (The Rat Race). I did that for the New York Times Op Ed page when I was still in high school.
I went to college at The Cooper Union School of Art in New York City. I studied painting, sculpture and filmmaking, but what I loved doing most—in my spare time—was drawing cartoons and comic strips.
When I graduated, I hauled my pile of doodles into the offices of a bunch of editors, with the wild notion that somebody might publish them. When that failed, I wrote a story for kids to go with my pictures (If Snow Falls). It was two sentences long (which counts, by the way). Frances Foster, a wonderful editor at Random House, saw something in that book and signed me up.
The next book, Ellsworth, was about a dog who teaches economics at a university. When he gets home, he throws off his clothes and acts like a dog, which is fine, until some fellow teachers discover this and he loses his job. Somebody told me that Ellsworth was a story about "being yourself." I never realized it had a moral.
I moved to another publisher with Ludlow Laughs, the story of a grumpy guy who laughs in his sleep. This book was doing very poorly until the comedienne Phyliss Diller read it on PBS's Reading Rainbow. It stayed in print for over twenty years.
My fourth book, The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau, was a hit. One of the first people to see it and give it the thumb's up—literally, hot off the press—was Maurice Sendak. We bumped into each other at the printers. It was a lucky first meeting, and happily not our last.
That was all a long time ago. Since then I've written many other picture books, illustrated a few by other authors, and created a series of offbeat wordplay books, beginning with the book of palindromes, Go Hang a Salami! I'm a Lasagna Hog!
I visit schools across the country and sometimes around the globe. I live with my wife, Audrey, in San Francisco.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
September 28, 2023
It was nice to see this one on the 'newly aquired' shelf at my library, although it was written some time ago it is still a fun read.
Although this was a light-hearted and fun book about wanting an animal companion, it would have been nice to hear a message about animals being happiest in their natural environments but overall this was a story about caring for animals.
Although this was a light-hearted and fun book about wanting an animal companion, it would have been nice to hear a message about animals being happiest in their natural environments but overall this was a story about caring for animals.
September 6, 2021
I absolutely adored this book! It was so cute! I loved the story and the art. It was just great fun and I found myself chuckling to myself throughout. The art was just precious. Normally I like really bright, rich, or deep colors, but in this case the color has a really nice muted quality that felt just right for the story. As an added bonus it's a great book to teach your kids about a few different types of animals and the words are decently simple, so it's good for a beginning reader. I highly recommend this book to kids--and adults--of all ages.
September 21, 2019
Arriving at the Happydale Animal Shelter, a young girl requests a dog, only to be offered every other conceivable option, when it comes to an animal companion to adopt. She resists all efforts at distraction, and rejects every possible substitution, until she eventually learns that they don't have any dogs. About to depart, she is offered one final alternative, in the form of a seal...
As a great fan of Jon Agee's picture-books, someone who usually finds his stories and artwork quite amusing, I picked up I Want a Dog with every expectation of enjoyment. Unfortunately, although I found the illustrations here as droll as ever, somehow the story just didn't entertain me as much as I'd hoped it would. Humor is an idiosyncratic thing, and this one just didn't manage to tickle my funny bone. Tastes vary, of course, so other picture-book readers (especially fellow Agee fans) will still want to give this one a try.
As a great fan of Jon Agee's picture-books, someone who usually finds his stories and artwork quite amusing, I picked up I Want a Dog with every expectation of enjoyment. Unfortunately, although I found the illustrations here as droll as ever, somehow the story just didn't entertain me as much as I'd hoped it would. Humor is an idiosyncratic thing, and this one just didn't manage to tickle my funny bone. Tastes vary, of course, so other picture-book readers (especially fellow Agee fans) will still want to give this one a try.
November 3, 2019
I almost want to give this two stars but I can’t figure out why I was so put off by it. Maybe it’s my mood, but Agee’s books are hit or miss for me anyway. I think my kid was indifferent to it but we’ll see. Usually I’m all about the absurd.
Eh, bumping it down because I hate this whole dynamic of an older dude trying to tell a little girl she doesn’t want what she wants. And with no logic as to why she should chose something different. I know not everyone will get that out of this book but it just doesn’t sit well with me.
Eh, bumping it down because I hate this whole dynamic of an older dude trying to tell a little girl she doesn’t want what she wants. And with no logic as to why she should chose something different. I know not everyone will get that out of this book but it just doesn’t sit well with me.
January 13, 2020
A young girl sets her sights on adopting a dog from an animal shelter.
February 9, 2020
Three stars for just being so incredibly odd, from the suit-and-tie-wearing animal shelter employee to the out-of-left-field ending. I think kids will like this.
Read
May 13, 2021Happydale Animal Shelter sounds like the perfect place to go when you want to adopt a dog, right? Wrong! The friendly man at the shelter brings out a multitude of pets who are available for adoption including a baboon, a python, an adorable armadillo, and even a lizard dressed up like a dog. And mister, we are pretty sure that goldfish is not just playing dead. =( The little girl in the story insists she wants a dog who is loyal, loving, smart, cuddly, goofy, courageous. . .and the best friend you could ever have in the world. What does she take home? You will have to read the book and find out. *Review by Darla from Red Bridge*
November 14, 2019
I don't know: I get what it's going for, but it seems very weird that in 2019 a children's book's entire premise is that an old (white) dude continuously tells a little girl that she doesn't know what she wants when she's articulated it clearly for him a dozen times.
YMMV.
YMMV.
September 22, 2019
I would like to give this book 3 1/2 stars. The text is cute and pretty funny. The illustrations are really good. The book or at least the cover art is misleading. When you see a character on the cover of a book you pretty much expect that character to be in the book. The dog isn't in the book at all. I get that the plot of the book is that the animal shelter manager offers the girl everything except a dog to adopt. All she wants is a dog. But she changes her mind when offered a seal. She should have held out for the dog.
October 10, 2019
Super-silly and extra funny story of a girl who goes to the Happydale Animal Shelter looking for a dog...and gets a big surprise regarding just how many different unusual critters there are waiting for a home.
It struck me that a decade or two ago, the little girl in the story probably would have been walking into a pet shop; slowly but surely, minds are changing so that a pet shop no longer seems like a good option.
Humane families note: At one point, the shelter manager brings out a dead fish floating in a bowl, and like the rest of the story, this is played for laughs.
It struck me that a decade or two ago, the little girl in the story probably would have been walking into a pet shop; slowly but surely, minds are changing so that a pet shop no longer seems like a good option.
Humane families note: At one point, the shelter manager brings out a dead fish floating in a bowl, and like the rest of the story, this is played for laughs.
September 19, 2019
A little girl heads to the Happydale Animal Shelter to get a dog. The man there agrees that a dog makes an excellent pet, but keeps on offering the girl different animals. Perhaps an awesome anteater? A python? A baboon? Maybe a frog that barks and hides bones? Except frogs can’t do that. How about a lizard dressed up as a dog? It turns out that Happydale Animal Shelter doesn’t have a dog, so the man asks the girl why she wants a dog. Based on her list, he offers her a seal. And you know what? It’s just the right pet for her.
Agee has such a great way of incorporating the surreal with the normal in his books. In this one, we have the normal process of adopting a pet entirely sidetracked with wild animals that would make horrible pets. Readers will love seeing each of the interesting animals and not knowing what is coming next. Agee merrily breaks his series of animals with a dead goldfish and then with the final twist of the seal as the right pet. Agee’s art is his signature watercolor with thick black lines and subdued colors.
A great pick for dog storytimes, even if it doesn’t actually have a dog. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Agee has such a great way of incorporating the surreal with the normal in his books. In this one, we have the normal process of adopting a pet entirely sidetracked with wild animals that would make horrible pets. Readers will love seeing each of the interesting animals and not knowing what is coming next. Agee merrily breaks his series of animals with a dead goldfish and then with the final twist of the seal as the right pet. Agee’s art is his signature watercolor with thick black lines and subdued colors.
A great pick for dog storytimes, even if it doesn’t actually have a dog. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
November 6, 2019
When you go to the animal shelter, do you expect to be offered everything but a dog? No! But that's what happens in this adorable book. It's trademark Jon Agee, wry humor, sketched illustrations, and total heart. Highly recommend.
December 24, 2019
Winter break Bookaday #7. What girl doesn’t want a dog of her own? Except when another pet is offered!
May 8, 2020
A child wants a pet dog, but when the animal shelter has everything but a dog, she might change her mind. Nice large illustrations for a group reading.
Enthusiastically read by Miss Molly.
Enthusiastically read by Miss Molly.
November 15, 2021
Nope. Every kindergartener had the same face after hearing the ending of this book. "Whaaa...?"
February 16, 2022
One of Agee's books was a success in Brazil, so we keep seeing his books translated here. This one is disappointing: the dead goldfish was very tasteless, and I also thought it was a bit horrible the "Dogs are overrated" line, even though I also think dogs are overrated and I vastly prefer cats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZgej...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZgej...
January 6, 2023
ending was pretty bad and unexpected. spolier: she didn’t get a dog.
Read
November 4, 2024lovely illustrations, can improve children's understanding of the world and their animal knowledge
September 2, 2026
I would be so annoyed if I was the girl. An older guy giving me everything except what I want!! Arrghh!!
November 8, 2019
Need a book for a dog (or pet) themed story time? This 1 was very silly and has a surprise twist!
December 5, 2019
Delightful. I have so much respect for Agee's ability to put a fresh spin with magical artwork on topics that range from family life to social importance. A confident little girl visits an animal shelter to choose a pet dog. The man at the shelter is just as confident that he can convince her that she does not need a dog. The whimsy begins with trying to sell her on taking home a porcupine, a weasel or armadillo. The humorous dance of minds continues with more exotic animals being introduced to her by the calm and upbeat man. He tries to tempt her creature after creature with their talents as a potential pet. So fun. A charmer for pre-school to second grade story time. Older children and adults will love reading it to young ones. Could also serve as a whimsical springboard for a second/third grade class learning about the habitats and behaviors of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and fish.
His stories never grow old in my mind and heart. They are ageless.
His stories never grow old in my mind and heart. They are ageless.
October 1, 2019
A great choice for a child who is working on being more flexible, which is what I was hoping for. This book made my four year old laugh, and he saw a positive, happy outcome despite the little girl not getting what she expected. I wouldn't recommend this book for all children though. Not for the child that needs to see the main character sticking with her decision.
November 12, 2024
Een klein meisje wil heel graag een hond... maar heeft het asiel wel het dier dat zij wil?
Ik vind Jon Agee's boeken echt heerlijk om te lezen dus toen ik dit boek in de bieb zag, ja, die moest natuurlijk meteen worden gereserveerd en daarna lekker gelezen. En ik heb me toch genoten!
In dit toffe prentenboek ontmoeten we een klein meisje met een hele grote wens! Ze wil een hond! Gelukkig is er een asiel in de buurt dus gaat ze daar, met haar kleine rode karretje, naar toe. Maar zal ze ook een hond vinden? Want het asiel heeft echt allerlei dieren. Zo probeert de beste man van het asiel het meisje een hagedis aan te smeren (met een mooi kleed om te doen alsof het een hond is), een dode goudvis (dat was een ongelukje), een aapje, en nog meer dieren komen langs. We zien dat het meisje steeds ongeduldiger wordt (en ik gaf haar geen ongelijk want kom op ze zegt toch heel specifiek dat ze een hond wilt, dan moet je niet aankomen met een dier dat niet eens woef zegt, al kan ie misschien wel een bal brengen). Ik was nieuwsgierig naar twee dingen, zou het meisje ECHT boos worden en wat voor dieren had die man nog meer en hoe komt ie aan zo'n diversiteit (want meestal is het toch voornamelijk katten/honden).
Wel, ik kan je zeggen dat het meisje inderdaad klaar is. Maar wat daarna gebeurde? Ja, dat zag ik niet aankomen en ik moest wel echt lachen. Heerlijk! En ik moest ook zeker lachen om de reactie van het meisje. En daarna ging is aww, want het was ook wel erg zoet.
En de illustraties waren ook erg leuk. Pasten goed bij het verhaal!
Dus ja, wil jij weten of het meisje toch een hond heeft gevonden? Lees dan zeker dit boek! Ik zou hem zeker aanraden~
Recensie ook gepost op https://boekeneiland.nl/ en een ENG review volgt in December.
English review:
A little girl really really wants a dog… but does the nearby shelter have the animal she really wants?
I love Jon Agee’s books, they are a delight to read, so when I saw this book in the library I immediately put a reservation on it, picked it up, and read it. I had so much fun reading it~
In this delightful picture book we meet a little girl with a big big wish! She wants a dog! Thankfully for her there is an animal shelter nearby and so the girl along with a small red cart go off to visit the shelter and find the dog of her dreams. But will she find one there? Because if there is one thing that this shelter has, it is lots of animals. Big, small, scaly, hairy. We see that the man of the animal shelter tries to sell her a lizard (with a pretty blanket to make it look like a dog), a dead goldfish (oops, that was an accident), a monkey, and many other animals pass by. We see that the girl is getting more and more impatient and grumpy (and I didn’t blame here, she was quite clear on her wishes, so don’t come with an animal that doesn’t even say woof, though it is was nice he may be able to bring a ball back). I was curious about TWO things, would the girl get REAL angry and what kind of animals did this man/shelter have hiding in that backroom + how did he manage to get such a menagerie of animals (mostly in shelters it is dogs/cats).
Well, I can tell you that the girl is indeed DONE with it all. What happened after that? Well, I didn’t see it coming, and I had such a big laugh! I love it! The girl’s reaction after this made me laugh as well, I think I would have reacted the same, haha. And after that it is AWW, because it was so sweet what happens next.
The illustrations were fab again! They fit so well with the story and I love seeing the variety of animals.
So, if you want to know if the dog has found a dog? Well, then read this book! I would highly recommend it!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Ik vind Jon Agee's boeken echt heerlijk om te lezen dus toen ik dit boek in de bieb zag, ja, die moest natuurlijk meteen worden gereserveerd en daarna lekker gelezen. En ik heb me toch genoten!
In dit toffe prentenboek ontmoeten we een klein meisje met een hele grote wens! Ze wil een hond! Gelukkig is er een asiel in de buurt dus gaat ze daar, met haar kleine rode karretje, naar toe. Maar zal ze ook een hond vinden? Want het asiel heeft echt allerlei dieren. Zo probeert de beste man van het asiel het meisje een hagedis aan te smeren (met een mooi kleed om te doen alsof het een hond is), een dode goudvis (dat was een ongelukje), een aapje, en nog meer dieren komen langs. We zien dat het meisje steeds ongeduldiger wordt (en ik gaf haar geen ongelijk want kom op ze zegt toch heel specifiek dat ze een hond wilt, dan moet je niet aankomen met een dier dat niet eens woef zegt, al kan ie misschien wel een bal brengen). Ik was nieuwsgierig naar twee dingen, zou het meisje ECHT boos worden en wat voor dieren had die man nog meer en hoe komt ie aan zo'n diversiteit (want meestal is het toch voornamelijk katten/honden).
Wel, ik kan je zeggen dat het meisje inderdaad klaar is. Maar wat daarna gebeurde? Ja, dat zag ik niet aankomen en ik moest wel echt lachen. Heerlijk! En ik moest ook zeker lachen om de reactie van het meisje. En daarna ging is aww, want het was ook wel erg zoet.
En de illustraties waren ook erg leuk. Pasten goed bij het verhaal!
Dus ja, wil jij weten of het meisje toch een hond heeft gevonden? Lees dan zeker dit boek! Ik zou hem zeker aanraden~
Recensie ook gepost op https://boekeneiland.nl/ en een ENG review volgt in December.
English review:
A little girl really really wants a dog… but does the nearby shelter have the animal she really wants?
I love Jon Agee’s books, they are a delight to read, so when I saw this book in the library I immediately put a reservation on it, picked it up, and read it. I had so much fun reading it~
In this delightful picture book we meet a little girl with a big big wish! She wants a dog! Thankfully for her there is an animal shelter nearby and so the girl along with a small red cart go off to visit the shelter and find the dog of her dreams. But will she find one there? Because if there is one thing that this shelter has, it is lots of animals. Big, small, scaly, hairy. We see that the man of the animal shelter tries to sell her a lizard (with a pretty blanket to make it look like a dog), a dead goldfish (oops, that was an accident), a monkey, and many other animals pass by. We see that the girl is getting more and more impatient and grumpy (and I didn’t blame here, she was quite clear on her wishes, so don’t come with an animal that doesn’t even say woof, though it is was nice he may be able to bring a ball back). I was curious about TWO things, would the girl get REAL angry and what kind of animals did this man/shelter have hiding in that backroom + how did he manage to get such a menagerie of animals (mostly in shelters it is dogs/cats).
Well, I can tell you that the girl is indeed DONE with it all. What happened after that? Well, I didn’t see it coming, and I had such a big laugh! I love it! The girl’s reaction after this made me laugh as well, I think I would have reacted the same, haha. And after that it is AWW, because it was so sweet what happens next.
The illustrations were fab again! They fit so well with the story and I love seeing the variety of animals.
So, if you want to know if the dog has found a dog? Well, then read this book! I would highly recommend it!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
January 3, 2020
I Want A Dog (Dial Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC, September 24, 2019) written and illustrated by Jon Agee
Pulling her little red wagon, a young girl enters the Happydale Animal Shelter in search of a dog. There she is offered a multitude of options; none of which are a dog. It isn't until she is finally asked about the qualities which make a dog special, that she leaves with a perfect match. In a word---priceless.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
Pulling her little red wagon, a young girl enters the Happydale Animal Shelter in search of a dog. There she is offered a multitude of options; none of which are a dog. It isn't until she is finally asked about the qualities which make a dog special, that she leaves with a perfect match. In a word---priceless.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
April 22, 2019
A little girl goes into an animal shelter and asks the man in a suit running it for a dog. After trying to convince the little girl to take home numerous of other animals, the man in a suit finally admits he doesn't have a dog. He asks why she wants a dog and the little girl lists all of the positive qualities of a dog. The man in the suit comes out with an animal that is not a dog and it is not clear how this animal shares similar qualities to a dog but the little girl falls in love with it anyway.
Maybe this is the SJW in me, but the imagery of a white man in a suit trying to convince a little black girl that she doesn't want what she *thinks* she wants, but instead what he wants to give her borders on gaslighting.
I probably won't try to read this book again.
Maybe this is the SJW in me, but the imagery of a white man in a suit trying to convince a little black girl that she doesn't want what she *thinks* she wants, but instead what he wants to give her borders on gaslighting.
I probably won't try to read this book again.
November 23, 2019
As an animal lover, I just found this story to be inappropriate and wrong. The fact is too many people own exotic animals that they are incapable of caring for correctly and here the book is advocating for more adoptions of exotic pets! Jon Agee could have written the story outlining the issues about adopting each exotic like too big, needs a pool, eats too much... I didn't think the book was cute or humorous, and I was very sorry to see that the little girl gave up her dream to own a dog!
October 19, 2019
Great illustrations and simple back and forth text crackle with dead-pan humor.
I can’t help imagining a satiric picture book compendium made up of Jon Agee’s missing final pages... Stanley and his family’s skeletons on the Moon, a swimming pool filled with Seal poo...
I can’t help imagining a satiric picture book compendium made up of Jon Agee’s missing final pages... Stanley and his family’s skeletons on the Moon, a swimming pool filled with Seal poo...
July 1, 2019
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
October 1, 2019
I Want A Dog, is a book about a girl who wants a dog. She goes to Happydale Animal Shelter and asks the man for a dog. He brings her just about every animal but a dog. He brings a frog, a baboon, a goldfish, a snake, and even a lizard disguised as a dog, but no dog. This girl explains everything she admires about dogs, and the man takes those qualities and brings her a seal named Lucinda, and she takes her! This book is very light-hearted and easy to read so I would recommend it to a younger audience to read with a parent. I gave this book 3 stars, because I was a little confused about why she never got a dog, but the animals make the story interesting and engaging. The theme of this story is to keep an open mind when deciding things, because sometimes the unexpected thing is actually what you want.
May 23, 2023
This book came home with us after Story Time at the library today and it has been worn out. Good thing we checked out the Vox version as the book can read to the kids, too. Here is a summary of the story:
Happydale Animal Shelter sounds like the perfect place to go when you want to adopt a dog, right? Wrong! The friendly man at the shelter brings out a multitude of pets who are available for adoption including a baboon, a python, an adorable armadillo, and even a lizard dressed up like a dog. And mister, we are pretty sure that goldfish is not just playing dead. =( The little girl in the story insists she wants a dog who is loyal, loving, smart, cuddly, goofy, courageous. . .and the best friend you could ever have in the world. What does she take home? You will have to read the book and find out. We did. 🥰📚
Happydale Animal Shelter sounds like the perfect place to go when you want to adopt a dog, right? Wrong! The friendly man at the shelter brings out a multitude of pets who are available for adoption including a baboon, a python, an adorable armadillo, and even a lizard dressed up like a dog. And mister, we are pretty sure that goldfish is not just playing dead. =( The little girl in the story insists she wants a dog who is loyal, loving, smart, cuddly, goofy, courageous. . .and the best friend you could ever have in the world. What does she take home? You will have to read the book and find out. We did. 🥰📚
Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews