Taking a Bath With the Dog

Taking a Bath with the Dog and Other Things that Make Me Happy
Author/Illustrator: Scott Menchin
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN-10: 0763629197
ISBN-13: 978-0763629199

"I miss your smile today, Sweet Pea. What would make you happy?"

Sweet Pea decides to take a survey of what makes her happy and come up with a list on this day she’s feeling sad. She walks about her neighborhood gathering answers and half way through the book is smiling herself. She gets answers from a bat who loves sleeping upside down, a rabbit on a hamster wheel who loves running around, a man in park who loves counting, the moon who loves smiling and a centipede who loves shoes among others.

The illustrations are vivid and humorous with bright pastel colors that capture a sense of whimsy and fun. Each page conveys a small sense of joy and happiness and will show young children that happiness is to be found in the smallest of things.



At the end of the book when Sweet Pea’s mother asks if she found what made her happy there is a rebus like list of fun things with fun illustrations. There are answers like tickle my baby brother, cake cookies with faces, paint on eggs, sit in my dad’s chair, blow bubbles, drink tea with Grandma and many others including taking a bath with the dog.

Taking a Bath with the Dog and Other Things that Make Me Happy is a perfectly charming book and one that young children will love. Aiden loves it for the dog pictures and Jasmine loves it because it makes her smile. We think you’ll like it too.

About the author:

Scott Menchin is the illustrator of the picture book WIGGLE by Doreen Cronin as well as MAN GAVE NAMES TO ALL THE ANIMALS, an award-winning children’s book based on a hit song by Bob Dylan. He has created illustrations for TIME, NEWSWEEK, the NEW YORK TIMES, ROLLING STONE, and other publications, as well as for several major companies. Scott Menchin lives in New York City