WHY DO I HAVE TO EAT OFF THE FLOOR? by Chris Hornsey

I had to share a highlight from my weekend's book shopping. I picked up WHY DO I HAVE TO EAT OFF THE FLOOR by Chris Hornsey. This is a picture book with simple text and amusing illustrations. In the book, the dog asks its owner many questions such as the one that serves as the title. (My favorite was "Why can't I drive the car?") I am not always a fan of books written by the dog in the family. But this one is a must-have. The dog is your pretty typical house pet with some great facial expressions. While reading it aloud to my daughter, I quickly realized that the questions the dog was asking its owner, are those same questions that my 7 year old asks me---the "why can't I" questions of life. The owner finally reminds the dog that he is a dog, not a person:-) (I have seen quite a few dogs shopping at the mall lately, dressed up and in strollers, so this could be a good message for lots of dogs!) This would be a fun book for young children. It could also be used with older kids in writing workshop. It has lots of possibilities. This book was originally published in Australia in 2005.