Try explaining to someone from Japan why you get *in* a car but *on* a train.)Īs a bonus, this book is long. (If you think prepositions are easy, it's only because you're a native speaker. If I was still teaching ESL students, I would use this to clue in struggling students about prepositions. Lots of basic words used in different situations make it a great tool. Seriously though, I had a great time reading this book with my little boy. There were just too many structural problems with the story for that.

Ultimately, when reading a book like this, the question you have to ask yourself is 'Would I buy the sequel?' And I have to say, with some regret, that I wouldn't. The one saving grace of the book was the 'Do you like my hat?' subplot, which was very tight in its execution and satisfying in its resolution. And, unfortunately, the story is severely lacking here. That said, you can have a book that contains big ideas AND an interesting story too. Are we a green dog or a yellow one? Is it day or night? These are big questions, and they need to be asked. Eastman is asking bold questions about how things are related to one another. I respect what the author is attempting to do here, thematically. What's more, the plot is a mess, leaping from event to event almost randomly at times. It's full of needless repetition, which makes it longer than it needs to be. I know this is a classic and all, but I had a hard time making it through this book.

Go dog go the book