This One's for the Dogs

Once I Ate a Pie

by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest

illustrated by Katy Schneider

Today ... a book of poems! A first for Up Past Bedtime! It's kind of hard to describe a book of short poems without just giving away the actual poems, but I'll give it a whirl ...

Sumamry

Once I Ate a Pie is a collection of poems about dogs, all written from their own unique perspectives. Each poem is named after or describes the dog telling the story: there's Mr. Beefy, a rotund pug who admits to stealing (and eating!) tubs of butter off the table; Lucy, a shelter dog who now has things that are all her own; Louis, a fluffy pomeranian who BARKS! all the time; and Pocket, a tiny, hand-sized pup who doesn't understand why all of his things are so small when he feels so big.

Each poem is accompanied by a drawing of the canine narrator in action, and there is a subtle flow in the ages of the dogs, from new puppy, to wise old beast.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

I loved this book so much I bought two copies of it for Christmas gifts, and plan on giving more out in the future! So yes, it's definitely worth it! Any animal lover, especially one who understands dogs and the distinct personalities that come with each breed, will adore these poems, and will likely find one that he or she can relate to. The poems almost read like short stories, and the illustrations give a real personality to each pup. As a girl who has grown up with shelter and rescue pets all my life, I will admit that the poem about Lucy, the shelter dog, makes me tear up almost everytime I read it.

Recommended for any age.