As the title confirms, Dog believes he is the best, and boy does he make it known. Dog introduces his friends- Ladybug, Mole, Goose, and Donkey, who he claims to love and adore. Unfortunately, Dog does not treat them as he should. As the story goes on, Dog boasts and brags to his friends. He points out and picks on each one of them, constantly reiterating he is “the best”. His favorite phrase, and quite frankly overused, is “I win. I’m the best.” This leaves Dog with a bunch of sad friends who are eager for revenge. Read along to find out how Dog learns his lesson the hard way. Because we all know, nobody likes a know-it-all.

I’m the Best delivers a crucial message to young readers. Friendship is not a competition. Making others feel bad for something they are not necessarily good at is the answer to chasing people away. Treat others the way you would like to be treated, it’s as simple as that!

The one aspect of this story that I did not fancy was the last page. After Dog learns his lesson and realizes bragging to his friends was rude, he makes a snide remark. Although this last line may have been intended to be sarcastic, maybe even funny, I thought it took the overall message a few steps back. (If I were to read it to my children, I would leave the last page out! Your call!)

Moving on… I can’t stress enough how immaculate the artwork is in this book. Watercolor, charcoal, and pastel drawings fill the pages with such exuberance. The animals and their surrounding scenery are full of energy and enjoyable to look at. The writing is also hand written which adds a touch of personality to each page.

By Lucy Cousins

Hardcover, 32 pages.

Ages 3-5

I recommend this