Alpha pups! and Pup and down by Sophie Beer

Little Hare Books, 2018, ISBN 9781760501952, 9781760501808
(Ages: 2+) Themes: Dogs. Dog Breeds. Opposites. Sophie Beer's fun board books focus on all things canine. With a bright bold palette, her lively puppy characters and everyday settings are just right to share with toddlers and pre-schoolers.
Alpha pups stretches the imagination with a dog breed for every letter of the alphabet from Afghan Hound to Zuchon. She includes everything from the unusual breeds - the Xoloitzcuintli - Mexican Hairless Dog to the more familiar Pug and Fox Terrier. Each puppy is dressed to impress and the additional props also start with the same letter, there's the Border Collie in a baseball shirt with his bat and ball and the Irish Wolfhound emerging from his icy igloo. The bold backgrounds and anthropomorphic characters flying kites, dancing, even riding scooters, add to enjoyment.
Pup and down introduces the concept of opposites with a puppy focus. While grandma is helped by her slow-walking dog, a young skateboarder zooms past with her dog balanced on her foot - fast and slow. Over and under go the two dogs that have stolen sausages from the butcher's shop, At the groomer's one dog has a curly do while the others had her hair straightened and her toe nails polished. At the library, there's a stereotypical shushing librarian silencing the loud dog while another reads quietly in the arm chair.
Sophie Beer's quirky digital illustrations are delightful, these puppy board books are bold and bright and lots of fun to share with youngsters.
Rhyllis Bignell