A very cute read aloud book. Perfect for all animal lovers, and those who aren't so much. Fun pictures to go with!

4★
“Dogs are STUPID. Fine, I’ll prove it – watch this…”

A world-weary grey cat sets out to demonstrate how silly dogs are by encouraging a happy-go-lucky golden dog to do tricks. The dog brings the cat a red ball which the cat immediately tosses into a mud puddle, so of course the dog dives in, comes out, and shakes mud all over the cat, as anyone truly familiar with dogs would have expected.

Then the dog helps itself to a roll around in the cow pasture, as the cow watches idly on.

[My Goodreads review includes an tillustration of the dog rolling in a cowpat.]
“See what I mean?”

The cat acknowledges that they have a good sense of smell but is not impressed with how they smell each other’s backsides. Then the cat introduces some of the many kinds of dogs.

[My Goodreads review includes an tillustration of some different dogs.]
“wrinkly… pinkly… mop… cop… way over the top”

[My Goodreads review includes an tillustration with more dogs.]
“hairy… scary… spotty… Scottie…”

The cat wanders through the neighbourhood pointing out some of his friends, saying “You know what you’re getting with a cat. No big surprises.”

That would seem to be true until, while facing the other way, he walks straight into a big ‘post’ which turns out to be quite a big surprise.

[My Goodreads review includes an tillustration of a giant tiger chasing the cat.]
“ Errrr, BIG CAT!! Nice kitty? RAAAAH!”

Poor cat is treed by the angry tiger and makes an admission.

[My Goodreads review includes an tillustration of a lot of the dogs barking and scaring the tiger away.]
“Actually, there is one good thing about dogs… they’re loyal. In fact…”

[My Goodreads review includes an tillustration of the dog and cat snuggled together in a pet bed.]
“a dog is the best friend you can have.”

I liked the way the cat’s expression changed from superciliously exasperated with the apparent dumbness of dogs to an accepting understanding that we all have a place iin the world and can be friends.

Hear hear!

Thanks to NetGalley and Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the copy for review.

A warm and funny book about pets, friends, and the power of perspective.
I loved this book on so many levels! If you are looking for a fun read for a young child who likes animals this is spot on. With bright illustrations and witty wording it will delight adults and children alike.
If I put my teacher hat on this book is perfect to use in an inquiry about animals as a mentor text. It also would be a mentor text when talking about persuasive writing and bias. The book is written from the point of view of the cat and is biased towards how a cat might feel about a dog. It draws attention to the way an author can influence the audience. So many rich discussion points and opportunities to get students to write their own version.

Thank you to the author, illustrator, publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read an early edition. All thoughts are my own.

Reading this short book was so moving! I have a dog and I love him so much that it was obvious I wanted to get his arc. As a dog person and owner I cried a lot at the end: dogs are really our best friends!

Well, according to this book authored by a cat, all you need to know about dogs is that they are stupid. (Oh, and, maybe a few other things.) This is a funny look at how one beloved species is perceived by its sworn enemy. A very clever, cute, and hilarious book that would make a great read-aloud.

Written from the point of view of a cat....who thinks dogs are stupid. This story details how Cat can prove it! He thinks he cats are better and you know what you're getting...after all dogs do stupid things like jump in dirty water. Dogs are all different sizes. Cats, they just lay around, they are all the same or are they? Cat then decides there is one good thing about dogs...

Good fun picture book. Love the illustrations.

Absolutely hilarious! I love it when kids picture books make me giggle out loud.

The illustrations are extremely fun and they flow with the story. The characters are incredibly expressive and it's a joy to read. Have I mentioned that it's pure fun and it will make laugh out loud?

I loved it!

As you might imagine, this is quite a silly picture book. It’s very cute, especially the end. As a side note to the author (A. Cat), I actually have a cat that chases her tail and my dog does not chase his.

In a Nutshell: Such an adorable picture book! Funny and sweet! Perfect for all little pet lovers.

Had the title just been “All You Need to Know About Dogs”, this would have been yet another truthful report confirming how dogs are so awesome. What makes a difference is the author. Not Fred Blunt - he’s only the second credited author (and illustrator.) The main author is A. Cat. *wink wink* And as we all know, cats are masters of sarcastic looks and condescending remarks. Needless to say, when “A. Cat” writes a book about dogs, the result is hilarious.

Our feline author-cum-narrator declares that dogs are stupid. He voices his opinion in a style typical of cats: bored, fed up, and crotchety. Every page aims to highlight how dogs make life difficult. And of course, there is praise for cats. Just when you begin to think that poor dogs stand no chance against this catty tirade, something happens. The ending, as perfect as could be, left me with a big grin.

The cover page gives an exact idea of the kind of illustrations inside: bright colourful pastels that seem to combine pencil sketches with crayon-style fill-ins. I love this kind of artwork in kiddie books because it brings a kind of vibrant energy to the graphics. The dogs, who appear in all shapes and sizes, are the perfect addition to the sketches, as is the narrator A. Cat, who is clearly frustrated with every canine he knows.

The text is perfect for little ones. Simple lines scattered across the page without making it look cluttered. There’s a whole load of adjectives in here, so this book will also be great for a beginner class on adjectives.

One content warning, though. (Honestly, I am not sure if this needs to be put as a warning, but just being safe.) The cat uses the word 'stupid' to refer to dogs. If you know cats, you know that's exactly how they would describe dogs. But might not be a suitable word in a kids book. I loved the rest so much that I ignored this issue.

Heartily recommended with all my dog-adoring (and cat-loving) heart! This cute, sweet, and hilarious picture book will surely delight little ones, especially if they also love cats and/or dogs.

5 booming woofs! (Or should that be ‘5 snarky meows’?)

The above rating is double endorsed by the two little animal lovers at home.

My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “All You Need to Know About Dogs”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This book is a five-star read. A cat is telling you all you need to know about dogs and how they are stupid and worthless. Until the cat needs them. This book is funny and full of heart, and the story flows well. There is nothing to dislike about this book. The illustrations are drawn to look like a very good kid did them. This is the type of book I think of when I think of happy books and I’m glad that they’re putting out stories like this.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinion are completely my own.

I love Unicorns Not Wanted so I was very excited to see another Fred Blunt book pop up for review.

I adored this book and although I'm a dog lover, the cat in this story is correct in all claims.

This is a great book for preschool students! I read it in my 4 year old class and my kids laughed a lot! Definitely for dog lovers. A sweet book for boys and girls! I highly recommend this book for your summer reading rotation

An absolutely fun, silly and creative story. Told from the cat point of view, he lets us know the many reasons why he thinks dogs are stupid. What he didn't expect was a scary moment and being in need of help. Who comes to the rescue? You guessed it, a dog. This story was a real laugh out loud fun time for us. The illustrations are whimsical and fun which fit the story completely. It is well written in simple text that is easy to follow for all ages. It makes story time super fun. You will love this tender and meaningful tale to share with your little ones. A family favorite for sure.

This is a fun picture book that takes a light hearted look at dogs through the eyes of a cat. It's a nice device that I think young children will enjoy, and I think it will be a good book to share.
The illustrations perfectly match the tone of the text and add to the overall enjoyment. The small twist at the end is lovely and perfectly concluded this enjoyable book.

Pros: I found this book about dogs from a cat's point of view to be delightfully funny. The cat's "voice" and facial expressions in the illustrations were clever and perfectly represented a stereotypical cat. It is a fun celebration of both cats and dogs.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Frances Lincoln Children's Books | Happy Yak for the opportunity to read this book.

Simple plot that has no originality. Stock characters. Expressive and cartoonish art style. Diligent images that could tell the story without words. Teaches the importance of unlikely friendships. Narrator has attitude. A fun yet short time. Introduces the simple yet delightful feeling of finding unexpected friends. Recommended for those wanting a spunky adventure. Overall, an average read.

A cute fun book about why a cat does not like dogs - but in the end they are not all bad. Funny illustrations that made me smile. If I feel down one day I might reread it to brighten my day.

🐈‍⬛ In this delightful picture book, an opinionated cat shares its candid observations about dogs. According to the cat, dogs obediently follow commands, engage in peculiar behaviors like sniffing backsides, and tend get dirty. While they come in various shapes and sizes, they lack the inherent coolness of cats. Cats, on the other hand, are awesome, calm, and predictable. Right?

🐕 However, as the story unfolds, the cat discovers that dogs possess at least one remarkable quality. To find out what it is, readers will need to dive into the book!

🐈‍⬛ The whimsical illustrations add to the fun, with their exaggerated and cartoonish style.

🐕 One minor critique: The cat occasionally refers to the dog as ‘stupid,’ a term most parents would prefer their children not use. Despite this, the book remains humorous and wraps up with an adorable ending that will delight kids and amuse parents.

Thank you @netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group/Frances Lincoln Children’s Books/Happy Yak for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

My child loved it right from the first page. He was laughing, I was laughing, and even my husband laughed from the other room - just from that first page. Best start ever!

This was a very cute, clever book. My 4 year old loved it. It was just the right ratio of reading to imagery for him, and the illustrations kept him engaged with the story. The ending was adorable.