"My Dog Never Says Please" by Suzanne Williams reviewed by Alyse Decker

An important message to teach children, especially at a young age is how to use good manners. A great book that helps emphasize the importance of using manners is titled, "My Dog Never Says Please." I was first introduced to this book while babysitting about a year ago and it has been one of my favorites ever since. The story starts off with little Ginny at the dinner table with her family. Like most children, Ginny is required to say please and thank you, use her napkin and chew with her mouth closed. Ginny is very angered that her dog, Ol' Red, can get away with anything, even if he doesn't say please. After dinner Ginny decides she wants to go play outside, but before she gets out the door her mother asks her to clean her room, and her dad wants her to put her shoes on. Again, Ginny is upset that Ol' Red doesn't have to clean, and he never wears shoes. Finally Ginny screams, "I want to be a dog." The next day, her parents allow her to act like a dog. So Ginny spends the day digging in the dirt, eating from a bowl, and playing fetch. As the day rolls on, Ginny is tired of begging for scraps and she notices a huge rain cloud rolling in.

If you want to know what Ginny does next read the rest of the story to find out. This book is so much fun and has a great message. A book like this is fantastic to have around a school classroom. Whenever a day pops up that students are continuously forgetting their manners, this is a great filler book to read to make a point. I would recommend "My Dog Never Says Please," to teachers of all elementary grade levels, but the younger students are going to appreciate the pictures, story, and message the most.