This was a cute story about the first night Charley spent at home with his new owner. I can relate with Henry because the first couple of nights that my current dog was with us, she would howl like crazy. My parents eventually gave up just as Henry does and would let her sleep with them in their bed. I loved the layout of the book because it allowed you to focus on the text and pictures separately. This was like a prequel to Hest's other boy and his dog book, The Reader. I liked this one more, because it's about disobedience in the face of a Catch-22. It was a better narrative because of that conflict than The Reader. I appreciate the 'boy and his dog' from The Reader more now since reading Lu's review, and might have liked to see these books as a chapter book or even a series, something to allow another conflict-based narrative to bookend with Charley around the more benign story of The Reader? [Hey, Lu, you changed your rating to a 2--did I bully you? I thought you were right on.]Oxenbury does what she always does, pulling no punches on the darlingness. It's very quaint, familiar, and comfy. I like this style, and the subtle palette for this book made it even more palatable.
What do You think about Charley's First Night (2012)?
I liked this book and thought it was a nice book for young students as a read aloud
—gabitxu
Amy Hest and Helen Oxenbury, who wouldn't like this story?
—Bookworm
Of course we know where the puppy will end up!
—Marcie
