No Dog in my Yard


Children - Picture Book
40 Pages
Reviewed on 05/16/2022
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Tricia DellAnno is a New York native, wife to John, and mother to Jonathan, a very tenacious boy on a mission to get a dog. It’s Jonathan’s determination that led Tricia to write “No Dog in my Yard”. Before becoming a Children’s Lit Author, she earned undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Communications as well as her master’s in Human Resources Development. Tricia worked for Wegmans Food Markets for 25 years in various roles including Division Human Resource Manager, Leadership and Talent Development Manager, and Talent Sourcing Manager.

Tricia has combined her love of writing and humor to create the comical children’s book “No Dog in my Yard”. Tricia believes in relatable stories that entertain children and adults alike and provide life lessons without kids knowing (like hiding the finely chopped cauliflower in the mac and cheese).

In her free time, Tricia loves spending time with family and friends, traveling, biking, trying to grow giant pumpkins, and rescuing abandoned furniture from the side of the road and giving it new life.

Visit www.goldendoodlerules.com to meet the real-life characters (both humans and dogs), find freebies for the kids, and learn about upcoming releases.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

No Dog in My Yard, written by Tricia DellAnno and illustrated Jim Pearson, is a children's picture book about a child whose greatest desire is to have a dog. The book begins with a young boy taking stock of his neighborhood and the number of dogs that live in it; nine in total, and not a single one is his. He begs his parents and implements his 'plan A': to introduce them to dogs he thinks they might like. This appears to further convince them they are not a 'dog family' and are firm in conveying this to their son. Plan B for the boy involves elevating his responsibility game by saving money, working harder around the house, improving his grades at school, and proving his ability to care for a dog by walking neighborhood dogs and picking up their poop. The parents are impressed and surprise him with Millie, the puppy he has so longed for.

As a parent it is extremely difficult to make a child understand that bringing a pet into the home is a massive responsibility. This goes beyond walks and poop and tearing up pillows. It is usually a costly, decades-long commitment to an actual new member of the family. The dog's health and the practicalities of space, who takes care of them when the human family is on vacation, and whether there is enough energy to give an animal the life they deserve. I loved that No Dog in My Yard was not just about a child getting a puppy and parents being portrayed as ambivalent. Tricia DellAnno writes in child-friendly lyrical prose and describes changes made by the child over time, which are sustained and beyond a point where another child might start to slacken, ease up, or get bored. The transition from no dog to dog is measured and DellAnno is brilliant in describing how it unfolds. The artwork is spectacular. Jim Pearson breathes life into the family, their home, and their neighborhood in a palette of primary colors that are beautifully subdued, depicting the changing of seasons through sketch and original illustrations. Overall, this is a wonderful children's book and a welcome addition to our bedtime rotation.

Brian

I read this book to my granddaughters 7 & 8 years old, and they absolutely loved the story. They enjoyed the book and laughed a lot about all the puppies around the neighborhood. I liked reading to them because it teaches my granddaughters responsibility and commitment. They really enjoyed the one picture of the man grilling and Sig drooling because it looks like their Papa grilling with his boxer. I highly recommend this book to all children.

Melissa G.

I love this book - bought several copies and gave it as a gift to several children and the feedback was outstanding. A great story about the journey to becoming a dog-loving family! I hope there is more to come about the adventures that are part of growing together - puppy and people - becoming one forever family.

Nanee Noon

Great book about how to work towards a goal. Demonstrate capacity. A fun reach. I circulated the book to my staff, and everyone enjoyed it. Makes for a great gift!

Pina

Such a wonderful story about a young boy who wants to prove to his parents he is ready for the responsibility of having a dog.
A great teaching book for not only responsibility but perseverance! A must-have for every child's library!

Michael DeCocq

I loved reading this book! It is a great way to get children to understand the importance of goals, doing chores, listening to their parents, and working hard toward prizes, while teaching good habits. A smart and clever young man wanted to have a dog to call his own, but his parents wanted him to understand that before they would commit, young Jonathan needed to prove that he was committed to being responsible for cleaning his room, doing his chores, and ultimately caring for a dog. The illustrator was phenomenal, and this author is amazing!!

Jamie Z.

The illustrations were great, and the story was very relatable. My 5-year-old daughter loved it. Kudos!

Bill M.

"NO DOG IN MY YARD" is a very clever and humorous story about a boy and his dream, how he attempts to realize his dream, and finally how he reaches his goals. It illustrates how great determination and hard work pays off in a delightfully illustrated story. I loved it

Val H.

Beautifully illustrated, fun story that introduces kids to lovable characters who learn valuable lessons about working hard. My grandson has read it over and over. An enjoyable read for parents too! Highly recommend it for any kid's bookshelf!

Kim Geer

What a great book! Man’s best friend starts with Boy’s best friend. This story about Jonathan’s quest to convince his parents to get him a dog is both heartwarming and fun. We can all remember begging our parents for something we really wanted. I love how Jonathan works so hard to prove himself and is finally rewarded with his own dog Millie. Her loyalty, friendship, and companionship will stay with Jonathan throughout his entire life. Highly recommended addition to any Children’s library.

emaregemini

This book was great for my 7-year-old. Very relatable and the rhyming made it very catchy! Definitely recommend for kids of all ages!

UncleGup

I read this with my 9-year-old granddaughter, and she loved it!
Her words, "This gives me an idea about how I can get a cat!" (they've got 3 dogs!)

Sandy Stein

A great story with wonderful illustrations! A must read for all ages! Story shows how persistence and determination pays off!

Se.

Excellent book that both parents and children everywhere can relate to. Based on a real-life story, the illustrator brings life to a boy’s love of dogs and journey to having one of his own. I highly recommend this book!

Tina M. Russell

Lovely pictures and engaging text. As a teacher, you could use it to teach building an argument. I highly recommend!

Judy g

No Dog in my Yard is a wonderful book. This is not only good for younger children. It is so cute & lovable does an adult heart good as well.

Shelly

My daughter loves this book, we’ve read it every night since it came. Highly recommended!

Amy S.

This is an engaging and motivational story for young readers! I truly enjoyed the story and illustrations. Well done! This would be a great addition to any family's storybook collection.

Linda Cahill

What a sweet story about a boy’s determination to get a dog! Kids will enjoy Jonathan’s plotting and planning and the adorable illustrations in the story. It would be a nice addition to any elementary school library!

Marcy Ashley

Any child who ever wanted a dog can relate to this book. And any parent to struggles with when and if to get a pet will love the message in this story. Well done!!

Connie P.

Our grandkids love this book! The story is adorable and the illustrations are vibrant and fun! A must-have for any child’s library!!

Brittany

The story is so adorable, and the illustrations are incredible! Can't wait to add the hard copy to my kids' library!

Douglas Stuff

Following Jonathan on his quest will have you laughing and rooting for him. A great read for all. Well written and illustrated!

Teresa Delibert

love dogs so I am glad Johnathon won! But the true lesson is that hard work and responsibility pays off!!!

Heidi Fisher

This is a fantastic book with a wonderful lesson for kids about trying their best and taking initiative in their lives. It is engaging and funny as well. I would recommend this book to anyone who interacts with elementary students at home or at school.

Vera Harris

A great book with words that will make kids and adults enjoy. The illustrations are awesome too!

SandraJ

This book is a wonderful addition to a children’s library. The story is inspirational for kids with a fun, upbeat rhyming scheme. The illustrations are vibrant and fun to look at many times over. A great story, especially for those who love pets! This will be my go-to book for birthdays and baby showers!

Cornelius J. Flood III

What a wonderful book not just for children but for adults as well. The illustrations in this book are so captivating with each turning of the page. To the author, Tricia Dell’Anno, what an amazing accomplishment! One piece of advice to readers…beware… you may have a dog in your yard very soon!!

rae

This book brings back so many memories of how hard work and earning privileges taught lifelong lessons. As a family that enjoys our four-legged furry friends, we have many years of happy memories. I highly recommend this book for young elementary children and their families.

John S.

This is a wonderful book with a great story and amazing illustrations. The persistence of this little boy and how his folks react is comical. I think every parent can relate. Your child will want this one read repeatedly but as a parent, you won’t mind at all. Well done!!

Diana L Dorgan

This is a fun and inspirational book for kids. It teaches kids about responsibility and how one little boy was rewarded for his hard work and dedication to fulfill his dream. Highly recommend this book!

Carrie K.

A wonderful book to share with my nephews & nieces. It's fun and provides a learning experience while routing for Jonathan. The illustrations are most impressive. This book will be read over and over.

Margaret A Murphy

A fantastic book about a boy who really wanted a dog. His story shows that dreams do come true if you work for them. A wonderful read for any age!

meredith plankenhorn

Cute story for young readers! The illustrations are great and has simple text for even young readers to be able to follow along!

Virginia B

What a lovely example of how hard work and being responsible pays off. Wonderful illustrations.

Margaret

A beautifully illustrated book that teaches us that anything is possible with hard work and determination.
Nothing is better than the love of a dog.

Anonymous

Awesome book about how kids can learn responsibility and it might pay off in the end! Love this book! It is a must buy! Looking forward to more books from this author as well!

Danielle

This story brought back so many memories ... the relentless begging and pleading that eventually led to one of the best decisions we made for our family. Any parent that has been there needs to add this book to their library. Also, a must have for elementary school libraries. A great story of perseverance and responsibility. An added bonus, the illustrations are amazing. There is so much to see in every page.

Mrs. H

A cute story written in rhyme. A message that dogs are hard work and you must be responsible and ready to have one. Lovely illustrations.

Jim Marchetti

What happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force that is fiercely persistent and determined?
In this story, Jonathan is steadfast in his quest to get a dog for his family despite their apprehensions. Along the way he meets many friendly pups that seem to be just right but comes away a bit disappointed and a little more determined. That is until the family meets Millie.
This is a must-read for every parent that demonstrates to kids that the right kind of persistence can make everyone happy.

Anonymous

I have Littles in my circle and plan to get this for each of them. The illustrations are beautiful! Great story about tenacity and following though, for children. Great lesson.

Anonymous

I have Littles in my circle and plan to get this for each of them. The illustrations are beautiful! Great story about tenacity and following though, for children. Great lesson.

Robert Murphy

Yes...we are friends with the author, we know Jonathan who is a fine & talented young man, and one of the original dogs was Grovie (our beloved family member for 17 years). But even if none of that was true, I can say that this is such a fun book for both youngsters and young at heart adults. It's a true story and it can lighten up even your darkest day. I look forward to the next Tricia Dell'Anno work.

Kelly Soo-Fell

My daughter loved this book! It’s an age range that is a tad young for her but she took the opportunity to go to school, donate the book to a younger class, read it to the class and lead a discussion with them. The kids loved the book and my daughter got a valuable opportunity to read aloud to younger readers and lead a discussion. Thanks, Tricia, for a great book and opportunity for my kid!