PPBF – Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses

Ready! Set! Go! Get ready to compete in today’s Perfect Picture Book.

Title: Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses

Written By: Stephanie Gibeault

Illustrated By: Bambi Edlund

Publisher/Date: Owlkids Books/2025

Suitable for Ages: 6-9, and older

Themes/Topics: dogs, senses, non-fiction, competition

Opening:

Dogs can do some incredible things, like find hikers lost deep in the woods or spot intruders sneaking around in the dark.

How do they do it? They use their keen senses!

Brief Synopsis: An exploration of the sensory powers of people and dogs.

Links to Resources:

·      Learn “Words to Know” defined in the back matter;

·      Stimulate your pup’s senses with these fun enrichment activities;

·      Celebrate National Pet Week, starting May 4th.

Why I Like this Book:

Most kids love dogs, and they love learning about them. But reading a list of their sensory powers may be a bit dry, dare I say boring?

What if instead of reading only about dogs’ sensory powers, we also learn about our own senses. If we then compare our powers to the dogs’ powers in a competition, we’ve upped the stakes. You’ve caught my attention, and more importantly, you’ve probably caught the attention of little listeners.

Gibeault explores the powers of dogs versus humans one by one. With a catchy layout and text placement, including jokes, sidebars, and “Fido Facts,” Gibeault pits dogs against humans for sight, smell, taste, feel, and hearing. She even adds a bonus round to explore “magnetoreception…the ability to detect the Earth’s magnetic field.” Edlund’s brightly colored spreads add to the appeal.

I won’t spoil the ending by revealing who wins this competition, but I think most readers will be happy with the outcome.

I recommend DOGS VS. HUMANS for classroom or home reading, especially for dog-loving children.

A Note about Craft:

For those of us writing non-fiction picture books, Gibeault and the editors at Owlkids Books offer a lesson in how to amp up the kid-appeal while remaining true to the facts.

This Perfect Picture Book entry is being added to Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Book list. Check out the other great picture books featured there!