The No-Dogs-Allowed Rule by Kashmira Sheth illustrated by Carl Pearce

Ishan wants a dog. He really, really wants a dog. But his mom has a rule: no dogs allowed. So Ishan comes up with a plan. If he's very, very helpful around the house, maybe his mom will see that he's responsible enough for a dog! But whatever he does, nothing seems to go exactly the way he planned. Will his mom ever see how much he wants a dog?

This story is sure to resonate with kids who really, really want something that their parents won't let them get (like a dog). A lot of kids want dogs. I never really wanted a dog (and the only pets I ever had growing up were pets), so I didn't relate personally to that, but I can still identify with wanting something really badly and being told no. Anyway - all that aside, I think that young readers will find lots to like in this book. Ishan is a sympathetic character; he doesn't invite trouble, it just sort of finds him. The action in this story (dealing with a sibling and your parents, neighbourhood bullies, inadvertently creating disasters, the unfairness of being young) is relatable across cultures. Don't be surprised if we see more stories about Ishan and his family in the future.


Check out Kashmira Sheth's website as well as Carl Pearce's website.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Albert Whitman & Co.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Ten Kids, No Pets by Ann M. Martin
Boys Without Names by Kashmira Sheth
I Don't Want a Posh Dog by Emily Dodd
The Boxcar Children Beginnings by Patricia McLaughlan