Phyllis Kennemer, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
Emma the dog lives with George the painter and his cat. Emma seems to disappoint George in every way. George is constantly telling her that she is bad! bad! bad! One day, Emma spots a canine advice column in the Weekly Bone. She dashes into the library and sends an e-mail to Queenie. Her quick reply advises Emma to be nice to George. But nuzzling his hand results in a disastrous confusion of spilled paint. The response to Emma's next message tells her to take some canine responsibilities. Unfortunately, she interprets that as competing with the cat in catching a mouse. The mouse gets away. The house is a mess. George threatens to take Emma back to the pound. Next, Queenie recommends that Emma look at the job announcements in the Weekly Bone and go to work. Emma is hired as an actress and suddenly finds herself on a bus heading far away from George and his cat. She enjoys her time on the stage but is excited when the troop comes back to her hometown. She sends an e-mail to George about the play. George attends. Emma jumps to join him and they leave together, but Emma is still clumsy and klutzy, so the story does not really end. Presented in cartoon format, the illustrations are colorful and active. The story line, verging on the ridiculous, requires an extra large dose of the suspension of disbelief. 2006, Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin, $16.00. Ages 5 to 10.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, October 15, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 20))
Emma is a dog who lives with George the painter and his cat, and though she tries her best to please him, things sometimes go wrong. After sleeping on the new couch and upsetting the trash, she is sent outside, but when she commiserates with her canine neighbor, George takes issue with her barking. That's when Emma picks up an issue of The Weekly Bone and emails Queenie, the advice columnist, about her troubles. Queenie first suggests showing George affection, but Emma's efforts result in a ruined painting. Next Queenie mentions that Emma should keep an eye on things, but this leads to a mess when Emma tries to catch a mouse. Queenie's last suggestion is that Emma find a job, and when she successfully lands a role in a play, she ends up on tour. Has George missed her? Emma hopes he has.... Readers will cheer for this well-intentioned heroine and applaud her eventual success. Christelow's bright watercolors follow Emma's adventures in comic panels and perfectly depict the satisfying ending. 2006, Clarion, 32p, $16.00. Category: Picture book. Ages 5 to 8. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Beverly Vaughn Hock (Library Media Connection, February 2007)
Emma, a well-meaning but mistake-prone dog, lives with George, a painter and a cat. She is constantly in trouble at home and feels misunderstood. In desperation, she emails Queenie, the local canine advice columnist of the Weekly Bone. "I'm a pup with a problem . . . My human is driving me nuts!" A series of messages go back and forth. Emma describes each new disaster. Queenie responds with advice that consistently backfires, always ending with the words "Keep that tail wagging." After being advised to get a job, the frustrated Emma runs off to join an acting troupe called On the Couch. She becomes a star but misses home. She sends off an email announcing a performance near home and is reunited with her owner. Although there are mishaps along the way, she is happy to be loved at home. She does, however, plan to continue correspondence with Queenie as future problems arise. The book is illustrated in a humorous, colorful, comic-book style. The story is warm and funny with giggles all around. Recommended. 2006, Clarion Books, 32pp., $16. Ages 6 to 11.

Dr. Eloise M. Long (The Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2007)
Emma the dog consults an advice columnist when she feels unappreciated by her owner. Christelow’s cartoon-like illustrations capture Emma’s hilarious antics as she gets into the trash, naps on the new couch, and succeeds in upsetting her owner. When she pursues an acting career, Emma and her owner realize that love is unconditional. All dog lovers will be able to identify with the characters. Highly recommended. Category: Picture Book/Fiction.. 2006, Clarion Books, $16.00. Ages 6 to 9.