From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2–After his owners install a new pet door and then leave for the day, a dog detects some enticing aromas coming from the other side. Jumping through, Max leaves the land of black and white and finds himself in a new world full of colors. Petropolis is a pet's dream: "Ratzilla" and "The Dogfather" are showing at the local theater, a restaurant serves liver pizzas, and an art museum houses works such as Lizardo da Vinci's "Mousa Lisa." Best of all, there are no leashes or humans making rules. Max has a great day but soon realizes that he doesn't know how to get home. Happily, he figures out that he should follow his nose–literally–and, after tracking his people's scents, squeezes back through the door just in time to greet them. The rhyming story is adequate, but the anthropomorphism is carried a bit too far and falls flat. After Max lands in Petropolis, he suddenly finds himself magically changed, walking on two feet and wearing clothes. He loses his animal traits and becomes all too human. Santoro's watercolor-and-ink illustrations are sufficient; the layout is filled with details, somewhat like the work of Richard Scarry.
–Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
PreS. This jaunty story begins with a cute little dog, Maxie, who has a new pet door to use while his family is gone for the day. But there's something unexpected outside: the backyard has transformed into a bustling city, crowded with pets who have slipped away to go to the movies (
The Dogfather), take in a museum with works such as "Whisker's Mother," and dine at the "Slurp and Burp." Told in ready rhyme, the book takes its shape from the vibrant watercolors that catch the excitement of a big city. In a charming nod to the 1939 movie version of
The Wizard of Oz, Maxie's world is black-and-white until he passes through the door. The art, reminiscent of Richard Scarry's work, features endearing anthropomorphic animals and brims with details that will keep kids poring over the pictures. Adult readers will enjoy repeated readings thanks to tucked-in asides they can chuckle over.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
