Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton, 2012

Oh yes! I love this bright, simple picture book and so do many of the kids I've read it to.

Sweet George is an affable pooch with some bad habits. When Harry, George's owner, heads out, he leaves George with a specific instruction: Be good. And George agrees that he will. But some temptations come along in the shape of cake, cats, and a nice pile of dirt. And George is unable to resist! He makes a mess of things, and Harry is sorely disappointed upon his return. Feeling rather remorseful, George apologizes and then gives it the old college try again on his walk with Harry. Will George be good? Will he resist temptation?

Author-illustrator Chris Haughton conveys that real emotion all kids, all people experience...that push and pull between being good and being naughty! George's ears and eyes tell you exactly how he's feeling. And Haughton's monochromatic red and purple, retro illustrations are bright and simple. They do not distract from the story but enhance it instead.

Throughout the book, George encounters dilemmas...to eat the cake or not? Chase the cat or leave it be? And at each of these intersections, the narrator asks, "What will George do?" All kids will love being the chorus of this repetitive question as well as the exacerbated response. "Oh no, George!"

I highly encourage you find a local copy of Oh No, George! to enjoy with the closest kid. All ages will laugh at George's limited will power, and the story may prompt discussion on doing the right thing, apologizing, and trying again tomorrow. And what's more important than that?

*Check our Haughton's blog for a fascinating description of how this book came to be. (He leads a pretty interesting life, as you'll see.)