Harry growls when he’s served breakfast, barks at a cat and licks his sister’s cheek when he’s told to kiss her good night. Yes, he would rather be a dog than a boy. His parents enroll him in the Pavlov Royal Academy where his classmates are dogs and he can sit, roll over, fetch and run all day long. Unfortunately, the food is not what he expected and his drawings and toys are not appreciated by his dog friends. After a naptime dream about what boys can do (that dogs cannot) Harry decides he’d like to be a boy again. Mission accomplished: dog school is for dogs!
Identity Crises and the pressure to conform can sometimes seem overwhelming. The author creates an indescribably unique picture book about “a proud normal girl” wanting to be herself, wearing a uniform of “brown pinafores, plain black headbands and brown shoes with the shoelaces triple-knotted.” She takes a brave journey all the way to Norway, then comes to appreciate herself as being different.