All children's books about dogs are not created equal. A book that's perfect for a two-year-old will bore a five-year-old. A book that delights a confident reader will frustrate a child who's just starting out.
If you're trying to find the right dog book for your child - whether as a gift, a bedtime read, or something they can tackle themselves - here's what to look for at each age.
Babies (0-12 months)
At this age, books are more about sensory experience than story. Babies are learning that books exist, that pages turn, and that pictures represent things.
What to look for:
- Board books (they will be chewed, dropped, and bashed against things)
- High-contrast images or bold, simple illustrations
- Very minimal text - a few words per page at most
- Texture elements or flaps to touch and grab
What to avoid:
- Paper pages (they'll be destroyed)
- Detailed illustrations (too much visual information)
- Any real "story" - they're not following plots yet
Good examples: Touch and Feel Puppy by DK, or any simple board book with dog photographs or bold illustrations.
At this stage, you're mostly just introducing the idea that "this is a dog" and letting them experience books as objects. Don't overthink it.
Toddlers (1-2 years)
Now they're starting to engage with what's on the pages. They'll point, babble, and have favourite books they want to read over and over (and over and over).
What to look for:
- Still board books (their fine motor skills aren't ready for paper)
- Simple, repetitive text they can start to anticipate
- Clear illustrations where they can point to things
- Dogs doing recognisable actions (sleeping, eating, running)
What to avoid:
- Books with too much text per page
- Complex storylines - they want simple sequences
- Illustrations that are too busy or abstract
Good examples: The Poky Little Puppy (Little Golden Book edition or board book), Go, Dog. Go! by P.D. Eastman.
Our book, Little Legs, Long Nose, works well for the older end of this range when read aloud. The routine structure (wake up, breakfast, walk, play, bedtime) mirrors their own day, which helps them engage.
Pre-schoolers (2-4 years)
This is the golden age of picture books. They can follow stories, appreciate humour, and will ask approximately one million questions per page.
What to look for:
- Picture books with actual stories (beginning, middle, end)
- Characters they can care about
- Illustrations with details to discover on repeat readings
- Some books can now be paper pages (with supervision)
- Interactive elements: counting, finding things, predicting what happens next
What to avoid:
- Too much text per page (they'll lose focus)
- Stories that are too long for their attention span
- Anything scary — they're still learning to process emotions
Good examples: Clifford the Big Red Dog, Harry the Dirty Dog, Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, Can I Be Your Dog?
Little Legs, Long Nose is really designed for this age group. The story follows Monty through his day, with counting activities (find the animals on the walk), learning colours (Monty's toys), and enough detail in the illustrations that they'll spot new things on every read.
Early Readers (5-6 years)
Now they're starting to read themselves, which changes everything. They need books that feel achievable - too hard and they'll give up, too easy and they'll feel babied.
What to look for:
- "I Can Read" or "Ready to Read" levelled books
- Short sentences and simple vocabulary
- Plenty of illustrations to support the text
- Stories that feel rewarding to finish
What to avoid:
- Books with long paragraphs
- Vocabulary that's too challenging
- Picture books that now feel "too young" (some children get sensitive about this)
Good examples: The Biscuit series by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills.
At this stage, children can also handle picture books independently that were previously read-alouds. Go, Dog. Go! is a popular choice because the text is simple enough to manage alone.
Independent Readers (6-7 years)
They're reading properly now and ready for more substantial stories, but might not be ready for full chapter books yet.
What to look for:
- Picture books with more sophisticated stories
- Early chapter books with short chapters and illustrations
- Graphic novels (hugely popular and completely valid)
- Stories with emotional depth or humour that lands at their level
What to avoid:
- Pushing chapter books before they're ready
- Dismissing graphic novels as "not real reading" (they absolutely are)
- Books that are too far above their level, even if they're interested in the topic
Good examples: Officer Buckle and Gloria (picture book), Barkus by Patricia MacLachlan (early chapters), Dog Man series by Dav Pilkey (graphic novels).
Confident Readers (7+)
Now they can tackle proper chapter books and are ready for longer, more complex stories.
What to look for:
- Chapter books with engaging plots
- Series (so they have more to read once they finish)
- Stories that make them feel something
- Books that are genuinely funny, not just "funny for a kids' book"
What to avoid:
- Forcing "classics" they're not interested in
- Books that are technically at their reading level but emotionally too mature
Good examples: The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog by Jeremy Strong, Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.
What About Reading Aloud?
Here's something worth remembering: children can listen to and enjoy books that are above their independent reading level. A five-year-old who's just starting to read can still have Because of Winn-Dixie read aloud to them and love it.
So while this guide focuses on what children can manage themselves, don't limit read-aloud time to their reading level. That's when you can introduce longer stories, more complex emotions, and books they'll grow into.
When They Want the "Wrong" Level
Sometimes children want to re-read books that seem too young for them. This is fine. Re-reading builds fluency, and sometimes they just want comfort.
Sometimes they grab books that are too hard and insist they can read them. Also fine. Let them try. They might surprise you, and if they struggle, they'll usually put it down themselves.
The goal is to keep reading fun. If you're constantly steering them away from books they've chosen, you're working against yourself.
Finding More Dog Books
We've put together a full list of children's books about dogs organised by age, from board books for babies through to chapter books for confident readers. If your child is dog-obsessed, there's plenty there to keep them going.
And if they're specifically into sausage dogs, our book Little Legs, Long Nose features Monty the Miniature Dachshund and his adventures through a typical day. It works as a read-aloud for toddlers and as an independent read for children around 5-6.
