Hip Hop Dog

Chris Raschka
HarperCollins (2010)
ISBN 9780061239632
Reviewed by Sophia McElroy (age 7) for Reader Views (04/10)

This is a story about a hip hop dog’s life.  He likes to rap! I thought he was a good rapper. I also thought his raps were funny! This was a fun story to read and I liked it! The hip hop dog was kinda cute. I liked the artwork of the other dogs too. I can’t believe the hip hop dog is the ‘baddest’ like his rap says. I think he is a real nice dog. I really liked “Hip Hop Dog” by Chris Raschka.


Reviewed by Cayden Aures (age 5 ½) and Mom for Reader Views (02/10)


“Let me bowwow my life story,
From its rudeness to its gladness.
It’s a doggy allegory,
Oh my goodness, oh my badness.
You just sit and perk your ears up,
Keep your paws still if you’re able.
Get the skinny on this here pup
While I bark this canine fable.” 

So begins, “Hip Hop Dog,” a story about a rapping dog.

Cayden’s comments: 

“I liked the pictures in the book of all of the different dogs and the city.  It was neat how the words sometimes swirled around and around in a circle.  Some of the words were kind of hard though.  I didn’t like how the dog said in the beginning of the book that all of his brothers and sisters got homes but he didn’t and no one gives him food.  That is sad.  I liked when he spun around and danced on his head though.  His rhymes were cool too.”

Parent’s comments:

“Hip Hop Dog” by Chris Raschka was certainly an original book.  There were some things that I didn’t care for such as phrases like “Makes me bite and I could spit, too,” but overall the book was very creative and different.  The illustrations and text layout added to the hip hop feel of the book and complemented it nicely.  This book is listed as being geared toward those ages 4-8 and although children at the younger end of  that group may have trouble understanding some of the verse I think they may enjoy hearing the rhyming text and looking at the illustrations.

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