“Stanley’s Beauty Contest”

by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin

c.2009, Kids Can Press             $17.95 U.S. and Canada 32 pages

Have you ever played dress-up with your dog?

Our pets are so patient with us. Spot doesn’t normally wear specs, but setting your sunglasses on his nose is pretty funny. Putting a cap on kitty means it’s time to get out the camera, right?

In the new book “Stanley’s Beauty Contest” by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin, a pup wonders what’s up when his family makes him all fancy and takes him to the park.

Stanley knows that he was supposed to be good-dog-Stanley when he was in the bathtub, but he hated warm water. He hated banana shampoo. He hated the gusher thing, so Stanley was a bad-dog-Stanley. He jumped out of the tub and shook water all over his people and the walls and the mirrors.

Then they blow-dried his fur, which wasn’t the worst part. It wasn’t bad enough that they clipped his nails and made him wear a fancy collar. No, the worst part was that his people forgot his breakfast before they shoved Stanley in the back seat of the car.

When they got to the park, all of Stanley’s friends were there, waiting for a beauty contest to start. They were all cleaned up and fluffied up and brushed up and they smelled funny. Alice smelled like a raspberry. Gassy Jack smelled like a big flower and Nutsy smelled like peppermint. Yes, there was a beauty contest going on and a dog had to look his best. But what’s wrong with smelling like a dog?

Then, the most wonderful smell of all went past on a plate filled with contest prizes. Three bones, straight from the oven, were paraded by, and all the dogs knew they simply had to win the contest.

First was the Fastest Dog contest. Even though Stanley knew he could win, a whippet whipped past him and was eating the prize before Stanley got to the finish line.

Second was the Trick contest. Stanley knew lots of tricks, but so did the other dogs. He did his best, but the other dogs did, too.

And then there was the Beauty Contest. Did Stanley get the prize? Read the book and find out…

Would your woofie win at Westminster? Is your cur Crufts material? Your child probably thinks so, and this cute book will reaffirm that belief.

In “Stanley’s Beauty Contest”, author Linda Bailey tells the story of an ordinary pup who wants to be good – so good that he wins the big prize. In the end, he realizes that the simple things in life are the most important.

What I loved best, though, were the illustrations to go along with the story. Artist Bill Slavin’s fuzzy-edged pictures give Stanley and his friends such charm that kids will fall in love with them. Hint: keep your eye on the white Chihuahua with the pink bow – it will make your kids giggle (and you, too).

Next time you’re looking for a good read-aloud book, find “Stanley’s Beauty Contest”. For 3-to-8-year-old dog lovers, this book is a beauty.