Book Review - Move Over, Rover!

Beaumont, Karen, ill. Jane Dyer. 2006. Move Over, Rover!. Harcourt, Inc.: New York.

Move over, Rover! It’s cold and rainy outside and all the animals want to share Rover’s warm doghouse. The cat, raccoon, squirrel, Blue Jay, and snake crowd inside, unaware that a skunk had the idea first! What a stinky surprise! The skunk has the whole doghouse to himself after all the other animals scatter to look for a different, less smelly place, to stay dry and warm. For each animal that enters the doghouse, a one line phrase is added to the text, then each is repeated on the pages that follow –e.g. “Squeeze in, Squirrel!”, “Make Room, Raccoon!”. The combination of rhyming lines and repeated phrases create a predictable read that children can enjoy on their own or as a read-aloud. The double-page watercolor and liquid acrylic illustrations help establish the mood of the story - bright and cheery when the sun is out, but dark and gloomy during the storm. Children will delight to see the skunk sneaking into the doghouse, before the unsuspecting animals pile in also. The illustrator zooms in on their sleeping faces, creating a detailed effect that draws readers into the story. So move over, Rover! Everyone will want to squeeze into this book. (This book review is an assignment for TWU SLIS)