Parents' Guide to

Move Over, Rover!

By Dawn Friedman, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Award winner is an especially fun read-aloud.

Book Karen Beaumont , Cari Best Picture Book 2006
Move Over, Rover! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

Rover and his friends come in from the cold, but will the doghouse hold them all?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Stories where people or animals add themselves to something -- be it a parade, bed, or (in this case) dog house -- are a classic of the picture-book genre, and with good reason. Kids love the predictability and scare-free tension. They also love being able to "read" along with the repetitious lines. MOVE OVER, ROVER! is a great example of the add-in plot. The sing-song rhyme makes it fun for adults to read, and the assertive but lyrical orders ("Skit-scat, Cat!") are awfully fun to say (or shout, for particularly enthusiastic kids).

Dyer's illustrations wash across the page, effectively conveying the animals' damp, crowded misery. Bright, sunshine-at-last colors eventually take over, and Rover's final joyous romp across the yard is an adorable way to tie up the story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about rainy days. What's fun or not fun about rainy days? How could you make them more fun?

Book Details

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