Book description
“This picture book has all the earmarks of a classic. Simont gets it all right.” —The Horn Book (starred review)
Caldecott Medalist Marc Simont's heartwarming tale of a stray dog is told with tender simplicity and grace.
When a little dog appears at a family picnic, the girl and boy…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Stray Dog as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I absolutely love this story and the painterly illustrations in this book. It’s about a family that befriends a stray dog in the park and names him Willy. After thinking about Willy all week, they decide to go back to find him. It’s a heartwarming story with little moments of humor and joy, one that I come back to again and again.
From Alexandra's list on The best joyful picture books about dogs.
A family out for a picnic in the park meets a little dog. He’s shy at first, but soon they are playing together. When it’s time to go home, the little dog stays behind, but the whole family cannot forget him. As each day of the week passes, they all wonder about him. Next Saturday cannot come soon enough, and they rush back to the park. Can they find him before the dog catcher does? My favorite book about rescuing and adopting a new friend.
From Mônica's list on The best picture books for dog lovers.
If you love The Stray Dog...
Hazel and Mabel
A satisfying story of rediscovering friendship after time spent apart.
For many years, Hazel and Mabel were inseparable. The two friends made up stories, spent the night together, and shared their snacks. Then, Mabel moved away. As time passes, Hazel and Mabel think of each other often, but they also…
Want books like The Stray Dog?
Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Stray Dog.
Share your top 3 reads of 2026!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
165
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like The Stray Dog, you might also like...
If I Could Choose a Best Day
A fresh, fun, inspiring illustrated poetry collection you can put in the hands of any reader.
Curated by the award-winning duo Irene Latham and Charles Waters, this collection contains 30 poems that all begin with the same word: "if." Subject matter moves from the practical "if you have a pencil"…
A Foot is Not a Fish!
In a time of alternative facts and the loss of a shared sense of reality, A Foot is Not a Fish playfully illustrates the difference between what is true and what is not through absurd fun comparisons that every child—and parent—will instantly understand.
This book playfully illustrates common truths by…
