My Dog Smudge

by Sujean Rim

Smudge the dog and his girl visit animal after animal trying to identify the strange sounds Smudge makes in this novelty book with lift-the-flaps that proves you don’t need words to show you love someone.

Smudge looks like an ordinary dog but rather than woof, bark, or bow-wow, he makes rather extraordinary sounds. His human can’t tell what language he’s speaking, so she decides to consult other animals. From a cow to a pig to a busy bee, everyone is just as baffled by Smudge’s noises.

But perhaps what really matters is not the language Smudge speaks but what he’s saying. Little ones can lift flaps to reveal each barnyard animal and, ultimately, find out what Smudge has been trying to communicate all along.

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Animals, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2025

Reviews

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and kind of cute, but just average over all

[Em☽ · Rating 5 out of 5]

probably the best drawings of a dog i have ever seen

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story aimed at preschoolers about the friendship between a girl and her dog, who doesn’t communicate the way most dogs do.

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animal sounds...or better said, language...takes a different twist in a cute read.

Smudge is a little doggy, who doesn't bark like a regular dog. Instead, his noises seem to be more related to other animals. The owner, a little girl, decides to visit other animals and see if they can figure out what Smudge wants to say. She goes from a cow to a pig to many other creatures, but none are able to be of much help.

This is a simple picture book, which carries tons of heart and pet love. The little girl's care for Smudge is inspiring, and Smudge is adorable with his various noises. The plot is also simple, and makes a lovely read-aloud for even the younger end of the intended audience level. The illustrations concentrate on the mentioned characters and closer surroundings to keep everything very directed. This also makes a lovely read for those who are still building their reading skills.

Wholesome curiosity, animal fun, and gentle humor make this a lovely tale in many ways. Even younger listeners can enjoy this one, since it practices their animal sounds and recognition...and will have them imitating the noises themselves. It's enjoyable to see if one can guess what animal sound Smudge's barks are most similar to. There are also flaps on every two-page spread. The flaps are, unfortunately, not always easy to finger open, since they are simply squares of the same paper glued on one side to the book page. Also, their presence doesn't always seem to have an importance. But this is only a tiny, side note, since it is fun to see what is behind each one.

It's a cute book, which is sure to bring smiles to listeners' faces.

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smudge is a dog who doesn’t bark like other dogs; instead he makes sounds like ‘sbnorty’ and ‘vuluck.’ Upon hearing a trace of ‘Oink,’ Smudge’s little girl decides to visit a farm to see if her dog is speaking a different language. As the pair approaches each new friend, the girl asks “Do you know what my dog is saying?” and Smudge offers up a sound.  On the opposing page, a lift-the-flap surprise awaits, such as a cow in a big red barn, or a mother hen and her chicks inside their coop.  The responses are similar: the animal politely says it’s not their language, and kindly suggests another animal to try.  The horse in its stall says, “Neigh,that’s not Horse. However I detect a tad bit of Buzz.”  The girl never gets an answer, but in the end she knows it’s okay, because Smudge loves her!

Little readers will love following the girl narrator and her canine companion on their barnyard adventure!  The illustrations resemble childlike crayon drawings on plain white backgrounds, but still capture the emotion and connection between girl and dog (and are absolutely adorable). The interactive aspect of the lift-the-flaps and the various sound effects provided by Smudge will make for a popular read aloud or one-on-one share.  The message that love is the universal language is subtle but will not be lost on even the youngest reader. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Ashley Urquhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are really cute, but I didn’t feel like the flaps were additive. I’m not sure I’ve seen a paperback lift the flap book before? I’ve typically only seen them as board books and I think there’s a reason why. The flaps weren’t very liftable and were sometimes hard to figure out which direction they were supposed to lift.

Note: I received an early finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just the sweetest! Smudge the pup makes all kinds of funny sounds—seriously, what language is he even speaking? He and his buddy head off on an adventure, asking different farm animals if they can help figure it out. Each flap was such a fun surprise to lift, and the ending totally melted our hearts with its sweet message. The illustrations are simple, adorable, and perfect for little readers. Such a cozy book to share with your kiddo!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dog ST. A girl doesn't know what her dog is saying, it doesn't bark but it does say things in a different language. She takes it to the farm to see if the other animals know what it's saying. There are flaps when she asks the other animals, that show what they say. Lift the pig one and it says what the pigs says back. Great for a ST.

[Christy Weatherholtz-Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Dog Smudge is a very cute story about Smudge, who does not bark but instead sounds like other animals. We go on a journey to discover sounds on the animal farm. The illustrations are simple and cute, adding to the charm of the story. Each page has you turning and smiling, even at the end.

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!

[Gabrielle Belisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the owner of a Smudge who also makes weird noises- 5⭐

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A silly lift the flap book.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this one less as an animal sound or dog book and mostly as a talk book. That being said, these flaps are not going to hold up to any use.

[Miss Sarah]

A lift the flap book where a girl asks animals on the farm to help her understand what her dog is saying. preschool and up

[Laura Roettiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one is cute and we LOVE dogs, but was hoping for more. The illustrations are sweet.

[Y.Poston]

clever animal sounds book

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

(read aloud by himself at 6yo, no words missed)

[Marian Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

11/04/25 2.5 stars. The end got some "awws" from the group, and Smudge is a cutie! However, I agree with another reviewer here - the flaps seemed wasted.

[Shanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book about a dog who speaks a little differently than most dogs. I liked the lift the flaps, but wished they were more sturdy. Cute drawings!

Mia’s 2nd Year of Books: Day 217

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