Sometimes a book holds its own even as a sequel/companion to another. However, I am not sure if Cone Dog is doing that. The companion of Sarah Howden’s Cone Cat, there are probably similarities, but since one is a dog, and the other a cat, there will be differences. Not to mention because of that, there will be “one is preferred over the other” campaigns. Carmen Mok’s illustrations are probably more amusing than the story for me, as they are cute and cartoon-like, without being cartoonish. They also tell the story in a more fun way, as you can make it up as you go along.
The dog in this due mid-September 2023 picture book (read via online reader copy), has a “giant lampshade” on her head. But learning to make the best of it, Emma (our dog) finds ways to have fun with her new accessory. And even, in the end, find a way to get the squirrel that has been teasing her. And while I was not a fan of the very end (Emma is a dog and does a very dog thing, but not a good dog thing), overall, this book was good. Not great. But good.
I realized they are the author of The Tunnel. And thinking about the reading of that, I think Cone Dog, while having a very different tone, is similar enough in the style that if you liked one you might like the other. Of course, you could be like me and like to read several titles by an author to find out if their style works for you and these two books are good comparison ones. And Mok has illustrated several other tiles, and their style flows in to other works, so if you like other items by them, you’ll probably like these illustrations.
