Ohh this was such a lovely book. It was so sweet, easy to read and beautifully illustrated. Would definitely recommend!

So cute! What a lovely book. I have reread it several times just so I can look at the pictures again. A cute story about a dog and his boy and their life together. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this lovely book.

The story of a dog and his boy, told by the former and describing the strange habits of the boy. This is a touching and amusing story with bright illustrations perfectly accompanying the text. This was a fun new take on the story of owning a pet.
I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Super clever, super cute – that sums up I Always Wanted One from Olivier Tallec quite nicely!

You see, there’s lots of fabulous stories about humans and their perspective on having a pet. But. What about the other way round?

“I always wanted one.

So, that morning when I saw him there

I could not believe my eyes!”

And so the dog… gets a little boy for Christmas. Dog cares deeply about the boy, wants to make sure he is warm and comfortable. Although Dog is a little confused that he doesn’t like dry food!

The narrative is warm and caring, and flows beautifully. Interestingly, the text isn’t integrated with the illustrations, instead it sits by itself on a blank page allowing the eye to roam to the illustrations after. There’s much to enjoy here.

I Always Wanted One is utterly adorable.

Emma Perry
Picture book author (I Don't Like Books, This Book Has Alpacas & Bears), plus founder of MyBookCorner

What a fantastic book!
Lovely story about a young boy who gets a dog ....... But it's told from the dogs perspective!
Cute little pictures too which will appeal to children and adults.
Must read for all children.

A new Olivier Tallec book is always such a treat and this latest title doesn’t disappoint. Tallec has already visited the strong bond and child and their dog in the Rita & Whatsit series (which is hugely popular in France) and here again he approaches the subject with his signature textual and visual wit, and with a big heart too. Having the story told from the perspective of the dog will delight little readers, and creates many very funny situations. A really lovely observation of the special bond between a dog and his best friend.

I always wanted a dog but I'm afraid this book would not have made me plead with my parents for one any less! I can see it as a brilliant book for families with pets, families about to get one, or for teaching about companionship, consideration and compassion for our fellow creatures which the reversal of perspective in the story naturally invites.

I found something warm and sweet about the illustrations that match the mood of the story too, from the boy's bunny on the first page, to the bathroom scene (hilarious-what living being wouldn't want to be groomed like that..?!), and right through to the boy's teen hairstyle at the end.

I Always Wanted One is the first book I read by Olivier Tallec, and it won't be the last! This story is so cute and memorable that I'm sure many of the children will fall in love with it, especially if they have pets.

Reading about a dog and his boy is will surely help children consider pets like friends and teach them a lot on the way. While it is easy to read, it manages to be fun for the adults as well. I'm sure this will make an excellent bed-time story and will become a fave in no time. Oh, the illustrations are superb!

I thought that this was a great and fun book and it was a lovely story to read!

The book was easy to follow and I really enjoyed the angle that the author has used to tell the story - that of the dog's point of view and how it felt to him finding his human and the fun and relationship that they have built - I did giggle about the dog's view of sticks and playing fetch too!

It is 4 stars from me for this one - highly recommended and I loved that the story was told from the dog's point of view - a lovely touch!!

When I first started reading this book I wasn’t too sure if my son would be able to understand who was telling the story, but when I asked him at the end he said straight out who the narrator was!

A lovely story about a boy and his dog, that reflects what happens around them both. The story is well written, as at first you’re not too sure who is telling the story, but as you progress it becomes clearer. The illustrations are beautiful and not overly cluttered but just right.

Would highly recommend this book to read to children as it engages with them to try and figure out what’s happening to who.

This review is based on a free digital ARC copy provided by NetGalley. My views are provided based on the book content only

A new and loving perspective on the relationship between a boy and his dog. We always hear about the excitement of children begging for a pet of their very own and we know how excited dogs are to be owned and loved!
Imagine being the dog and learning to share space and time with a growing boy.

A completely loving book full of heart, warmth and adoration. The illustrations are adorable and perfect for bringing this story to light.

A beautifully illustrated, heart warming tale of the relationship between a dog and a boy, freshly told from the dogs point of view. A wonderful story for younger children, who will enjoy the twisted perception from the common view of the child.

I Always Wanted One by Olivier Tallec is a beautiful tale of a dog and his boy. From their first meeting to games they, to food and growing up, this tale has everything. The illustrations are wonderful and cute too.

What a fabulous story, cleverly twisted to look at the relationship between a boy and his dog from the dogs point of view.
A lively little story to share with young children with bright detailed illustrations to look at but also an interesting way to look at communication and relationships with older children.
All in all, a well written very readable story.

This book is so beautifully illustrated by Oliver Tallec and it has a unique perspective as you read. My 5yo son and I enjoyed discussing what some of the pictures and ideas could mean as we explored the pages together, with me reading it to him and him making guesses and answering my questions.
The presentation of the book was engaging and aesthetically pleasing for both myself and my son. Thoroughly enjoyable!