I can see this being a healthy success. It shows a girl gain her first puppy, but everything it does is wrong according to the rules of the dog training class – it ignores the tutor, it fantasises about the outside world with its squirrels and open space, it gets the zoomies and fails to concentrate. But at the same time, the girl here is only relating, for she's on some kind of spectrum of her own. In fact every couple of pages there is a rhymed verse from the girl to the dog confirming how alike they are. And so when (no spoiler alert needed) the dog faces its final test, it's exactly as if the girl is being measured for how she can fit in and succeed.

Which is of course the point – for the dog was never the subject here. Yes, it's a great narrative addition to these pages, and cuteness is increased with the very competent art, but the book is about the girl, and how she admits and responds to her mental liveliness. To that end the later pages concern a programme of thought and activity with the acronym PUPPY, which actually works as a name, meaning nothing here seems false or forced on to the page. I speak as a layman, of course, but the way this can address some over-active thinking by showing it, naming it, reacting to it – it all really seems most useful indeed. Four and a half stars.

I liked this book! I try to find ARCs that are helpful for my social work practice with kids. lots of kids with ADHD and this is a book to read to help them normalize how they feel and also to spark discussion about what its like to have ADHD. Thank you NetGalley for ARC.

Loved this! This book was adorable and kept my almost 5 year old engaged. He enjoyed that the character had a puppy and was able to relate to how his brain feels like a puppy. We both enjoyed the pictures and how well they relate to the story. As a parent, I loved the practicality of the book and the tips for practical strategies at the end. I cannot recommend this book enough!

Because my OWN brain is like a puppy, racing, bounding from one thing to another, easily distracted, how could I resist this picture book?

Brooklyn has been wanting a puppy for years! Finally, she’s got one, who she names Boss. But, Brooklyn notes, “he doesn’t quite act like a ‘boss’ — YET!” No, he does not. Easily distracted and pretty disobedient, Boss’ first day at puppy school is a dismal failure. Yet, eventually, with practice and Brooklyn’s patience and kindness, Boss learns how to behave — just as kids (and adults) with ADHD learn how to compensate so they can pay attention and get stuff done. A wonderful book with great advice for any child with trouble paying attention, whether they have an official diagnosis or not. And the acronym PUPPY (Pause and Get Outside, Use Your Words to Tame It, Play and Get Active, Practice Relaxation and Muscle Relaxation, and Your Space Matters)? Chef’s kiss!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Boys Town Press and the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) in exchange for an honest review.

a charming and relatable book that creatively explains how the mind works and is perfect for young readers. the playful comparison between the brain and a puppy makes complex emotions and thoughts easy to understand. it's an engaging and helpful resource for children to learn about self-awareness and managing their feelings.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

This book is a great way to help kids understand big feelings and how to deal with them by comparing them to a puppy being trained to understand how to be a good citizen. The tips are helpful and light hearted enough that it doesn't seem judgemental to kids who may not be perfectly behaved.

This is a really cool concept for a kid's book. I love any time a story can give kids tangible ways to describe abstract ideas and this is a perfect example. I think it would be a great book for parents or educators to use in a read aloud and would open some great conversations! The illustrations are also very sweet.

our little girl is 18 months old so we don't know yet but very likely she will be neurodivergent as AuDHD runs on both sides of the family. this book isn't about that specifically, but it is an excellent book for that nevertheless as these issues in developing minds can be more difficult with disabilities.

it's empathetic, clear, and still a lovely story that kept my little girl engaged.

i also adored how the whole book was in OpenDyslexic font so easily accessible for young readers and anyone dyslexic.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This heartwarming picture book captivates readers with its delightful blend of sweetness, humor, and emotional depth. The narrative resonates deeply, touching the hearts of parents, educators, and young readers alike. Its charming prose and meaningful message create an engaging reading experience that connects with audiences across generations, making it a truly memorable.

Perfect book for my 4-year-old son. He is a puppy for real. And to be honest, this book is also perfect for me, an adult who needs to slow down. I might not be thinking about what the next troublesome thing I need to do like my son's way of thinking, but my brain is in the same stance as his. Never stop (over)thinking and be full of (negative)thinking.
This book is helping my son and (of course) me to take a deep breath, touch grass, and slow down.
Brooklyn, the main character, was so mature for her age. She was more mature than the teacher's character in this book. The teacher was kinda judgmental and gave bad vibes as a teacher.
I needed to simplify the story (and the words) and make it relatable for my son to understand it more. I think he understood and we agreed to make this book a read-every-day book, especially when he starts to feel restless.

Thank you to Laura Filtness, Boys Town Press, and NetGalley for the ARC.

Cute picture book for kids.

Some learning lesson throughout the book as well. I suppose kids get easily distracted just like puppies.

And now I want a puppy.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

The idea of 'my brain is like a puppy' makes complete sense when laid out in this book. Zoomies, wandering away, or staring at squirrels when you are supposed to paying attention to the teacher.

My only hesitation to recommending this book is the publisher is Boystown Press. Just not sure about giving money to that organization, with all the scandal surrounding it. Other than that, love the book.

This story took a unique and creative approach that was a bit different from what my little ones and I are used to, but in a good way! The illustrations were vibrant, fun, and very engaging. They really captured my kids attention.
At first, the “my brain is like a puppy” concept was a little confusing for them, but once I took a moment to break it down and explain the examples, they began to connect with it and enjoy the story more.

Overall, this is a sweet, thoughtful book to read with young kids especially if you’re looking to start conversations about thoughts, feelings, or how our minds work.

What a great book to read with your young children. The story follows a young girl, her puppy and how the puppy struggles with following directions and focusing on tasks. Throughout the book Brooklyn begins to notice some similarities between Boss's (puppy) actions and her own. Brooklyn shows a great deal of empathy, patience and understanding for Boss. What a great show of character and perseverance for both Brooklyn and Boss. The end of the book also has some tips and ideas of exercises to help children feel more at ease.

I read this with my niece, and the story and illustrations were super cute! While the message about giving grace to yourself and others—especially while learning—is a great one, the metaphor was a bit confusing for her. She asked, “Why does it keep saying my brain is like a puppy?” Still, the overall theme is meaningful, and it’s a creative approach to teaching emotional awareness. A good story with a heartwarming lesson!

Super cute. Loved the illustrations. The messages about how a child brain works was really wonderful.

This book is the perfect book to add to grade school classrooms, even special needs classrooms. It perfectly demonstrates how younger children think and good ways to help them through. Especially for children with ADHD. I firsthand remember how I felt at that age with severe ADHD. Now I’m helping my children that are on the spectrum. My son loved this book.

Absolutely loved this book. I wish we had more stories like this about sensitive kids (or kids with ADHD) that don’t portray them as “less than,” but simply as different. The metaphor of a puppy brain is both clever and relatable. Honestly, my brain acts like a puppy too, and I’m no longer a child, just a tired mom juggling a million responsibilities that society treats as “normal” and keeps expecting more.
This book is a warm and honest reminder that different brains work in different ways, and that’s okay.

What a fun way for children to learn how sometimes our brains get away from us. I was that child with ADHD that just couldn’t pay attention. This book would have been perfect for me. The illustrations were beautiful, too!

This book was pretty cute! Very cute pictures and a great lesson on perseverance and trying hard to learn new things and succeed.