Every dog family has that shelf. The one near the couch where the leash hangs, where a well-loved picture book gets pulled down for the tenth time in a week. If you are building that shelf, or adding to it, awards can be a helpful guide. They tell you a book has been read closely by people who care about craft, story, and heart.
Why Awards Matter When You Pick a Dog Book
There are thousands of dog picture books out there, and plenty of them are fun. But a book that earns recognition from independent judges usually has something extra: art that holds up on the fifteenth read, words that sound right out loud, and an ending that stays with you. When you are choosing a book to read to a child at bedtime, or to give as a gift, that kind of track record takes some of the guesswork away.
What Makes a Picture Book Worth Keeping
The best picture books for dog families do a few things well. They get the dog right, with all the goofy joy and quiet loyalty that anyone who has shared a home with one will recognize. They give kids a character to love. And they leave room for the grown-up reading aloud, because the strongest books work on two levels at once.
Look for strong illustrations that tell part of the story on their own, a voice that feels honest rather than cute for the sake of it, and a theme that goes a little deeper than “dog does funny thing.” Dogs teach us about patience, forgiveness, and showing up every single day. A good picture book knows that.
A Grand Prize Winner for Your Shelf
A Puppy’s Tale is a good example of what recognition looks like in this category. It follows Achilles, a German Shepherd, from his first days as a puppy through a lifetime with the boy who adopts him. The story is told from the dog’s point of view, which gives it a tenderness that readers of every age tend to notice. It is a premium hardcover with a dust jacket and 39 pages of illustrations.
The book took the Grand Prize at the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, with first place for both Best Children’s Book and Best Cover. It also won at the National Indie Excellence Awards, was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and earned an Honorable Mention from the Eric Hoffer Award. It has five-star reviews from Readers’ Favorite and KIDS FIRST!, too.
The story is personal. Author Grant Merritt wrote it in memory of his own German Shepherd, Achilles, who lived from 2010 to 2024. That love is on every page, and the final page features a real photo of Achilles. Adults often tell Grant the book moved them as much as it moved their kids, which is why it is meant for dog lovers of all ages.
Building a Shelf Your Family Will Actually Use
A few tips if you are putting together a collection. Mix a funny book with a heartfelt one, so there is something for rainy afternoons and something for quiet evenings. Choose books you would not mind reading again and again, because you will. And pick at least one hardcover that feels like a keepsake, something that can be passed down or signed and given as a gift.
If you want a signed copy, you can order A Puppy’s Tale directly from the author for $23, and it is also available on Amazon. Every purchase supports rescue shelters, so your reading time helps dogs who are still waiting for their own family.
Whichever books you choose, the best part is the same. It is the moment a child climbs into your lap, the dog flops down nearby, and the story starts. Here is to a shelf full of good ones.