Cookie the dog doesn't walk like other dogs. She walks on her hind legs, and what a sight that is! Cookie's walking catches the attention of a show producer, who turns her into a star. And with fame comes benefits: bacon, candy, a fanny pack, her own mini-fridge… But the more Cookie walks, the more people expect from her. Cookie's old friend Kevin keeps reminding her about how great her regular life used to be. And Cookie's legs are getting tired. Will Cookie keep walking for fame and fortune? Or will she stand down and get her life back? K-Gr 2-Cookie is no ordinary dog. She discovers that if she walks on her hind legs, she can reach the candy dish, turn on the TV, and get lots of attention not bestowed on ordinary quadrupedal canines. All is well until Cookie gets noticed, first by a dog trainer, then a circus director, and finally by a Hollywood producer. They offer her snacks in exchange for increasingly complicated performances-she even gets her own TV show. Exhausted by the demands of fame, the pup realizes, with some help from a friend, that perhaps being a regular dog is best...unless she wants to reach that candy dish when no one's watching. Part picture book with full-page illustrations, part comic book with speech balloons and panels, the story is illustrated in a cartoonish two-dimensional cartoon style. Funny antics abound-Cookie walking on top of a lion statue, across a flaming board over a pond filled with snapping turtles, or saying "Mall Moo Mitt!" ("I'll do it!") through a mouthful of snacks. Cookie is not quite on a par with Susan Meddaugh's Martha, but her fans may enjoy this spunky talking (and walking) dog.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Oh, fame. How it messes with one’s head. In this case, the head belongs to a dog named Cookie. Cookie can expertly walk on her hind legs, which people think is cute. So cute, in fact, that Cookie is booked for a dog show where she walks on a ball across a flaming board over a kiddie pool. This gets her a circus gig and then a TV show. Whenever her friend Kevin comes to visit, Cookie says she is happy. She likes the treats and the fanny pack that come with the job. But as the pressure on her grows, she wavers. And her legs hurt. Can she give it all up? Some of the humor might go past the intended audience (like the way the bigwigs are always, literally, kicking Kevin out the way), but there’s so much for them to look at and like, particularly the funny, deadpan moments that occur throughout. Executed in ink and wash, the cartoonish pictures take up full pages, some sprinkled with vignettes, others in panels. This is for more than one reading—all the better to get the message across. Preschool-Grade 2. --Ilene Cooper "Though the illustrative style and storyline will make this book a favorite for younger children, this 'be careful what you wish for' tale has several themes that will provide topics for classroom discussion with older children." ― Library Media Connection "Monroe (the Monkey with a Tool Belt books) explores the pitfalls of fame through deadpan narration and celebrity stereotypes, all captured in tidy comics-style panels." ― PW Online This is for more than one reading―all the better to get the message across." ― Booklist "Told in a bright and fun comic-book style with plenty of illustrations that will hold readers' interest upon repeated viewings, 'Cookie, the Walker' is the rare picture book that actually questions the value of standing out." ― The New York Times Book Review "Part picture book with full-page illustrations, part comic book with speech balloons and panels, the story is illustrated in a cartoonish two-dimensional cartoon style. Funny antics abound." ― School Library Journal "Monroe proves here again that she is a master of understated absurdity and quirky humor....The amusingly goofy text and absurd asides will appeal to a wide age range of kids. Monroe's detailed illustrations, which frequently utilize comics-like panels and word balloons, have a squiggly, childlike look that is both endearing and humorous." ― Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Monroe's playful illustrations are filled with sly adult asides and plenty of detail for sharp-eyed young readers." ― Kirkus Reviews Chris Monroe is an award-winning author, illustrator and cartoonist. Her picture books include Sneaky Sheep , Bug On a Bike and the Monkey With a Tool Belt series, which inspired the Netflix show Chico Bon Bon: Monkey with a Tool Belt . Chris is also the author and illustrator of the comic strip Violet Days , which has been in print for more than 20 years. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.