Editorial Review: Diego the Smelly Dog by A.G. Russo

Posted on 4th of February, 2023 by Naomi Bolton

A little girl named Ava is walking home one day with her grandfather when she notices a large old dog following them. The dog follows them all the way home, but Ava’s mother has set no to pets, especially ones that are old and very smelly. Diego the Smelly Dog is a beautifully illustrated story that is aimed at children aged 4 to 8 years old. The story is about Ava, a little girl who lives with her mother and grandfather. Since her mother is trying to save some money and pets are expensive, Ava is not allowed to have any animals. However, one day while walking home with her grandfather, they are followed by an old dog with one brown and one blue eye. The dog has scratches all over and is extremely smelly, but Ava is still sad that they can’t keep him. She names the dog Diego and reluctantly says goodbye to Diego after taking it to the shelter. However, Ava can’t forget about Diego and keeps checking up on him every Saturday at the shelter to see if someone has adopted him and to take him on walks. Unfortunately, due to his age, nobody seems to want to take Diego home. Then, one day, Ava receives the sad news that Diego might have to go to a bigger shelter because nobody wants to take him home. Since it is aimed at younger readers, Diego the Smelly Dog is a concise story, but it packs a lot of emotions in its 30 pages. All children should be able to empathize with Ava, who would love nothing more than a dog of her own. Every part of the story is also captured beautifully in the vivid illustrations by Ukrainian artist Alona Baulina. Adopting an animal is a big responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly, which is something that this book highlights in a manner that is easily understandable for children. It also depicts how difficult it is for older dogs to be adopted in shelters because everyone always favors younger animals. Nevertheless, the story doesn’t feel preachy or heavy-handed with its message. Overall, Diego the Smelly Dog is a heartwarming adoption story with an important message and beautiful illustrations. It is written in a clear and easy-to-understand manner and serves as a great way to introduce children to the concept of animal adoption.

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