Review - Sasha and His Red Leash

Sasha and His Red Leash (The Secret Diary of a Lucky Pup #1)
by Yossi Lapid
illustrated by Joanna Pasek
Date: 2020
Publisher: Lapid Children's Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 25
Format: e-book
Source: author

Sasha is one lucky pup! He takes a long walk each morning, he gets a healthy treat when he comes back, and Big Boss Bob, his loving owner, plays ball with him every day. However, Sasha’s life is not perfect. He hates his red leash, but Bob insists that the leash is needed to keep everybody safe. Will Bob and Sasha find a good solution to Sasha’s troubled relationship with his leash?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This cute little book will likely appeal to dog lovers. Sasha is a fluffy pup who enjoys playing with his owner, Big Boss Bob. One thing he doesn't like, however, is his red leash. Sasha would much rather be free, so he does everything he can think of to try to get rid of that pesky red leash. But Bob explains to Sasha that the leash is just for his protection.

The book ends with a series of scenes that ask the reader whether or not Sasha is in an unsafe situation (and, therefore, whether or not he needs to wear his leash). This introduces a bit of an interactive element to the book. The main narrative is in rhyme, so it would likely work well as a read-aloud title. (There's some questionable capitalization and comma use, which further makes this more appropriate as a title to be read out loud.)

Overall, this is pretty cute. The illustrations by Joanna Pasek capture the dog's antics as well as its emotions (especially concerning that leash).

Thank you to Yossi Lapid for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.43 out of 5