If We Were Dogs is a 2025 picture book by Sophie Blackall. Blackall has published dozens of books and is a two-time Caldecott medalist.
It’s easy to see why. There’s a strong voice and vision to If We Were Dogs, a very clear sense that Blackall’s in complete control of her material.
If We Were Dogs has a clear and simple premise: two people–likely kids, since they’re talking under a table–are talking about pets, and one asks, “If we were dogs, what kind of dogs would we be?” That speaker takes their own question and runs with it, sharing pleasant, energetic blurts about what that would be like: “If we were dogs, I’d be a big dog!”
The speaker says the other person would be a little dog, and surges forward into a series of scenarios they’d love (as the big dog): wagging, drinking, fetching sticks, digging, and so on. The other person/smaller dog seems to like some of these activities, but not all of them, and not as much as the oblivious big dog. The big dog continues to overwhelm with their fantasy, until the other person/smaller dog finally gets a breath to say, “But…I don’t want to be a dog.” There’s some counterargument, and claiming of space, and then the second person reveals they’d rather be a duck.
To the credit of the big dog, they adjust quickly, bringing the same sweeping, infectious energy into play with the duck, hugging and praising it until the big dog is tired and falls asleep, with the duck standing happily on his head. This book does a good job of teaching a lesson that kids won’t be able to miss and still making it entertaining.
The illustrations really bring a lot to this story. They blend realistic dog body language with facial expressions that communicate very human reserve and doubt on the part of the smaller dog. There’s huge doggy energy to these images: I assume Blackall has known and loved a lab or a Golden Retriever. Maybe several.
