Dogs: A History of Our Best Friends

Ages 4 to 8

This illustrated history of dogs, from award-winning author-illustrator Lita Judge, explores how humans’ partnership with dogs changed our lives and theirs

Of all the animals on the planet, dogs have the widest range of roles in our daily lives. They’re protectors, helpers, lifesavers—but most of all, they’re family.

And they’ve taken a fascinating journey to get to this point. Long ago, early wolves evolved from fierce predators into trusted partners. They became dogs! While we know dogs to be lovable and full of personality, they have also historically improved our lives in many practical ways, like guarding livestock to help humans form the first settlements, cleaning out infectious wounds, and finding food. Covering over 50,000 years of history, from cave-dwelling to the present day, Dogs chronicles fascinating scientific details and the history of how dogs learned to live cooperatively alongside humans.

In this beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched book, award-winning author and illustrator Lita Judge explores how our lives are intertwined with dogs’—and that’s what makes them our best friends.

About the Author

Lita Judge is the award-winning author-illustrator of many children's books, including The Wisdom of Trees, Born in the Wild, Flight School, Red Sled, and her illustrated young adult novel, Mary's Monster, as well as the illustrator of Forty Winks: A Bedtime Adventure, written by Kelly DiPucchio. She lives with her husband, three cats, and a parrot in New Hampshire.