Although the idea was super cute I didn't love the execution. The dad was really negative and I hated that he said he was too dumb to learn. I did like the cute reveal that the dog spoke a different language. Also the Chinese language teachers seemed really stereotype-y to me, ( )

Dog understands Chinese but family who adopts him doesn't speak the language. Charming story, delightful illustrations. ( )

This is a cute book to read to young children. My only concern with it, that children might actually think that the reason their pets can't talk to them is because they can't speak English. Other than that, I like the book. I also thought it was cute that the little boy learned Chinese to speak to his dog. ( )

When the compassionate young narrator goes with his family to the animal shelter, he wants to adopt the dog that has been there the longest. Attempts to train Norman don’t work out; he just doesn’t understand. Norman, they figure, just isn’t smart, but they love their funny, friendly dog anyway. A chance encounter with another dog owner in the park changes everything (spoiler alert): Norman understands Chinese. The family gains a new appreciation of Norman when they attend Chinese classes and discover the difficulties of learning a new language. This clever picture book with pen and ink illustrations that radiate positive energy sheds light on cross-cultural issues in a child-friendly way. ( )