Well, What Did You Expect? If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

IF YOU GIVE A DOG A DONUT,
HE'LL ASK FOR SOME APPLE JUICE TO GO WITH IT...

THEN HE'LL ASK FOR MORE.

In Laura Numeroff's and Lynn Munsinger's latest collaboration, If You Give a Dog a Donut (Balzer & Bray, 2011), this dynamic duo doesn't break any new ground--and why would they?

In the series beginning with the ever-popular If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (If You Give...), Numeroff and illustrator Munsinger practically have a franchise on this format, the cause-and-effect story. In this latest one, of course, one glass of apple juice calls for another, and when the bottle from the fridge proves empty, the dog immediately leads the ever-helpful boy outside to pick apples to make their own juice.

But pitching apples down from the tree reminds the dog of baseball, and the obedient boy fetches ball and glove for a game of catch, which leads the dog to want to hit a few, and when he hits a long ball, his celebratory dance makes him overheated, which leads to a water fight with the hose, which leads to playing pirates at sea, which leads to.... Well, you get the idea.

In proper time the outdoor action leads the thirsty two back inside with their basket of apples for a needed drink, which means ...

HE'LL WANT A DONUT TO GO WITH IT.

Happily predictable, fans of the earlier books will predictably want to read If You Give a Dog a Donut, and right away!