Roy Is Not a Dog - by Esmé Shapiro & Daniel Newell Kaufman (Hardcover)

About the Book

"On Lilypod Lane, everyone knows everything about everybody...or so they believe! When curious paperboy Weasel encounters his mysterious neighbor Roy on his route, he becomes convinced that Roy is actually a dog! But when his friend Pam Pam disagrees, Weasel must put on his detective cap and do his best sleuthing to reveal Roy's extraordinary secret, and prove that not everything is as it seems, once and for all!"--

Book Synopsis

Take a ride down Lilypod Lane with Weasel and Pam Pam as they try to solve a mystery in their neighborhood in this hilariously fetching picture book: could their peculiar neighbor actually be a dog in disguise?

On Lilypod Lane, everyone knows everything about everybody . . . or so they believe! When curious paperboy Weasel encounters his mysterious neighbor Roy on his route, he becomes convinced that Roy is actually a dog! But when his friend Pam Pam disagrees, Weasel must put on his detective cap and do his best sleuthing to reveal Roy's extraordinary secret, and prove that not everything is as it seems, once and for all!

An endearingly offbeat picture book that celebrates neighbors and neighborhoods, Roy Is Not a Dog delivers laughs and lessons about accepting others for who they are as well as the risks and rewards of showing your true self.

Review Quotes

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2024
One of CCBC's Best Books for Kids and Teens
A 2025 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
A 2024 Kids' Indie Next Pick

"A pointed message about expecting, as well as accepting, differences in others, delivered with a doggy flourish." --Kirkus Reviews

"Wonderful mixed media artwork combines watercolor, gouache, collage, digital elements, and--the front matter cheekily notes--fried egg. With its original, quirky cast, this feels a bit like a picture book told by Wes Anderson." --Booklist

"An eccentric conversation about self-identity, recommended for school and public libraries." --School Library Journal

"A very charming and incredibly fun picture book about the importance of community, being true to oneself, and not making assumptions." --CM: Canadian Review of Materials

"Perfect for dog lovers, language lovers and young detectives." --Young Adulting

"Esme Shapiro and Daniel Newell Kaufman take your children on an enchanting and mysterious story that they will love to read again and again." --The Baby Spot

About the Author

ESMÉ SHAPIRO grew up in Laurel Canyon, California and Ontario, Canada, and is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. Her previous picture books include Ooko, which was nominated for a Governor General's Literary Award in 2016, Alma and the Beast, Carol and the Pickle-Toad and, most recently, My Self, Your Self, which has received two starred reviews. Esmé also illustrated Yak and Dove by Kyo Maclear, Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Margaret McNamara and A Garden of Creatures by Sheila Heti. She has exhibited at the Society of Illustrators, and her work has been featured in Taproot and Plansponsor magazines. Esmé lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband, Daniel, and their two dogs.

DANIEL NEWELL KAUFMAN is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker whose documentaries and short films have played at the SXSW, Tribeca and Cannes Lions film festivals. Raised in both Los Angeles and Vermont, Daniel's life is driven by a deep curiosity and love of people. This is Daniel's debut picture book. He lives with his wife and co-author, Esmé Shapiro, in an old farmhouse in the Hudson Valley.