Book Review of How to Be Best in Class
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The Children’s Book Review
How to Be Best in Class
Written and Illustrated by Lorena M. Proia
Ages: 4-8 | 32 Pages
Publisher: Self Published D.B.A. PnM Publishing (2026) | ISBN: 979-8-9885730-1-2
What to Expect: Pet training, learning, listening, thinking outside the box, friendship.
In this beautiful picture book, readers get to watch a pet training class through the eyes of a smart, enthusiastic, and utterly loveable dog.
Rae has taken Phebe to pup school to learn how to be a perfect pup. Unfortunately, Phebe isn’t very good at any of the lessons Mr. Zuri wants to teach. Phebe won’t sit when she’s told to, or stay when she’s told to, or come when she’s told to, or get down when she’s told to—Phebe has her own ideas about appropriate pup behavior!
The other children don’t appreciate Phebe; they think she’s not a very good pup because she can’t seem to follow the rules. However, when Mr. Zuri asks the pups to retrieve tennis balls, Phebe is the only pup who can do the task—not just retrieving her own ball, but all the balls the other pups failed to bring back too!
Phebe is endearing for both her goofiness and her unbounded affection for Rae, and readers will enjoy watching her trample all over the “school rules.” Short, dialogue-rich sentences are complemented by beautiful pencil illustrations bursting with canine energy, making each page a delight to slow down and pay attention to. As well as being a story about friendship, How to Be Best in Class also emphasizes the important message that learning isn’t about perfection, but about enthusiasm, creativity, and teamwork.
Phebe may not think and act like someone else’s idea of a perfect pup—but she’s perfect in her own, special way.
About the Author-Illustrator
Lorena M. Proia is the author and illustrator of the award-winning How to Make a Sandwich. She splits her time between being a city mouse just outside of Boston and a country mouse in the Berkshire Mountains. When she’s not drawing or designing, she’s hiking or playing Dog Agility with her two Australian Shepherds.
You can find out more about her, Phebe, and her books at www.lorenaproiabooks.com.
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1 Comment
Thank you so much for this beautiful and thoughtful review. It means the world to me that you truly saw Rae and Phebe’s story — and in many ways, the real Phebe too. She was such an intelligent, spirited pup with a sense of humor all her own, and I’m grateful you captured both the joy and the message that being different is perfect in its own special way. 💛