Despite being a mongrel, Mister Dash is a dog of great refinement. He wears vests and bow ties, reads newspapers, and eats his popcorn one kernel at a time. He and his owner, Madame Croissant, live a quiet, well-ordered life together, snoozing (him), collecting stamps (her), and running a store for francophiles (both of them).

The only thing troubling Mister Dash’s blissfully calm existence is Daphne, Mme Croissant’s granddaughter. Daphne is as wild as Mister Dash is not. When she shows up for her weekly visits, Mister Dash prefers to escape to the park to read his newspaper in peace.

One Sunday, however, Daphne arrives early, and Mister Dash is roped into acting as her reluctant playmate. She stuffs her face, wrecks his doghouse, drenches him with water, and forces him to sit in her wagon. Mister Dash eventually escapes, but when Daphne loses control of her wagon and goes flying downhill, he races to the rescue.

Esperança Melo’s warm, rich acrylic paintings do a masterful job of capturing the dog’s mounting dissatisfaction with the girl’s marauding, but the resolution of Monica Kulling’s tale is just this side of satisfying. Neither of these strong personalities is changed by the experience. Instead, we are left with Mister Dash returning to his quiet routine, mightily relieved that Daphne is gone for another week. Where is the evidence that he has discovered his inner mutt, or that wild-child Daphne has been tamed? Where is the glimmer of hope that these two forces of nature can now live in harmony?

Other than this minor source of readerly frustration, the book succeeds well enough. Kulling, a poet as well as a children’s writer, knows how to create lively images in prose. The ironic contrast between unruly child and peace-loving dog is great entertainment and, coupled with Melo’s lovely illustrations, makes a joyful read.