K9 Mattis on the Job: A Day in the Life of a Police Dog by Mark Tappan
ISBN: 140024658X
Genres: Animals, Biography/Autobiography, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads

K9 Mattis On the Job follows a typical day in the life of Mattis, a police dog, with his partner Sergeant Mark Tappan. As part of the Alpharetta Police Department, Sergeant Mark and Mattis hand out assignments, practice important skills such as tackling and tracking, and use their custom police car with a kennel in the back to report for duty. But today is Mattis’ favorite day: he and Sergeant Mark get to visit an elementary school to show off all the skills Mattis has learned. 

Being a police dog is more than just learning how to sit, stay, and high five. Mattis also practices tackling in the park and rescuing someone from the lake. In showing off for the students, Mattis not only finds a student’s stuffed turtle, but also Sergeant Mark’s hat, lost inside his police vehicle. 

A fun additional fact can be found on every page. These facts include details about Mattis and Tappan’s career together — Mattis has more awards than any other police dog in their department! Other facts are about police dogs in general, such as that German Shepherds can run up to 30 miles per hour. These tidbits add a wealth of information and provide additional context to this nonfiction read. 

This would be a great book for a lesson on community helpers, first responders, or even the life of a working dog. The realistic style of the illustrations feel kid-friendly without coming across as whimsical or childish, which helps kids relate to the story. This book would be perfect for early elementary students (PreK through grade 2) but maybe be adapted to be part of an older curriculum. 

Reviewed by Amie Martin, HB Emery Jr. Memorial School, Limington