Bitza is settling into his new forever home with Jas and her dad. The only problem is that Dad thinks Bitza is settling in a little too much.

When he finds Bitza and Jas on the couch together, he decides to set some rules for their new pooch family member.

1st rule is No Couch for Bitza. He tries several different places on the couch, just to see whether it’s a particular spot he’s not allowed to be on, but it seems the entire couch is out of bonds.

More rules follow, and Bitza tries to concentrate, but he’s getting tired and even gravity hardly keeps his eyes open as he lies upside down on the floor.

Later, Bitza decides to share his rules with his forever family. They don’t seem to understand though – not even his most important rule of all.

When left alone in the backyard he meets his new neighbour, and discovers there are more rules he didn’t know about – until he’d broken them with terrible consequences!

The second book in this junior fiction series, Bitza – Rules? What Rules? is told in Bitza‘s voice direct to the reader. We get to see life from the viewpoint of a newly adopted dog. We learn what he likes – cuddles, food and being together with his new humans, and what he doesn’t like – dancing on his hind legs with his human.

With large clear print, and space between text, along with illustrations by Stephen Michael King, Bitza – Rules? What Rules? is perfect for young readers keen to stretch their skills towards middle-grade chapter books.

This episode has Bitza learning about his neighbour and that you shouldn’t believe what others tell you is cool – especially if that individual has been mean before.

Bitza learns a new rule the hard way, but the resolution is gorgeous.

Author – Andrew Daddo

Illustrator – Stephen Michael King

Age – 6+

Find a review for the first book in the series here

Find more reviews of stories starring dogs here

(2026, Penguin Books NZ, Animals, Dog, Series, Growing up, Family, Humour, Funny, 1st person, Dog, Forever Home, Rules, Wrong advice)