Powell-Tuck, Maudie. Don’t Do It, Doug! Duncan Beedie, Illus. Tiger Tales, 02/2026. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-66430-079-8. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.
Doug the hamster can’t resist cautionary signs—if the sign says “Do Not Press,” Doug will press that button! This behavior causes Doug to get in trouble and become injured, such as getting stung by bees after touching a beehive. Although he learns to control himself by trying skydiving and roller coasters, the motivation for change isn’t really clear, so the lesson may not be relatable for the preschool audience. The full-color illustrations depict animals in the human world, similar to animated cartoon art, done using a variety of different colored backgrounds. A serviceable story about following directions, but not entirely memorable.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool