dogs

Book Review: Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz

| Tasha

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Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz

This is the very engaging story of the four dogs who live with the author at Bedlam Farm.  Each of the dogs has a particular job that they do and do well.  All except for Lenore, she doesn’t have a clear job to do.  Rose, a border collie, helps out with farm chores like herding sheep.  Izzy is also a border collie, and his job is to visit people who are sick as a therapy dog.  Frieda, part rottweiler and par German shepherd, guards the farm, even chasing the farm cats up trees.  But what does Lenore do?  Lenore reminds Rose that it is OK to play.  She showed Izzy how to live in a house and eat from a bowl.  She shows Frieda how to be friendlier.  She has the most important job of all, creating a family from the individual dogs.

Katz has captured the personality of each of his dogs in both his writing and his photographs.  He tells the story of each of the dogs, how they came to live at the farm, and portrays the jobs that each of them have.  The book is engagingly written with a repeating question of “But what is Lenore’s job” at the end of each section on another dog.  The details of their lives are funny, touching and underline the connection of this family of canines.

An ideal addition to any public library, this book will fly off the shelves and into the hands of dog lovers.  Happily, it is also a nonfiction book that will work when shared aloud, so consider it for your next dog-themed story time.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt & Company.

Also reviewed by BookDragon.

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Book Review: RRRalph by Lois Ehlert

| Tasha

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RRRalph by Lois Ehlert

Ehlert returns with another cleverly illustrated book, this time featuring a dynamic dog.  Ralph is a dog who is able to talk.  No, really!  When they brought him home and asked him his name, he replied with “RRRalph Ralph.”  He can tell you where he is when he climbs up on his doghouse: “Roof roof.”  Just ask him what is on the outside of a tree, and he knows that it’s BARK.  The book continues with more questions for Ralph and him answering them with a variety of barks, until at the end, he only replies with a snore since he’s fallen asleep.

The book has a great sense of humor and after the first couple of examples of how Ralph replies to questions, children will be trying to guess the next answers that Ralph will give.  The dynamic color combinations of the backgrounds with the pop of black-and-white dog on them add to the fun.  Ehlert excels at her illustrations done using collage and found objects.  The can tab nose gives Ralph a jaunty friendly feel, as does the colorful collar and heart-shaped tag. 

A dog book that is barking up just the right tree for young children, this book belong on every library’s shelves and adds to the incredible body of Ehlert’s work.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Book Review: Woof Meow Tweet-Tweet by Cecile Boyer

| Tasha

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Woof Meow Tweet-Tweet by Cecile Boyer

Released June 1, 2011.

This inventive picture book begins by asking if readers can tell the difference between a dog, a cat and a bird.  The book goes on to explain the differences, such as a the dog lives outside during the day and the bird hates its cage.  But instead of an illustration of the animals, Boyer has replaced them with the word for the noise they make: woof, meow, and tweet-tweet.  The book continues showing the differences between the animals and eventually explores what happens when they meet each other, with great effect, lots of fighting and pouncing.  A word-filled elegant picture book that will have readers looking at the world in a new way.

Boyer’s text is brief, and matter-of-fact, allowing the attention to rest mainly on the illustrations themselves.  The art is filled with strong lines, graphic elements, and lots of color.  Even the choice of fonts for the three different animals says something about them.  Woof is done in a deep brown, thick font.  Meow is elegant and even slinky.  Tweet-tweet is narrow and light.  The words play beautifully against the background that is elegantly minimalist. 

Boyer has created a book filled with wordplay that both children and adults will enjoy.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from ARC received from Seven Footer Press.

Book Review: Say Hello to Zorro! by Carter Goodrich

| Tasha

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Say Hello to Zorro! by Carter Goodrich

Mister Bud had a great life.  He had his own bed, his own toys, his own dish, and best of all, his own schedule.  His schedule had plenty of nap time, meal time, and walks.  Everyone followed the schedule.  Period.  But one day, the schedule was interrupted when a stranger showed up.  Zorro, a new dog, was moving in with them.  At first it was tough and there were fights, but then both Mister Bud and Zorro realized that their lives were a lot better together.  And everyone followed the new schedule.  Period.

Goodrich writes with a real sense of comic timing.  The book reads aloud beautifully, often using a page turn to add to the suspense of a sentence.  The growing friendship of the two dogs is a pleasure to read.  Especially noteworthy is the fact that neither dog changed their personalities as the book progresses, but rather found common ground for their friendship.

The illustrations make great use of the white background.  They tell the story with visual humor that adds to the book’s tone.  The colors are bright and friendly.  Best of all, the illustrations capture emotions perfectly.  There is the joy of a walk, the quiet of a nap, the anger of a new dog, and the silent lean of a dog waiting to be fed. 

Pet lovers, this is a book that you will relate to immediately.  A great addition to any dog story time, this book will also work for friendship or new sibling units.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Also reviewed by:

Book Review–Three by the Sea by Mini Grey

| Tasha

threebythesea

Three by the Sea by Mini Grey

Dog, Cat and Mouse all live happily together by the sea with their household chores neatly divided.  But when a Fox comes ashore, he causes all sorts of trouble.  He brings tempting items from The Winds of Change company that will change their lives.  Dog’s gardening is criticized for only being buried bones, so the stranger offers Mouse herb seeds and new cookbooks.  Dog is encouraged to wear a new collar and is upset at Cat’s laziness.  Cat is shown how dull and repetitive Mouse’s cheesy recipes are by the Fox offering some canned fish.  Soon all of them are at odds with one another.  In the end, Mouse heads away along the shore, but is picked up by a wave and carried out to sea.  When Cat tries to help, she has trouble floating.  So finally Dog, rescues them both.  Now the lives of the three look very different, so was the Fox actually helpful or harmful?

Grey’s book is about cooperation, working together, and also outside influences which can be seen in different ways.  She has created a picture book that is not definitive about the Fox and his influence.  The nuanced conclusion offers room for discussion and speculation.  Grey’s illustrations continue to charm.  She incorporates photographs and cut paper art into them to great effect.  They have a whimsical charm that invite readers right into the world she creates.

Another winner from a great picture book author and illustrator, this book will be a great addition to any beachy story time.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Alfred A. Knopf.

Also reviewed by:

Pick a Pup: A Celebration of Dogs

| Tasha

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Pick a Pup by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by Jed Henry

Sam is all set to pick out his puppy from the animal shelter.  But he’s not sure how he will know which puppy is the right one for him.  His grandmother assures him that he will figure it out.  On the way to the shelter, Sam visits other dogs.  Which kind does he want?  Does he want a lazy dog?  A playful dog?  A pedigreed, fancy dog?  How will he ever know which pup to choose?

Chall has created a book that celebrates the process of not only getting your first dog but also selecting one from a shelter.  While the book begins in a fairly usual way, when it comes to the variety of dogs Sam meets on his walk, the book really takes shape.  Each dog is celebrated and understood to be the right fit for that specific person. 

Henry’s illustrations help in the celebration of the dogs, keeping all of them friendly, approachable but distinct from one another in both looks and attitude.  The soft and bright illustrations offer just the right tone for the book.

A celebration of dogs and animal shelters, this book would be a great addition to a dog unit or storytime.  It’s also a perfect pick for a Read to a Dog program.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Harry & Hopper

| Tasha

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Harry & Hopper by Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood

Harry got Hopper when he was a jumpy puppy.  He taught him to sit, stay and play ball.  The two of them were inseparable.  Hopper even slept with Harry, moving from the bottom of the bed to the top over the course of the night.   But then Harry came home from school and Hopper wasn’t there.  His father broke the news of the accident gently to Harry, explaining that Hopper had died.  Harry couldn’t sleep in the bed he shared with Hopper, so he started sleeping on the couch instead.  At school, Harry couldn’t tell anyone about what had happened.  That night, Harry was awoken from sleeping on the couch by a dog leaping by the window.  It was Hopper!  The two of them spent the night together playing.  The same thing happened night after night, but Hopper was getting less solid and less warm.  Eventually, Harry had to say goodbye to Hopper.

This book should come with a box of tissues.  Sniffle.  Wild depicts the bond between boy and dog with a clarity that makes it very tangible and real.  The loss comes quickly and without prelude, jarring the reader.  As Harry moves through his grief, the return of Hopper brings that process into a similarly tangible state.  The slow disappearance of Hopper over the nights, depicts the acceptance of loss.  Harry’s grief never comes to full resolution, something that is particularly beautiful about this book and its writing. 

This book won the Kate Greenaway medal for its illustrations, and rightly so!  Blackwood’s illustrations are done in laser print on watercolor paper with watercolor, gouache and charcoal.  They have a charm to them that is emphasized by the use of lines to slow motion.  Additionally, the shadows that appear with the grief add to the darker feeling of that section of the book.  Through it all, there is a warm light in the darkness, often provided by Harry and Hopper themselves. 

A beautiful book of loss and grief, this book deserves a spot in libraries where it is sure to find an audience.  Perhaps offer a Kleenex as a bookmark upon check out.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy provided by Feiwel and Friends.

Check out a gallery of the illustration on the Guardian website.

Snook Alone: A Book of Faith, Silence and Connection

| Tasha

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Snook Alone by Marilyn Nelson, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering

Abba Jacob lived on an island with his dog, Snook.  Each day their routine was the same.  They got up at dawn, prayed, worked together, and spent time in companionable silence together.  Sometimes there were visitors or Abba Jacob headed off to town in his car, but Snook was always there waiting for him.  Until one day, Snook and Abba Jacob headed out in a boat to help catalog plant and animal species on the islands.  Snook was along to help catch the rats and mice that were disrupting the birds and animals of the islands.  It was great micing!  It was so good that Snook got too involved in his work, so when a storm blew up, Abba Jacob was forced to leave Snook behind on the deserted island.  All alone, Snook found his own rhythm of silence, catching food, finding water, silence and waiting.  Sometimes he thought he could hear Abba Jacob’s voice on the wind, but no one came for him.  Snook spent a long time alone on the island, never forgetting his friend, Abba Jacob.  Until one day, a fishing boat returned to the island with Abba Jacob aboard!

This book is such a  delight.  It is a book with such depth, such quiet, such silence that its power builds during those quiet moments, creating a magnificent longing.  It is a book that celebrates the simple, the quiet, the profound in our lives.  It is a book about enduring friendship, continued connection, and at its heart: love.  Nelson writes with such a beauty here that some lines make you stop and you have to remember to breathe again.  They are moments just like in the book itself, moments of simple clarity, embedded in the writing.  This is a book that will be a grand choice for a class to discuss, perfection for advanced students who will enjoy the language but will also enjoy the illustrations.  It is a book to be shared.

Ering’s illustrations echo the themes of the book with their delightful mix of cartoon and painting.  Abba Jacob is a round, merry soul shown in cartoon lines.  Snook on the other hand can be funny and cartoonish, but is also depicted as a noble beast in paints.  The illustrations work exceedingly well to show simple life, the vistas of the sea and the island, and the warmth of the connection between man and dog.

A masterful book about faith and friendship, this is an outstanding picture book that deserves plenty of recognition on best book lists but more importantly a spot in school and public libraries.  Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by 100 Scope Notes.

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Fleabag: Heartwarming Boy Meets Dog Story

| Tasha

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Fleabag by Helen Stephens

Fleabag was a city dog with no name and no home.  He liked to visit the park and see the other dogs with their families.  How he wished he had a person too.  Everyone ignored him until one little boy threw a ball and Fleabag caught it.  The little boy and the dog became friends, playing together when his mother wasn’t watching because she was busy with his little sibling.  Then the little boy found out that he was moving away, leaving Fleabag behind.  The night before they were moving, the boy looked out his window and saw Fleabag waiting there.  So he decided the solution was for them to run away together.  But Fleabag knew that something was wrong.  He refused to go and even woke up the family to the danger.  Now what is a family to do with a dirty dog that saved their little boy?  You know exactly what!

Stephens has written a book with a very classic feel to it right down to the illustrations.  Her text uses subtle repetition to build moods and connections.  It reads aloud effortlessly thanks to the repetition and the clear flow of the story line.   One piece I appreciated was that the boy and the dog build their friendship up over the course of time.  It is a testament to the strength of their connection that it did not happen immediately.  Stephens’ illustrations are filled with soft washes of color.  They have a vintage feel with modern lines and use color to great effect.  She also plays with white space very effectively, using it to isolate but also to be expansive.

A dog-gone good book, this is one friendly pooch that will have young readers cheering him all the way home.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt.