John Grogan, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, is a former editor-in-chief of organic Gardening. His first book is a memoir about life with a wildly neurotic Labrador retriever, Marley, a dog like no other.
Grogan continues his Marley franchise with his third children's book about the boisterous yellow lab, rearranging the chronology of the family history slightly so that there are already two children in the family when Marley arrives. During the Christmas preparations, Marley jumps in the box of ornaments, runs off with the strings of lights, knocks over the tree and then uses it for his "indoor bathroom." He pulls down decorations, runs through a painting project in one delightfully messy illustration and finally shakes snow all over the family's new toboggan in a conclusion that falls a little flat. The story is smoothly told but not in a particularly funny or original way, and the dialogue includes a lot of unintelligible and annoying baby talk from the toddler son. The humorous illustrations of Marley are the volume's best feature, but they really portray just a string of typical incidences of Marley misbehavior rather than a meaningful story. It may be time for this overworked pup to take a rest. (Picture book. 3-7)Read full book review >
In this adaptation of his bestselling memoir, Marley & Me, Grogan celebrates the life of his free-spirited, bad-boy Labrador retriever. When Grogan innocently picks the enthusiastic Marley from the puppy litter, little does he know this dog will crash through his life with hilarious abandon for the next 13 years. "Wild as a banshee and as strong as a bull," Marley grows at a furious rate, chomping and chewing everything in sight. At six months, the incorrigible Marley is kicked out of obedience school. When a film company wants a "big, dumb, loopy dog," Marley's a natural. Whenever there's an electric storm, Marley claws his way out of steel cages like a pro. Over the years, Grogan and his growing family became increasingly attached to their goofy canine, but eventually the elderly Marley wears out, prompting Grogan to acknowledge that despite his flaws, Marley was "a great dog." Written with real affection and humor, this tender tribute to a dog "with stinky breath and bad manners" will win the hearts of even those who aren't dog lovers. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Read full book review >
"Marley died at age 13, and the book ends with the Grogans thinking of adopting another puppy. Please, no sequels! Only the most alarmingly devoted dog lovers should bother with this one."
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