MRS. DUNPHY'S DOG

by Catherine O'Neill ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1987

A picture-book parable for librarians to use as they will: dog teaches himself to read, then discovers that you can't believe everything in the papers; books are more reliable, and more fun, too. James ignores Mrs. Dunphy when she regales him with animal stories from her favorite daily; he prefers to consume the news, literally, after she falls asleep. But somehow, his close association with newsprint eventually induces literacy. At first he's credulous of such headlines as ""Ten-year-old girl raised by pigs"" and ""Giant flying cat terrifies tots."" Later, checking the stories with real animals, he grows more skeptical, finally rejecting newspapers in favor of such books as Peter Pan and Lassie Come Home. He may even go to the library. But though he is an intelligent dog, James still enjoys a secret snoop at a news story ""so astonishing it makes his teeth tickle."" This funny, off-beat romp is the first book O'Neill has both Written and illustrated. Her wide-eyed, slightly off-balance characters and the well-organized dishevelment of her scenes are just right for the story's wry humor. Some of the fun may be over the heads of preschoolers; try sharing this one with second- or third-graders.

Pub Date: April 1, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1987

Categories: CHILDREN'S