PINKERTON, BEHAVE!

by Steven Kellogg ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 1980

Any kid who's tried to train a dog, a few more who have or want a dog, and (sneakier yet) any kid inclined to botch commands can be counted among Pinkerton's likely audience. In a comic-strip sequence with a text that consists entirely of the characters' words, a little girl's mother tries to teach oversized, spotted Pinkerton to ""Come,"" to ""Fetch"" a newspaper, and to ""Get the burglar""--but he consistently leaps out the window at the first command, chews the paper to shreds instead of delivering it, and fondly licks the dummy constructed as a stand-in for a burglar. The old-lady teacher at obedience school has no better success with Pinkerton and finally expels him for teaching the other dogs his own perverse responses. So what happens when the house is invaded by a real burglar who is mean, ugly, and toting a gun? While the mother cowers under the bedclothes, the little girl, until now a silent observer, comes through with ""Pinkerton! Fetch!""--whereupon Pinkerton tears at the burglar's clothing--and, as the burglar reaches for his gun, ""Pinkerton! Come!"". . . whereupon the dog sails out the window, carrying the burglar with him. A well-staged last laugh for dog and child, with much visual rambunction throughout.

Pub Date: Nov. 7, 1980

ISBN: 0803727224

Page Count: -

Publisher: Dial

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1980

Categories: CHILDREN'S