Meet Toby, an adorable beagle who constantly endears himself to his owner despite the fact that Toby won’t cooperate with her plans to teach him a trick . . . any trick. Toby is great at normal dog things—he eats messily, knocks things over, and scratches with the best of them, but ask him to fetch, roll over, or beg, and he’ll look at his owner with a befuddled and perplexed expression. The narrator bemoans the fact that her friends’ dogs shake hands, bring in the newspaper, and dance—Michael’s French poodle even plays soccer. But Toby’s owner never gives up. She tries talking to Toby in several foreign languages (in case a language barrier has been the problem all along) and even talks to him in dog: “woof awooooo ark ark grrff ruff!” Nothing works though, so she just goes back to saying “sit” several times a day. Finally, one day, Toby comes through and . . . yes . . . sits! In a funny double-page spread in which Toby takes up most of the two pages, the text reads simply “Toby sat!” Toby’s owner is happy, but keeps things in perspective—she’ll always love Toby even if he never learns another trick. Toby is a lovable and goofy dog in the tradition of Martha in Martha Speaks by Susan Meddaugh or Boodil My Dog by Pija Lindenbaum. The illustrations are charmingly and humorously done in watercolors, acrylics, and pen and ink. A thoroughly delightful story by the authors of the also delightful Trashy Town (1999). (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: May 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-15-202014-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2000
A tender tale of friendship, timed for Thanksgiving.
In a new companion to Bear Snores On and Bear Wants More (2002, 2003), a lovable bevy of friends come together again for feast and fun.
Bear is bored and lonely and decides that a dinner party is the perfect way to gather all his friends for some sharing and fun, but there is no food to be found in his cave. One by one his friends stop by, each bringing something delicious with open-hearted enthusiasm. Mouse, Hare, Badger, Gopher, Mole and feathered friends Owl, Raven and Wren pool their goodies and create a glorious feast. Bear is grateful and warmed by their generosity and, as in previous works, the title refrain is repeated at every offering. But he is also embarrassed at having nothing to contribute. His friends reassure him that he has stories to share that will make the feast special. The lilting verse is neither trite nor singsong, and movement and excitement are conveyed as the animals flap, flitter, hurry and tromp into Bear’s home. Rich autumn hues abound throughout, from the opening double-page spread to the glowing earth-toned cave strewn with twigs and colorful leaves. Deep friendship is supremely evident in facial expressions and body language and their joy at being together. Who would not love this cuddly, soft, furry creature?
A tender tale of friendship, timed for Thanksgiving. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4169-5856-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: Aug. 7, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2012
The first book in a proposed series of easy readers from the usually reliable Rylant (The Bookshop Dog, p. 1055) is an unqualified flop. Poppleton, dressed in coat, tie, and bowler, tires of city life and moves to a small town. Three stories follow that require neither a small-town setting nor a recent move. In the first, ``Neighbors,'' the limits of friendship are excessively defined when Cherry Sue invites Poppleton over too often, and he sprays her with the garden hose (instead of simply turning down the invitation) in his frustration over the situation. ``The Library'' shows how serious Poppleton is about his library day- -every Monday—as he sits at a table, spreads out his belongings, and reads an adventure. In ``The Pill,'' a sick friend who needs medicine asks Poppleton to disguise his pill in one of the many pieces of cake he consumes, recalling the tale in which Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad try to make some cookies inaccessible, but cannot thwart their own appetites. The stories are unimaginative and poorly plotted, without the taut language and endearing humor of Rylant's Henry and Mudge tales or her Mr. Putter and Tabby books. Teague's scenes of a small town are charming but have no real story in which to take root, and the book is printed on cardboard-weight stock that all but overwhelms the format. (Fiction. 4-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-590-84782-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Blue Sky/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1996
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