Dog wants a boy, even though his mother points out that they are hard to train and that there isn’t enough room in the dog house. Dog sets out anyway to completely prepare for the boy he knows he’ll someday have: He buys “Kid Crunch,” gets a leash and attends obedience school. When Dog leaves home with the intent of finding a boy, he discovers it’s harder than he thought to find just the right one. Dog ends up in the pound because he has no license or leash, and he doesn’t know how he will get home. He’s taken out of his cage for a meet ’n’ greet where he finally finds Boy, THE boy he’s been waiting for. Dog decides to stay at Boy’s house, but he promises his mother they’ll visit soon. Jennings’s twist on the boy-meets-dog tale will please those who enjoy the wry and somewhat skewed. Spires’s muted watercolor-and-ink box-headed cartoon illustrations are a good match for the time-in-cheek text. Not for literal-minded readers, but those with an appreciation for the slightly absurd will chuckle. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-55453-440-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Dec. 30, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2010
An ideal introduction to this familiar waterfowl—readers will enjoy diving right in.
Mallard ducks catch the attention of an observant young narrator. Join in on her day’s travels to learn a lot about these quacking creatures.
Quacks appear in graduated type from large to small to begin this informational gem. The daily activities of a young girl propel the easy-flowing language full of ducky details. Perfectly placed additional facts in smaller and similar-in-tone text are included on each spread. These seamless complements serve to explain unfamiliar terms such as “preening,” “dabbling” and “upending.” While Davies’ text gently informs, Rubbino’s mixed-media illustrations, done in a subdued palette of watery greens, grays and browns, truly impress. Mama ducks, drakes and ducklings alike hold the focus as they nest, search for food, swim, splash and sleep. The loose and childlike pictures capture essential details: the “secret patch of blue on each wing” and the “cute little curl on their tails.” At the end of the day (and book), readers find “The bridge is quiet, and there’s just the sound of rushing water and the stillness of the night.” But the page turn reveals another morning of “ducks—just ducks, down on the river that flows through the town.”
An ideal introduction to this familiar waterfowl—readers will enjoy diving right in. (index, note) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5936-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2012
In this cumulative tale in the tradition of The Mitten and Mushroom in the Rain, a fluffy, friendly dog named Rover makes room in his doghouse for a succession of animals seeking shelter from a thunderstorm. The short, patterned text uses rhyming couplets and a cumulative refrain urging each animal in turn to squeeze into the crowded doghouse. The final arrival—a skunk—disperses the crowd, and Rover returns to his home to enjoy his solitude with all the other animals camouflaged within the surrounding scene in the final spread. Dyer’s watercolors are as charming as always, drawing the reader into the action with varying perspectives to show the expanding group. She uses subtle streaks of gray and white to indicate the driving rain and just a barely opened eye to show that the sleeping animals are aware of each new addition to their refuge. The bouncy rhymes and expressive paintings complement each other well, melding into a simple but satisfying story that will fit into story hours with themes of rain, dogs, or sharing. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-15-201979-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2006
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