Review by New York Times Review
Tearjerkers are a fixture in the dog book genre, but they are perhaps less prevalent in the kiddie division, which makes this enormously affecting Australian import so distinctive. While not the book parents would want to present alongside the new family puppy. "Harry & Hopper," the slory of a boy who loses his beloved dog, will provide literary comfort to any child mourning a pet of his own. Softly colored charcoal drawings add tenderness to this empathetic, bittersweet tale. WOOF MEOW TWEET-TWEET Written and illustrated hy Cécile Boyer. 48 pp. Seven Footer Kids. $15.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) A high-concept portrait of the contrasting lifestyles of dog, cat and bird, "Woof Meow Tweet-Tweet" never once depicts the animals described within. Instead, each is portrayed by its "animal sound," whose letters are stretched, bent and amplified "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom"-style to reflect the animal's movements and manner. Translated from the original French, the story is simple, but with animal noises added, young children will appreciate it read aloud. CHARLIE THE RANCH DOG By Ree Drummond. Illustrated by Diane deGroat. 40 pp. HarperCollins. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) The one-woman blogging enterprise known as the Pioneer Woman, whose Web site tracks her path from city gal to ranch wife, has written her first children's book, a day in the life of her basset hound, Charlie. Described from Charlie's languorous perspective, ranch living is a round of hard labor, from sniffing the porch steps to supervising the activities of his peppier companion, Susie. DeGroat appealingly illustrates the bucolic setting, and Charlie agreeably channels his owner's down-homey twang. PUSSYCAT, PUSSYCAT, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? By Dan Bar-el. Illustrated by Rae Maté. 32 pp. Simply Read Books. $16.95. (Picture book: ages 4 to 8) Unbeknownst to many Mother Goose readers, a number of classic rhymes continue way past their well-known opening stanzas ("Old Mother Hubbard" is a particularly fine example), but here, Bar-el creates his own extension of the initial London rendezvous in "Pussycat, Pussycat." Traveling onward to Paris and Australia and over the midnight seas, the pussycat adventures through imaginative Chagall-style acrylic paintings. "Pussycat, Pussycat, will you stay home? / I always get restless, I always will roam." Take that, lazy cats. MEET THE DOGS OF BEDLAM FARM, by Jon Katz. Illustrated. 32 pp. Holt. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Another blog, another book: Kalz, the author of popular dog books for adults ("A Dog Year") makes a foray into children's books with an introduction to his four dogs. Rose herds sheep, Izzy visits sick people and Frieda guards the farm. But what, the book repeatedly asks, does Lenore do? Katz's photographs depicting the dogs' vastly different personalities are great fun for dog lovers and a fine lesson for dog fearers. Lenore, it turns out, makes sure everyone is happy. "Thanks to Lenore, the dogs are a family." GRACIE THE LIGHTHOUSE CAT, written and illustrated by Ruth Brown. 32 pp. Andersen Press USA. $16.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 9) This true story of a double rescue in 1838, in which Grace Darling, a lighthouse keeper's daughter, alerts her father to a storm-struck ship at the same time the lighthouse cat, Gracie, discovers one of her kittens is missing, is illustrated with lush, expressive paintings. From the cat's-eye view, the human drama, in which 13 people were saved, is relegated to backdrop. A historical note about Darling, a heroine in Victorian England, appears on the endpaper. PAMELA PAUL
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [May 15, 2011]
Review by Booklist Review
In a sort of picture-book version of his adult book A Dog Year (2002), Katz introduces the four dogs who now share life with him on a farm in upstate New York. Through simple text and bright photographs, the four pooches are described, one at a time. Rose, a border collie, herds sheep, and photos depict her staring down the flock even through heavy snow. Izzy was abandoned early in life but now is a therapy animal who visits the sick. Frieda, the rottweiler-German shepherd mix, is a bit scary and guards the farm. The question asked at the end of each chapter is the same: But what is Lenore's job? The answer's clear, but Katz spells it out: the black Lab, who looks for disgusting things to eat and mud to roll in, is in charge of keeping the other dogs happy by loving them And that may be the greatest work of all. This is the love letter people wishes they could write to their own pets, and it makes a point well worth reiterating: in a family, all members are equally valuable.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Katz's first book for children, illustrated with lively photos, the author explains how the four dogs (which have been the subject of several bestselling titles for adults) that live on his farm in upstate New York have distinct roles and responsibilities. Border collie Rose herds sheep, while another collie, Izzy, works outside the farm as a therapy dog ("He helps people feel better"). Frieda, a rottweiler and German shepherd mix, was wild before coming to the farm, and while her size and ground-shaking bark make her "a bit scary," she guards the farm against foxes and coyotes. Katz withholds black Lab Lenore's job until the end, repeating the question, "But what is Lenore's job?" Lenore makes cameos in the other dogs' profiles, and readers will soon understand the role she plays: "Lenore is not as quick as Rose, or as busy as Izzy, or as strong as Frieda. But she is a working dog. Her job is loving and accepting and having patience." While the basic message feels a bit overemphasized, dog-loving readers will value the attention paid to their individual contributions. Ages 4-8. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3-Border collies Rose and Izzy; Frieda, a rottweiler/German shepherd mix; and black Lab Lenore are four dogs living on Bedlam Farm in Upstate New York. Katz lives on the farm and has written about it for older audiences. While Rose, Izzy, and Frieda are working dogs with specific jobs to do, Lenore is different. She doesn't guide the sheep or guard the farm and she's not a trained therapy dog. She just keeps the occupants happy, and the canines operate as a family. The large, full-color photographs are totally engaging and capture the animals' distinct personalities. Lenore is shown contemplating a fly on her nose. Scary-looking Frieda, guard to the farm, gets nuzzled by Lenore. Therapy dog Izzy, the only guy in the group, snuggles at the feet of a patient. Rose, the serious one, glares at her sheep, keeping them in line. The writing is crisp and clear, and the stories (each dog gets its own turn) are sweet and filled with gentle humor. This gorgeous, heartwarming book, great for quiet reading and storytimes alike, stands out from the pack.-Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Dogs Rose, Izzy, Frieda, and Lenore (subjects of some of Katz's adult books) each has a job to do at the author's farm. "Job" is loosely (and anthropomorphically) defined; Frieda, for example, seems more of a loose cannon than a "guard," and there's too much artificial suspense built on Lenore's responsibility as pack leader. Dog fanciers will love the many attractive photographs. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Katz has written several well-received books for adults about his working dogs and their life together at Bedlam Farm in upstate New York (Dog Days, 2007, etc.). In his first book for children, he introduces four of his canine companions and describes their personalities, specific jobs and interactions. Rose is a border collie whose job is herding sheep on the farm. Izzy is another border collie, a rescue dog who is now a therapy dog visiting patients in hospitals, and Frieda is a large, mixed-breed dog who guards the farm. Lenore is a black lab who appears throughout the story, along with the repeating refrain, "But what is Lenore's job?" The concluding pages present Lenore as the guiding spirit of the dog pack, a playful, friendly dog who keeps the whole group happy. Her job is "loving and accepting and having patience." The not-so-subtle message is that each individual contributes to a successful group in ways that are not always immediately apparent. The simple, informative story is illustrated with high-quality photographs of the dogs in action, using a wide variety of shots and settings that add visual interest. Young dog lovers will enjoy this, particularly those who own border collies or black labs. (Picture book. 4-8)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
