Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-The characters introduced in Chick 'n' Pug (Bloomsbury, 2010) love having exciting adventures and being superheroes, but sometimes they just like to relax, play with Pug's toys, and nap. One day, they awake to find their favorite toy missing. Chick immediately sets out to find Squeaky Hamburger, and Pug stays behind to keep an eye out for the thief and snooze some more. The culprit turns out to be The Dude, a new dog in the neighborhood, huge, hairy, and slobbery. By this time, Squeaky Hamburger has turned into Squishy, Slimy Hamburger, and Pug and Chick eagerly relinquish it to their large but friendly new acquaintance. The back cover shows Chick swimming in The Dude's water bowl and Pug happily doing his favorite thing-napping-and in the foreground are enormous paw prints circling both intrepid friends. Done with acrylics and colored pencil, the illustrations are humorous and wonderfully drawn; although huge, there is never any doubt that The Dude is friendly and playful. Chick's tiny size and greatly exaggerated facial expressions add to the fun. A storytime winner and a great choice for dog lovers.-Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA (c) Copyright 2013. 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
When their favorite toy, Squeaky Hamburger, is stolen by a big dog named "the Dude," Chick and Pug spring into action--well, Chick does: the sublime joke (which eludes Chick) is that his superhero partner spends the book's length napping in the grass. As in this book's predecessor, Chick 'n' Pug, the bulging-eyed cuteness of the duo is paired with an endearing dopiness. (c) Copyright 2013. 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
Odd-couple friends Chick and Pug return in a nonsensical tale so slender that it barely registers. Pug is totally laid-back, spending his days resting in the grass and allowing Chick free rein to indulge his vivid imagination. Chick dubs Pug a superhero, a wonder dog, but all their exciting adventures are enacted by Chick alone. A favorite toy goes missing, and Chick puts all his energy into investigation and recovery. Dude the sheepdog is the culprit, and the mad chase ensues. The text only imparts the bare bones of the tale; many additional details are visual. Chick in detective mode employs a magnifying glass and a gumshoe costume, images quite possibly beyond the experience of the intended audience. There's lots of silliness involving laundry and a sprinkler, but it is the distraction of a "nummy bone" that brings about the anticlimactic and gushing denouement. Large-scale acrylic-andcolored-pencil illustrations depict a very green and vast yard. Pug and the Dude have charm and appeal, and their physical characteristics and personalities nicely represent their breeds. Chick, however, is of an indeterminate species, neither songbird nor farmyard fowl. His antics seem demented rather than cute, and his huge eyes, triangular beak and skinny neck appear a bit creepy. There is some fun here, but lack of cohesion and substance outweighs any humor. Skip this one in favor of Sattler's Uh-Oh, Dodo! (2013) and Pig Kahuna (2011). (Picture book. 3-6)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
