How to Be a Good Dog Book

Horn Book (Fall 2006)

Bobo loved to hear Mrs. Birdhead say, "You're a good dog, Bobo"--but Bobo's natural exuberance gets him banished to the dog house, until Cat takes a hand in his training. Broadly emotive illustrations of the anthropomorphized hound cavorting in open expanses of color employ a child-friendly simplicity of line while humorously reinterpreting the text's "Sit!" and "Stay!"



Kirkus Reviews (March 15, 2006)

Bobo is a large, white dog with a big, black nose who lives a pampered life alongside his fellow pet, a well-behaved cat who wears a proper apron when washing dishes. Their owner, Mrs. Birdhead (who inexplicably wears a nesting bird strapped to her head) has failed to train her dog in the rudiments of indoor behavior. When Bobo continually misbehaves, he is banished to the backyard, and the cat attempts to end their unhappy separation by giving Bobo obedience lessons. The standard obedience school commands are interpreted with amusing results, as Bobo's idea of "sit" is lounging in a comfy chair and "heel" means literally kicking up his heels. Children will enjoy the humorous sight of Bobo in his pajamas practicing "lie down" and "roll over" in his own four-poster bed, as the cat reads instructions from a dog-obedience guidebook. The quirky humor in the brief text is matched by the funny antics of the floppy canine in the illustrations as he tries to be a good dog, but always in his own way. (Picture book. 3-5)



Publishers Weekly (August 27, 2007)

Cat secretly works to teach Bobo the dog some good manners before he is relegated to the doghouse once again. Page's debut, wrote PW, "closely resembles Daniel Pinkwater's `bad bears' picture books." Ages 3-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.



Publishers Weekly (March 6, 2006)

In this variation on the old feline/canine rivalry, Cat secretly works with Bobo the dog to refine his slovenly habits. Bobo belongs to Mrs. Birdhead, whose nest-like hat and its purple-feathered occupant balance primly on her auburn pageboy 'do. Bobo seems half-pet, half-person: he walks upright, tracks food all over the floor and chews on a book labeled "homework" (although there are no children present). His buffoonery lands him in the doghouse, where he mopes until Mrs. Birdhead goes shopping, and Cat surreptitiously trains him. Their "fetch" lesson goes awry when Cat throws a ball into the house, but "heel turn[s] out to be very handy" when Cat boosts Bobo through the window to retrieve the ball. Indoors, Bobo does yoga "sit" postures and practices "lie down" in bed. What Bobo lacks in manners, he makes up for in enthusiasm, and before Mrs. Birdhead can banish him again, Bobo struts his new stuff and wins a reprieve. Page's debut closely resembles Pinkwater's "bad bears" picture books in its pratfalls and amateurish visuals. In the mushy acrylic images, Bobo appears to be formed from a lump of grayish-white clay. His malleable, clumsily shaped body stretches to emphasize his clown-plus-canine qualities, and he lends gusto to the otherwise lukewarm custard-colored pages. Ages 3-8. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.



School Library Journal (June 1, 2006)

PreS-Gr 2-Bobo is a big white dog who "tried hard to be a good." He loves to hear his owner praise him, and he anticipates the tasty treat that follows. Unfortunately, he also reads with his feet on the table, makes a mess while eating on the sofa, and leaves paw prints all over the house, so he is sent outside to the doghouse. To work his way back inside, he takes lessons from the cat on how to "shake," "fetch," and "heel." When Mrs. Birdhead returns from grocery shopping, Bobo, excited to show her his tricks, bounds down the stairs, sending groceries flying. The angular lines of Cat and Mrs. Birdhead are contrasted with Bobo's soft roundness, while pastel hues dominate. The large acrylic paintings with cartoon figures and the simple text make this a good choice to share with groups of young children.-DeAnn Okamura, San Anselmo Public Library, CA PECK, Jan. Way Far Away on a Wild Safari. illus. by Valeria Petrone. unpaged. S & S. June 2006. RTE $15.95. ISBN 1-4169-0072-1. LC number unavailable. PreS-K-Following on the heels of Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea (2004) and Way Up High in a Tall Green Tree (2005, both S & S), Peck and Petrone feature a pith-helmeted boy visiting the animals of the African savannah. Each spread focuses on one animal with six rhythmic, patterned lines of text featuring an action the creature is taking (sloshing, spying, roaring, zigzagging, etc). In the end, the animals are revealed to be cookies baked by Grandma. The full-color illustrations are digitally rendered in bold lines and bright colors. Although there is little dramatic action, readers looking for books with a safari theme or for African animals will find adventure enough in the cozy cadences of these vignettes.-Marge Loch-Wouters, Menasha's Public Library, WI Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.