The Very Very Very Long Dog

October 2, 2017
Just how long is Bartelby, the “sausage dog” resident of a bookstore? Long enough that he can’t fit head to tail on a page of Patton’s lighthearted book. On a walk with three children, Bartleby happily returns the smiles of passersby, oblivious that his “blundering behind” is creating mayhem: it triggers a pileup of cars, trips a pizza deliverer, and topples a ladder, sending a painter and his paint flying. Hearing the commotion, Bartelby circles back to investigate, determined to “get to the bottom of this and find the culprit!” This he does, biting the offending rear end—and thus identifying whose it is. Patton (Drat That Fat Cat!) adeptly highlights the story’s physical comedy, and Bartleby’s scruffy fur and expressive, bugged-out eyes make him a sympathetic pup. But the artwork doesn’t always communicate clearly: how Bartleby triggers the car accident isn’t entirely evident, and the children’s solution to prevent future incidents (a yellow scarf and “long vehicle” sign are involved) seems more about making others aware of the dog than about keeping Bartleby “absolutely sure where his bottom is.” Ages 4–8. Agent: Alli Brydon, Bright Group.

November 1, 2017

PreS-Gr 2-Bartelby is an adorable sausage dog who lives in a bookstore. He loves his home, reading good books, and being taken for walks around town with his many friends. There's just has one not-so-little problem-he's too long. His front end is fine but his misguided backside has issues. Chaos and mayhem seem to follow wherever he and his faraway bottom go. His unsupervised tail end goes through wet cement and causes cars to crash. Bartelby is devastated when he realizes the source of the trouble is his own back end. His friends decide to work together to solve the problem. They come up with a clever solution to help their four legged companion when going for a walk. This is a charming book that is packed with humor. Bartelby's head and tail are rarely on the same page to show the extreme length of his body. The author refers to Bartelby's back end in humorous ways. For example, "blundering backside" and "reckless rear" are terms the will amuse and delight children. The use of color in the illustrations is minimal. Readers' eyes are drawn to the main subjects that have a greater amount of color. It's difficult not to fall in love with Bartelby and his supportive friends. The story quietly stresses the importance of friendship and perseverance. VERDICT This is a sublimely silly book that children and dog lovers will enjoy reading again and again.-Barbara Spiri, Southborough Library, MA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2017
An extremely long "sausage dog" causes problems with his far-distant rear end until his friends provide a creative solution.The dog, Bartelby, is presumably a wire-haired dachshund, although his ultra-long size puts him in the category of imaginary pets. He lives (seemingly independently) in a well-stocked bookstore, where he enjoys reading his favorite books "whilst eating breakfast" and having visits with three children who are his special friends. One is white with blonde braids, another is white with curly, red hair and glasses, and the third friend has brown skin and straight, dark hair. Bartelby is so long that he doesn't know what his own rear end is doing when he goes out on walks, causing issues such as tripping people or tracking his back feet through wet cement. His friends read books at the bookstore to discover a way to help him, coming up with a bright yellow sweater for Bartelby's back end with a light and warning sign. Soft-focus, colored-pencil illustrations have a whimsical appeal, with amusing expressions for Bartelby and a multiethnic cast of characters. The dog's enormous length makes some of the illustrations hard to understand, and it's difficult to grasp how Bartelby could walk with his extra-long body, powered only by four tiny feet. A mildly amusing outing for an odd though engaging canine character. (Picture book. 4-7)

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November 15, 2017
Preschool-G Bartelby is a wire-haired dachshund that resides in a bookstore, and he is living his best life. He has lots of books to read, and each morning his friends take him on a walk through town. But there is one small problem: Bartelby is uncommonly long. While he blissfully trots down the street, receiving the occasional head pat, he loses track of where his bottom isand it is usually creating a bit of chaos. Patton's artwork capitalizes on Bartelby's obliviousness, often showing only his front half on one peaceful spread and his reckless rear moving through on the next, leaving car accidents and flailing people in its wake. One day, the disruption is so great that it gets Bartelby's attention, and he realizes he's behind the devastation. This story is pure charm and silliness. The illustrations mix collage with colored-pencil scribbles and childlike drawings that little ones will appreciate, not to mention laugh along with. A sweet and creative resolution reaffirms Bartelby's self-worth and the benefit of having good friends to lend a helping hand.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)