I Got Two Dogs

October 27, 2008
Lithgow’s (I’m a Manatee
) singing tribute to a couple of canine ne’er-do-wells named Fanny and Blue strives for the kind of goofy, bouncy simplicity of Burl Ives’s classic Little White Duck
album. But as line upon line reiterates the dogs’ gangly, insistent charms, song and text grow a little too familiar—even when Lithgow gooses the lyrics by turning words into howls (“They’re not too smart,/ But they’re loyal and true ooo ooo ooo ooo”). Neubecker (Wow! City!
) fares much better: his boldly inked, maniacal cartoons capture the full measure of four-legged joie de vivre and remind readers why it’s hard to stay mad at dogs for long—even when they rearrange sock drawers or share the joys of mud with startled bystanders. Ages 2–6.

October 1, 2008
PreS-Gr 1-This musical ode to two prized pooches packs a crowd-pleasing wallop of theatricality: "I got two dogs, Fanny and Blue./Bet you kind of wish you had two dogs too.... They're not too smart, but they're loyal and true-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo/Oh there's nothing I'd trade for my Fanny and Blue." Lithgow performs his catchy melody on the accompanying CD, complete with a back-up chorus, trilling flutes, and trumpets. The lyrics are translated clearly onto the book's pages and will send listeners into fits of giggles at each houndlike repetition of the "ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo" refrain. Neubecker's large, vibrant paintings perfectly capture the frenetic world of dog ownership, cheekily depicting a broader appreciation for each creature's personality than the verses alone provide. For example, "I got two dogs, Fanny and Blue./Always go together like a sock and shoe" is paired with a picture that reveals the two mutts using a sock and a shoe as chew toys. The illustration for "I walk 'em in the evening and the morning dew" shows the pups bounding after a very displeased cat with their leashes trailing behind. Sure to entice youngsters, this book will find a welcome home in storytime and circulating collections."Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2008
Preschool-K Though not always well-behaved, beloved poochie pets Fanny and Blue, are loyal and true . . . ooooo . . ., and are at the heart of this amusing, affectionate paean that uses Lithgows childrens song lyrics as text. They may not know anytricks, and Blues ruffs and Fannys yips at the night sky might not endear themto everyone, but theyre happy and theyre huggy and they stick like glue. Ultimately, the narrator says, Theres nothing Id trade for my Fanny and Blue. The texts bouncy rhythm and rhymes featurerepetition and lengthy Oooos throughout (enthusiastically sung, with slight variations, by Lithgow on a companion CD). A hand-lettered font will encourage lively readings and participation, and colorful, energetic illustrations depict and extend the text of the playful scenarios: They go together like a sock and shoe accompanies a scene of the two dogs destroying the same. Ranging from comically chaotic to tender, this is an entertaining, peppy read with a reassuring sentiment of unconditional love that dog fans and owners will especially appreciate.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)