Goodnight, Good Dog

Starred review from August 31, 2015
There’s a famous Onion headline, “Dog Experiences Best Day of His Life for 400th Consecutive Day,” that essentially describes where Ray and Malone’s small yellow dog is coming from. His owner, a girl with braids, has bid him goodnight; the house has become “moon quiet”; and his “moon-round bed” beckons. But how can he settle down after a wonderful day of running in the grass, chasing the “yellow ball of sun bouncing across the sky,” and eating a bowlful of food? Ray, who prose was so captivating in Stars, again proves herself a gifted writer, capable of highly distilled poetic prose that’s beautifully accessible and allusive. Malone’s (Hug Hug!) bright acrylics, simple shapes, and minimalist detailing (two highly expressive dots stand in for the dog’s eyes) are a terrific match; her canine hero is endearingly eager and trying to behave, yet certain that the world revolves around him. When he does finally fall asleep, lulled by the same memories that were keeping him awake, he becomes an excellent role model for readers, as well. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Starred review from August 1, 2015
It's bedtime for a puppy who is not sleepy at all. Though the biscuit-brown puppy knows that it's dark and that his moon-round bed is ready for him, he is not sleepy. He knows he's had a busy day and understands the words, "Goodnight, good dog," but it does not matter. The house is asleep, and the children are too, but this little canine is still moving. Like many of the little ones who will read this perfectly paced goodnight book, this good dog doesn't think he is ready for bed, but just getting comfy in the bed allows him to feel snug enough to drift off to dreamland. The muted acrylic drawings, outlined in heavy black lines, show the darkening house quieting down for the evening. This keeps the focus on the dog, allowing young readers to observe the puppy and predict just when he will drift off, never realizing that the puppy is the perfect stand-in for the human child, who is also beginning to settle in for the night. Rich language ("Maybe he can dream back the sun?"), so rare in a book that new readers might tackle on their own, adds to the appeal. The pace of the page turns gently slows down as this good dog heads to his dreams. Goodnight, Good Dog. Sure to be shelved next to Goodnight, Moon. It deserves that rarefied spot. (Picture book. 3-7)

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November 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-Rich acrylics with thick black outlines create a fuzzy, sleepy atmosphere, but the young dog is not ready for bed yet. He knows the sounds and visual cues that portend bedtime, from the click of the lamp to the shadows in the corners, but he still longs for all the bouncing and chasing of the day. As he catalogs the day's memories ("He remembers words he knows-like come and good dog and goodnight"), readers and listeners will notice him slowing down even as he denies tiredness. The succinct text has a moving, lullaby quality and works beautifully with the expressive illustrations. The soft, opaque colors and rounded shapes darken with bedtime, making the house feel quiet and the beds (as well as the sweet yellow dog) look cuddly. Finally, the pup curls up in his own "moon-round" bed even though he is not sleepy ("Or, only a little. Just a little."), and a sequence of spot art depicts him getting comfortable. He decides to try to dream back the sun...and finally he does. This snuggly bedtime story shows the dog's girl going happily and quickly to sleep while he pads restlessly about the house, creating a potentially empowering contrast for human bedtime resisters. VERDICT A dog lover's delight and a sweet bedtime read.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
Preschool-G The dog knows the click of the lamp when the light is turned off, begins this quiet bedtime book. But the dog, who looks like a puppy, isn't ready to sleep. As he wanders through the house, he hears familiar night sounds and notices familiar shadows. He reaches his soft-looking, round bed, but he is not ready to sleep. Instead, he remembers his day. He recalls familiar words, such as come and good dog. Walking upstairs, he checks on the girl sleeping in her bedroom. Soon, back in his own bed, he lies down and slowly falls asleep. Ray's pleasing text recreates the dog's experiences without a wasted word. The illustrations expand the narrative and express its tone visually. Created with acrylics, the artwork features firm black lines defining characters, objects, and settings, while subtly modulated colors shape the forms in a series of shadowy, nighttime scenes. In contrast, a few bright white pages feature just the dog and his bed. A satisfying picture book that's just right for bedtime reading.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)