Speak Up, Tommy!

August 1, 2012
There are no easy victories in life, but no one has told the author. Dogs talk all the time in children's books, but they hardly ever speak a foreign language. Samson is a police dog who doesn't obey. He was trained in Israel, where all the commands were given in Hebrew. In the United States, everyone talks to him in English--except for one boy named Tommy. "In Israel," Greene writes, "his name was Tomer, which means 'palm tree.'...Now it was easier to be Tommy." Whenever he speaks up, the other students snicker and tell him he talks funny. You already know what will happen next: Samson will refuse to stop barking. Tommy will calm him down with a word or two of Hebrew. The other kids will stop laughing. The problem is that these things happen all at once. The instant the dog quiets down, a student is saying, "Maybe you could teach us Hebrew." This story is, of course, a fable about being yourself, but it doesn't need to move at the speed of a fable. Everything in the book is plausible--it's based on a true story, according to the author's note--but at this pace it feels about as real as a talking dog. The story ends on a perfect note of triumph, but it might be a better book if it were a touch less perfect. (English/Hebrew dog commands) (Picture book. 3-8)

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September 1, 2012

PreS-Gr 2-Tommy is shy in his new American school, where kids tease him about his Israeli accent. He gains confidence when a police officer and Israeli-trained police dog visit his class. By pronouncing the Hebrew commands, Tommy helps the officer and gains his classmates' respect. The story was inspired by an actual incident, as related in the author's note. A glossary of English/Hebrew dog commands rounds out the package. While highlighting the Israeli contribution to counterterrorism through the training of explosive-detection dogs, this story offers universal themes about being the new kid and fitting in. Tommy's anxiety is realistically depicted, as is the thoughtless (but not cruel) teasing of the other kids. Their change in attitude once their interest is piqued is realistic as well. Expressive watercolor cartoons convey the characters' emotions and give individuality to each child in the crowded classroom.-Heidi Estrin, Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

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