A Lucky Author Has a Dog

July 6, 2015
An author describes the habits, pitfalls, and quirks of her work, with her scrappy fuzzy dog close at hand. The dog stays nearby when she’s writing and joins her for walks past brownstones, cafes, and a bookstore, lovingly depicted in illustrations infused with a sense of calmness. For all Ray’s emphasis on the pleasures of having a dog, the book is really about the routines of a writer—school visits, idea-gathering, odd hours, etc. It may demystify the writing life for some curious readers, but it’s an oddly rambling, inward-looking attempt to do so. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Robin Rue, Writers House.

May 1, 2015
This author couldn't get by without her dog. Ray's unnamed protagonist, an adult writer for children, wakes in the morning to her dog's kiss. She works with her dog beside her. They go for a walk, eat dinner, go to sleep. One day the author visits a school, where the students love her. Throughout, the dog leads the author to inspiration, provides distraction when necessary, and keeps her company (except on the school visit). The final page depicts a little girl presumably inspired by that author's visit, lying on her bed with a stuffed toy dog beside her and writing in a notebook. This subtle message may well be lost on young readers, and anyway, it is not much of a payoff for what is essentially a plotless book without a problem to be solved. Henry's watercolors convey city life in a muted palette, dotting the crowd and classroom scenes with a few dark-skinned faces; both the author and the inspired little girl are white. Unfortunately, neither the author nor the dog emerges with much kid appeal. The whole package seems designed more for well-meaning adults than children; even then, interest will be limited. A surprising miss from an author whose books for young readers are usually spot-on. (Picture book. 4-6)

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October 1, 2015

K-Gr 2-Ray's new picture book shows a day in the life of an author who works from home. The author lives in a brownstone in a city with her small dog. "So the dog brings ideas. A lucky author has a dog who helps." Children will smile when they see how the tongue-in-cheek writing is complemented and extended by Henry's realistic pencil and digital illustrations. When the author goes into an elementary school, her advice inspires the children to write stories of their own, even if they don't have a real dog. VERDICT The autumn setting makes this a perfect book to read during the first months of school or in preparation for an author visit.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, AB, Canada

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2015
Preschool-G Why is an author with a dog lucky? The dog will wake her with a kiss, bring her ideas while she writes, and remind her when it's time to go outside. One day, the author in the story breaks her routine to visit a school, where she talks with the children and signs books. When she arrives back home, we can see that a dog with an author is lucky, too. She'll bring home mysterious school smells, serve his supper in a red bowl, and take him for a walk. The concise, precisely written narrative works well, creating a light framework of story, along with reflections on dogs. The appealing illustrations, pencil drawings digitally enhanced with color, create a series of intriguing scenes with plenty of interrelated details for kids to notice and enjoy. A girl who appears in the background of outdoor scenes becomes the focus of two large illustrations later in the story. Highly recommended for classrooms before an author visit, this amiable picture book makes the writer's life look mighty good.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)