Stick Dog Dreams of Ice Cream

February 1, 2015
Will Stick Dog and his buddies find a way to beat the heat?Stick Dog and his canine friends-spotted Stripes, dim-bulb Mutt, poodle Poo-Poo and Karen-are tired of the heat. They need to find some food, some water and a way to stay cool. Their hunt for water is interrupted by Poo-Poo's squirrel obsession, until Stick Dog tricks him by playing to his vanity. They find a bunch of small humans playing with an odd contraption that the dogs decide is some kind of water weapon, but it's too slow with the water to cool them down. (It's a sprinkler.) When they hear annoying music and see a strange truck that makes the humans act oddly, they wonder what this "ice cream" is (dogs can read) and how it leaves delicious rainbow puddles behind. Can they get some for themselves? Stick Dog's fourth food-centric adventure brings nothing new to the series. The slightly clueless Stick Dog leads his totally clueless friends to eventual success in finding food in a human world they don't understand. The Wimpy Kid-like stick drawings on faux lined paper (why?) do little to keep the pages turning. The single joke now in its fourth retelling is only for fans of the series...they may prefer squirrel watching to joining Stick Dog this time. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 7-10)

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February 1, 2015

Gr 3-6-Stick Dog, Karen, Poo-Poo, Mutt, and Stripes kick off this story in the woods, where they are trying to beat the heat by sticking to the shade. It soon becomes evident to Stick Dog, the most intelligent of the crowd, that he and his pals are in need of a stronger solution, lest they all melt. They soon spot an ice-cream truck and devise a plan to cool off. The stick illustrations throughout are good, goofy fun and will attract readers who can't get enough cartoon-style illustrations amid a middle grade romp. Stick Dog is a slightly condescending narrator, though readers will likely overlook this in favor of the other dogs' humorous quirks. Familiarity with the previous books isn't necessary, but expect readers who pick it up to look for the rest of the series. VERDICT A solid purchase for reluctant readers or for libraries looking to build up a section of titles in the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" vein.-Ashley Prior, Lincoln Public Library, RI

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2015
Grades 3-6 Stick Dog and his stray canine companionsKaren, Mutt, Poo Poo, and Stripereturn for another adventure, this time attempting to beat the summer heat. They start off on a quest for drinking water but are soon redirected when they notice an ice cream truck and the tasty drips it leaves behind. The heist, masterminded by the ever-diplomatic leader Stick Dog, is executed with precision despite his clueless comrades. As in the earlier books, the humor derives from the dogs' naivete, narrator asides, and comical artwork. Perfect for fans of Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid series or Lincoln Peirce's Big Nate series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)