Great Dog

May 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-In a bright and expansive house, father and son canines proceed down a hallway lined with family portraits and discuss how the young pup will absolutely one day be a Great Dog. The father heaps praise on each relative's greatness but hidden in the gatefolds beneath each portrait are comical and slightly more realistic depictions of each ancestor's great deeds. Undoubtedly though, they were all Great Dogs. Intricate watercolor illustrations create detail and texture in each scene and the endpapers are filled with additional portraits of other "Great" characters. The dialogue between the father and son provides an opportunity for caregivers to discuss with children what they want to be when they grow up. Though mostly silly at the start, a lovely twist at the end lends weight to the father's words of affirmation and encouragement for his son. VERDICT Best shared one-on-one so readers can pore over the detailed illustrations. Hand this to anyone seeking a story about families or "Great Dogs."-Laken Hottle, Providence Community Library

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2018
A playful story about familial pride and unconditional love.An anthropomorphic dog in a tweed sports coat tells his child, who wears a sweater and a cap, about family members as they look at a family portrait gallery. Each spread with a portrait has the father recounting a great accomplishment on a turquoise-backgrounded verso. Then the recto opens as a gatefold to reveal a picture of the relative that humorously undermines that account. For example, a uniformed bulldog was "the pride of the police," but the underlying gatefold illustration reveals the police dog to be oblivious to three black-clad robber dogs absconding with their loot behind him. The child, presumably unaware of those contradictory backstories, interjects to ask, "What about me?" The father responds with the titular phrase: "You will be a GREAT dog!" In the final exchange, however, the father amends his statement in a concluding gatefold that finds the cap falling off to reveal cat ears. "You will be a great dog, a magnificent dog... / Or a great CAT. It's up to you!" The message of unconditional love reveals the father as a great dad, but readers may wonder why the child was concealing their feline self until this moment. The illustrations feature a strong sense of line and pattern, with hints of turquoise, gold, and brown popping against white backgrounds.Playful design contributes to the success of this warmhearted book. (Picture book. 3-7)

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May 1, 2018
Preschool-G As a distinguished older dog imparts family history to the next generation, bragging about Uncle Angus, who was the pride of the police, readers see a portrait of what is, indeed, a dapper-looking bulldog. Behind a gatefold, however, is a scene that tells a different story, as Angus wanders down a Parisian street, oblivious to all manner of criminal acts right behind his back. Likewise, Aunt Doris the fire dog, Uncle Tibor the athlete, and many other ancestors are revealed to the audience to be not as traditionally successful as the text suggests. That doesn't mean, however, that they're not great in their own ways, and the dad dog reassures his offspring that each of them will be a magnificent dog ?or any kind of animal they choose. The book's message of encouraging support regardless of a child's background, identity, or future is lovingly presented with a subtle sense of humor, while the watercolor-and-Photoshop art uses expressive lines and colors to uniquely present the anthropomorphic wisdom-givers in a fun and insightful manner.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)