Review by New York Times Review
WHEN my son was a baby, he had two ways of reviewing a new book. If he liked it, he would say "Den!" at the end, for "again." If he didn't like it, he would singsong "Dah-doy," for "goodbye." Sometimes, "dah-doy" came right in the middle of the book - a very negative review. A few months later, he added "too bore" to the review lineup. Neither of the picture books under consideration here is too bore, which is lucky for parents who will probably be ordered to read them den and den. Each is about a pair of animal friends, and each is 100 percent adorable, but they're so different that you should really get them both. Let's start with "Dog and Bear," by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, for no reason except that there can never be enough books with dachshunds in them (though this one already received one honor in June - the Boston Globe/Horn Book award for best picture book). Dog's best friend is Bear, a multicolored teddy with nice buttons at his joints. In the book's three stories, Dog and Bear take turns acting babyish and grown-up. Bear is too scared to get out of a tall chair. Dog offers a variety of reassuring suggestions that Bear completely ignores; then he helps Bear slide down his long dachshund back. Next, Dog wants to play with Bear, but Bear would rather read. While Dog rolls around in an agony of impatience - "Play with me! Play with me!" - Bear patiently tries to explain that sometimes people (or bears) need time to themselves. It doesn't work. In the third story, Dog decides to change his name, much the way my 4-year-old daughter once announced that from then on she would be Megan instead of Laura. "What about Fluffy?" Dog asks. "You are not fluffy," Bear points out. In the end, of course, Dog goes back to being himself, just as Laura turned back into Laura after about 10 minutes of being called Megan. The great thing about animal picture books is that when you read them, you don't have to say to your child, "See? That's how you act sometimes." The message can weave its spell without ham-handedness, and both parent and child get what's going on without feeling preachy or preached to. "FABIAN ESCAPES," by Peter McCarty, is the sequel to the Caldecott Honor-winning "Hondo and Fabian." McCarty's subtly tinted illustrations have a still, dreamy, almost ghostlike quality that's rare in picture books for very young children. Fabian is a cat with wonderfully short legs and a little smile; Hondo is a dog with a worried look and tiny, deepset eyes, like currants in bread dough. One of the book's best pictures shows Hondo's back half as he's going into the house. The author gets extra credit for realizing that a dog's hind legs and tail make just as good a subject as his face. The text is equally endearing; McCarty knows just which words to pare away. "Fabian on the windowsill, Hondo on the floor - two sleepy pets in their favorite places," the book begins. Think how much less effective this sentence would have been with verbs! Instead, it sounds at once young and timeless, like all the best bedtime stories. "'Wake up, Hondo! Let's go for a walk!'" begs Fabian, but Hondo's not in a walking mood. So Fabian takes off around the neighborhood while Hondo pokes around the house. ("Hondo goes to the kitchen. He stops to smell the butter and eats it") Fabian meets the neighbors - some dogs who are "happy to play chase with their new friend" and Hondo endures being dressed up by the baby. Both cat and dog then hide from their tormentors until they can be reunited. It's a simple story, but completely satisfying. And those currant-y eyes! I can't stop looking at them. Ann Hodgman's forthcoming book is a memoir, "The House of a Million Pets."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [October 27, 2009]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Seeger, whose First the Egg (2007) earned 2008 Caldecott and Geisel Honor Book awards, offers a sequel to her ALA Notable Children's Book honoree Dog and Bear (2007), which introduced a teddy bear and a dachshund who are very good friends. The three-part sequel opens with Dog declaring, I am very angry with you, Bear. I am running away. Supportive Bear helps Dog pack and says good-bye before offering ice cream that brings them together again. Next, Dog makes a cake for Bear's birthday but eats it, bit by bit. In the final tale, after attentively caring for tired Dog, Bear is so worn out that Dog returns the favor. Natural-sounding conversations are well matched with the artwork's bold lines and bright colors. Picture books about friends are common, and Seeger makes it all look deceptively simple. But besides the clear, simple story lines, the joy of these picture books is in the subtle way the pictures and text work together to evoke emotions familiar even to young children.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
As in her first Dog and Bear book, Seeger (First the Egg) offers three beguiling tales fueled by give-and-take dialogues between a dachshund and a multicolored teddy bear. This time out, though, Dog and Bear's personalities seem a little further apart, with Bear emerging as a quasi-parental sort. In the opener, Dog announces, "I am running away," and Bear knows better than to fight. Bear helps Dog pack, says goodbye and adds, "I suppose you won't be staying for ice cream"-effectively changing Dog's plans without a word of protest. Next, Dog bakes and accidentally eats a birthday cake for Bear, who is nonetheless pleased ("What a beautiful candle!"). In the final story, Bear nurses an under-the-weather Dog. By the time Dog feels better, Bear needs a rest. Seeger employs casual gouaches in terracotta, ochre and olive green on a white ground, leaving imperfections visible. Her rough-hewn ink outlines and unpolished brushwork have homespun warmth, reminiscent of the paint-it-yourself glaze on a favorite mug. If Seeger keeps these coming (and readers will hope she does), Dog and Bear are likely to join the rarefied ranks of Frog and Toad, and George and Martha. Ages 3-7. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Dog and Bear are back in another book preschoolers will love. In the first story, Dog is angry at Bear and prepares to run away. Next, Dog makes a birthday cake for Bear, but then eats it himself. The last tale shows a demanding Dog and a weary Bear, followed by a sweet reversal and a gently happy conclusion. Using the briefest of texts paired with her simple paintings, Seeger brings out the subtlety that relationships between the very young can have. She also has a talent for focusing on the things kids care about most-for instance, how it feels when someone is bossy or how it feels to want something so badly you can't bear to share it. Her artwork, with bold colors and heavy lines, adds personality and interest. All in all, a great book for group or individual sharing.-Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Primary) Sequels are a tricky business, but Seeger does well with this new installment in which Dog and Bear navigate the bumps in the road of friendship. The three new stories, told mostly in dialogue, lend themselves to both independent reading and group sharing; young readers may also enjoy acting them out. The book opens with Dog, brow furrowed, stating, "I am very angry with you, Bear. I am running away." In a move familiar to smart parents everywhere, Bear calmly helps Dog pack his favorite toys and books, then brings out a treat impossible to resist: ice cream. The second story is borrowed directly from Winnie the Pooh, and used to just as good effect. Dog has made a delicious rainbow-sprinkled vanilla and strawberry cake for Bear but can't forego a little taste -- and another, and another...And like Eeyore when faced with his empty Useful Pot, Bear is delighted with his special birthday candle (and none the wiser about the missing cake). The final story has a slightly under-the-weather Dog being a little too demanding of the solicitous Bear. Seeger demonstrates the power of the small brush stroke as Bear's eyebrows tell the whole story of what it means to be Dog's friend. A stark white background highlights the action -- the rest is dark ink outlines with deep colors within. File this entry near Frog and Toad, Pooh and Piglet, and George and Martha; then be prepared to read it again and again. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The two pals from last year's standout Dog and Bear return with three more stories that explore the little wrinkles that can develop in even the smoothest friendships. In "Ice Cream," an angry Dog declares that he is running away from Bear, even going so far as to pack his sticks before Bear's offer of ice cream makes him think twice. "Happy Birthday, Bear!" finds Dog baking a cake for Bear--with strawberry frosting and rainbow sprinkles--and then yielding to the temptation to eat all but the candle before Bear sees it. Finally, a dyspeptic Dog wears Bear out in "Sweet Dreams" by exploiting his friend's offer to help. Each wee tale, told almost entirely in dialogue paired with expressive, black-outlined paintings on a white background, develops the two characters' distinct personalities further--impulsive Dog and deliberate Bear are perfect foils. Variations in perspective, body language and expression convey a wealth of information to complement the straightforward text, inviting readers to make their own interpretations and leading them to an understanding of the complex dynamics of friendship. (Picture book/early reader. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
