Review by Booklist Review
Miles is a difficult dog. Does he like his food? No. Walks? Not really. And his barking? Too much of it. The only thing he really enjoys is taking a ride to the café with his owner, Alice Trudge. Alice, weary of driving, is nonetheless taken aback when her neighbor, Mr. Huddy, suggests he make Miles his own car. And what a car it turns out to be a jaunty red convertible! Mr. Huddy gives Miles driving lessons, and before long, he's taking Alice's son, Norman, to school, and then to the seaside, and the country. Unfortunately, Norman eventually gets too big for the car, and Miles' interest in driving fades. But, in a surprise ending, Mr. Huddy devises a new way for them to get about. This understated pleasure of a picture book features quirky characters, deadpan decisions, and Burningham's signature line drawings, dappled with color. Burningham's great talent continues to be taking the everyday and elevating it with whimsy fit for kids and adults alike.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A little autonomy goes a long way in Burningham's (The Way to the Zoo) story about a "difficult" dog named Miles. Much to the chagrin of Alice Trudge and her son, Norman, their dog Miles "did not come when he was called, did not like going for walks, and did not like his food." What he does like is riding in the passenger seat of Alice's car to a local cafe, where he sits at the table as other patrons admire him. Observing that Miles revels in these road trips, neighbor Mr. Huddy builds the dog a sporty red convertible that Miles and Norman use to "go on secret little trips," with a confident Miles behind the wheel. Miles's newfound freedom gives him a brighter outlook on life, and when Norman outgrows the roadster Mr. Huddy heads back to the workshop to help the pair take their travels to the next level. Burningham's matter-of-fact text and blithely inked illustrations embrace the comedy of the premise while capturing the close-knit relationship between boy and dog-especially when they're tooling across an empty beach at sunrise. Ages 3-7. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-After Alice Trudge and her son Norman give Miles a home, they realize he is a difficult dog. Miles doesn't like walks, other dogs, or much of anything except car rides. The next-door neighbor solves the problem by building the pup his own car. Once Miles masters driving, he takes Norman to school and on trips in the countryside. In fact, Miles's whole attitude improves. When Norman grows too big for the car, Miles stops driving. Adventures seem to be over until Norman and Miles discover their neighbor's new building project: an airplane. The matter-of-fact narration makes the story of a car-driving dog entirely believable. The watercolor, pen, and pastel illustrations perfectly capture Miles's postures and expressions to reveal his opinions and emotions. The spreads of the two friends traveling through panoramas of the four seasons underscore their joy and camaraderie. VERDICT This whimsical tale of friendship will delight Burningham fans and deserves serious consideration for a place in most collections.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University Library, Mankato © Copyright 2016. 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
That master of picture book fantasies involving vehicles, children, and animals (Mr. Gumpy's Outing, rev. 2/72; Mr. Gumpy's Motor Car, rev. 8/76) returns, to utterly endearing effect. Though Miles's human family -- mom Alice and young son Norman -- loves him, he is a "very difficult dog." The only time he's cooperative is when Alice drives him up the hill to the caf in her car. When, after a while, Alice balks at this constant placating, neighbor Mr. Huddy steps in and offers to make Miles his own car. And we're off: after driving lessons, Miles is ready for the road. One day, Miles drives Norman to school, and soon the pair embarks on secret adventures: to the seaside (on a gorgeous double-page spread that might recall Burningham's iconic Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang illustrations) and the countryside (on a spread that overtly references Motor Car); in summer, fall, and winter. Gradually, Miles becomes less difficult. When Norman grows too big to fit in the car, it's put away. But what are those noises coming from the workshop next door? More adventures are in store: "Mr. Huddy was starting to make an airplane." As always, Burningham controls pacing through a mix of vignettes, full-page illustrations, and double-page spreads; his pen-and-ink and watercolor drawings, in all their skillful lack of polish, are maximally expressive. A paean to difficult dogs and their owners, everywhere. martha v. parravano(c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
