Review by Booklist Review
Gus doesn't like much of anything: pets, walks, or new friends. Not even birthday parties. But that all changes when he receives a puppy as a gift. At least, that's what the puppy narrator wants to believe. However, the puppy's assurances that the older dog now likes parties, baths, and hugs are belied by Gus' ever-present scowl. His expression finally brightens when he discovers a heaping plate of sausages, which he carries back to his bed, bypassing the puppy along the way. The dejected puppy, who also likes sausages, notes that "Gus absolutely, definitely doesn't like to share." He begins to worry that perhaps he was wrong, and Gus doesn't really like anything except sausages. Will Gus have a change of heart and share, at least a little? (Of course he will.) Bold composition and colors, and clever interplay between the text and cartoon illustrations, combine to make a well-designed, truly funny book. A surefire hit for all picture-book collections.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Gus the beagle has a permanent scowl, refuses to fetch, and doesn't want to make friends. Chatterton crafts a running joke of the dog's implacable dourness with a refrainlike text: "He doesn't like cake. He doesn't like balloons. He doesn't like presents." Gus seems even less charmed when a cute beagle puppy--who is also revealed to be the narrator--emerges from a wrapped gift. The puppy is convinced it has won Gus over, even though that's clearly not the case. Will anything make Gus less grumpy? The story's straightforward revelation that Gus loves sausages and is even capable of sharing one with the puppy is a bit of a letdown after he is established with such an indelible outlook. But the pictures are still great fun: Chatterton distills the images down to a few details, sets his gloomy Gus against bright saturated backgrounds, and assigns him a relatively unchanging expression and profile, regardless of what is going on around him--he doesn't even budge when a birthday balloon is tied to his tail. Ages 3--5. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A grumpy basset hound is unhappy with his life until a puppy arrives to cheer him up. Gus has grouch written all over him. His brow is furrowed, his eyes are glowering, and his posture is stiff and unyielding. He "doesn't like much of anything," including walks, sticks, balls, and making friends. He doesn't even enjoy his own birthday party. Midway through this litany of woes, a perky basset pup shows up as one of the birthday presents. The unnamed puppy is revealed as the first-person narrator of the story, changing the negative focus to a positive one. The appealing pup declares that Gus now likes activities such as bathtime and hide-and-seek, though the looks on Gus' face don't match that narrative. The surprising climax involves a huge bowl of sausages, with the gradually thawing Gus saving just one sausage for the hopeful young dog. Comical illustrations use bold shapes and bright colors against uncluttered backgrounds, and sausages decorate the endpapers in an amusing touch. The simple story has a droll, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that will be understood by preschoolers and appreciated by older children as well. This funny tale has wide appeal, from younger children just learning to listen to a real story to beginning readers who can decode the easy, repetitive text. Give grumpy Gus and his positive puppy pal another sausage and invite them back for a sequel. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
