{"id":1564533194831,"title":"Hey, Dog","handle":"hey-dog","description":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/tony-johnston\"\u003eTony Johnston\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/jonathan-nelson\"\u003eJonathan Nelson\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\"Hey, Dog. Hey. It's me.\"\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat's more classic than a story of a boy and his dog? With her signature poetic style, author Tony Johnston tenderly portrays the burgeoning trust between an abused, scared little dog and the loving boy who finds him huddled in the bushes. With great patience and care - and under the watchful eye of his mother - the boy speaks softly and gently to the dog, feeds him scraps, and waits for the day when the dog leaves his hiding place to make the boy his own. Sad and sweet and triumphant, this story is sure to tug at a dog-lover's heart. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/collections\/all-childrens-books\/products\/aggie-and-ben\"\u003eAggie and Ben: Three Stories\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/moose-n-me\"\u003eMoose n' Me\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/hey-dog-spread.jpg?5350250638577454585\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e\u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTony Johnston, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Johnston is the author of over one hundred books for children, including \u003cem\u003eThe Cat With Seven Names, \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Barn Owls, \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eThe Harmonica.\u003c\/em\u003e She has taught a course in picture book writing at UCLA. Tony lives in California.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJonathan Nelson, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJonathan Nelson (Diné) was born into his mother's clan, the Towering House Clan (Kiiyaa'áani) and born for his father's clan, Mexican Clan (Naakai Dine'é). He is both the author and illustrator of \u003cem\u003eThe Wool of Jonesy,\u003c\/em\u003e an American Indian Library Association (AILA) middle-grade honor book. He is also the illustrator of \u003cem\u003eFirst Laugh - Welcome, Baby!\u003c\/em\u003e by Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood. He lives in Colorado.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA young boy finds a homeless dog and patiently works to gain its trust. Walking home from school one day, an unnamed child sees a dog hiding in the bushes near his suburban home. Thin, trembling, covered in dirt and scars, and absolutely terrified, the dog shrinks from contact with anyone. Slowly and carefully the boy and his mother begin to feed and take care of the animal. This is a quiet story about cultivating empathy for anyone or anything that needs help. The boy is kind and considerate, constantly thinking of the dog, and what he can do to improve its condition. The slow and delicate pace of the text gives weight to this process and to the heartwarming conclusion. The illustrations keep returning to the same image of the dog in the bushes, showing how he emerges from hiding more and more as he begins to trust the family. VERDICT A sweet and tender story with a positive and happy resolution. Purchase where endearing pet stories are in high demand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA round-headed, bespectacled kid finds a stray dog and does everything to earn the dog's trust. Arriving home from school, the narrator discovers a dog crouching in a bush in the backyard. When the dog flees, the narrator puts out water in a Frisbee for it and later provides a quilt and leftover meatballs, hoping the dog will return. Next day, the meatballs are gone, but the dog still hides. Noticing that the skinny, cringing dog has scars and no tags, the thoughtful child asks Mom why anyone would harm a dog, and she \"fiercely\" replies, \"Some people are not as good as dogs.\" After more patient conversations with the dog and more Frisbees with food, the protagonist's efforts are finally rewarded. Referring to the stray as \"Dog,\" the child tells the story with a tone of urgency yet in a direct, easy-to-follow manner. Compassion for Dog shines through the text, strongly reinforced in the simple illustrations, drawn manually and colored in Photoshop. Nelson is a master at capturing nuance in facial expression and body language, both human and canine. As the unnamed narrator patiently, lovingly cares for Dog, the emotions of both are clear, and readers will cheer Dog's transition from fear to trust as he gradually emerges from the bush. The protagonist and Mom—no other family members are depicted—both present white. This gentle, moving lesson in perseverance will touch young readers, especially the dog lovers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBooklist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the bushes between the sidewalk and his yard, a boy sees a dog and tries to befriend him. The first time, the skinny mutt runs off. So the boy repeatedly places food and water beside the hedge. Shivering from fear, the dog eats and drinks what the boy leaves, but remains reluctant to venture out of the bushes. The boy notices the dog’s scars and keeps his distance, but often sits nearby and talks to him. When the boy asks Mom why someone would hurt a dog, she “says fiercely, “Some people are not as good as dogs.’” One morning, the dog finally licks the boy’s fist, and hears him say, “Let’s go home.” With many expressive picture books to her credit, Johnston writes simply and convincingly from the boy’s point of view, clearly communicating the dog’s fear and the boy’s patience and compassion in overcoming it. Created with strong black lines and muted colors, Nelson’s illustrations contrast the hopeful boy with the anxious dog, while kids will feel the longing on both sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/hey-dog-cvr_medium.jpg?5350250638577454585\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/hey-dog-hires.zip?435\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-877-5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cspan\u003e978-1-63289-701-5\u003c\/span\u003e EPUB\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eISBN: \u003cspan\u003e978-1-63289-702-2\u003c\/span\u003e PDF\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e11 x 8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e]\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]","published_at":"2018-11-07T15:23:13-05:00","created_at":"2018-11-07T15:10:40-05:00","vendor":"Charlesbridge","type":"Children's Book","tags":["Browse by Age_Ages 3-6","Browse by Age_Ages 6-10","Browse by Fiction\/Nonfiction_Fiction","Browse by Format_Picture Book","Browse by Language_English","Browse by Subject_Animals \u0026 Dinosaurs","Browse by Subject_Early Childhood","Browse by Subject_Life Lessons \u0026 Skills","Browse by Subject_Story Time \u0026 Play"],"price":1699,"price_min":1699,"price_max":1699,"available":true,"price_varies":false,"compare_at_price":null,"compare_at_price_min":0,"compare_at_price_max":0,"compare_at_price_varies":false,"variants":[{"id":15386203652175,"title":"Hardcover","option1":"Hardcover","option2":null,"option3":null,"sku":"98775","requires_shipping":true,"taxable":false,"featured_image":null,"available":true,"name":"Hey, Dog - Hardcover","public_title":"Hardcover","options":["Hardcover"],"price":1699,"weight":0,"compare_at_price":null,"inventory_quantity":10,"inventory_management":"shopify","inventory_policy":"continue","barcode":"000-0-00000-000-0","requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_allocations":[]}],"images":["\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/hey-dog-cover.jpg?v=1586796053"],"featured_image":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/hey-dog-cover.jpg?v=1586796053","options":["Title"],"media":[{"alt":"Hey, Dog book cover","id":2474021748815,"position":1,"preview_image":{"aspect_ratio":1.361,"height":441,"width":600,"src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/hey-dog-cover.jpg?v=1586796053"},"aspect_ratio":1.361,"height":441,"media_type":"image","src":"\/\/www.imaginebooks.net\/cdn\/shop\/products\/hey-dog-cover.jpg?v=1586796053","width":600}],"requires_selling_plan":false,"selling_plan_groups":[],"content":"\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR\/ILLUSTRATOR INFO BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/tony-johnston\"\u003eTony Johnston\u003c\/a\u003e \/ Illustrated by: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.charlesbridge.com\/pages\/jonathan-nelson\"\u003eJonathan Nelson\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER HEADING BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\"Hey, Dog. Hey. It's me.\"\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - ENTER DESCRIPTION BELOW - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat's more classic than a story of a boy and his dog? With her signature poetic style, author Tony Johnston tenderly portrays the burgeoning trust between an abused, scared little dog and the loving boy who finds him huddled in the bushes. With great patience and care - and under the watchful eye of his mother - the boy speaks softly and gently to the dog, feeds him scraps, and waits for the day when the dog leaves his hiding place to make the boy his own. Sad and sweet and triumphant, this story is sure to tug at a dog-lover's heart. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER RECOMMENDATIONS BELOW - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"recommended-books\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like this book, you’ll enjoy these:\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/collections\/all-childrens-books\/products\/aggie-and-ben\"\u003eAggie and Ben: Three Stories\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/charlesbridge.myshopify.com\/products\/moose-n-me\"\u003eMoose n' Me\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - START OF TABS - - - - - - - -- - - --\u003e [TABS]\n\u003ch5\u003eLook Inside\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg class=\"cvr-border-gray\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/hey-dog-spread.jpg?5350250638577454585\"\u003e\u003c!-- Please call pinit.js only once per page --\u003e\u003cscript src=\"\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinit.js\" data-pin-hover=\"true\" data-pin-height=\"32\" data-pin-shape=\"round\" defer async=\"\" type=\"text\/javascript\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER AUTHOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAuthor \u0026amp; Illustrator\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTony Johnston, author\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTony Johnston is the author of over one hundred books for children, including \u003cem\u003eThe Cat With Seven Names, \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Barn Owls, \u003c\/em\u003eand \u003cem\u003eThe Harmonica.\u003c\/em\u003e She has taught a course in picture book writing at UCLA. Tony lives in California.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - ENTER ILLUSTRATOR BIO BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJonathan Nelson, illustrator\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJonathan Nelson (Diné) was born into his mother's clan, the Towering House Clan (Kiiyaa'áani) and born for his father's clan, Mexican Clan (Naakai Dine'é). He is both the author and illustrator of \u003cem\u003eThe Wool of Jonesy,\u003c\/em\u003e an American Indian Library Association (AILA) middle-grade honor book. He is also the illustrator of \u003cem\u003eFirst Laugh - Welcome, Baby!\u003c\/em\u003e by Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood. He lives in Colorado.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - ENTER AWARDS \u0026 HONORS BELOW - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eAwards \u0026amp; Honors\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eComing soon!\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - ENTER REVIEWS BELOW - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eEditorial Reviews\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA young boy finds a homeless dog and patiently works to gain its trust. Walking home from school one day, an unnamed child sees a dog hiding in the bushes near his suburban home. Thin, trembling, covered in dirt and scars, and absolutely terrified, the dog shrinks from contact with anyone. Slowly and carefully the boy and his mother begin to feed and take care of the animal. This is a quiet story about cultivating empathy for anyone or anything that needs help. The boy is kind and considerate, constantly thinking of the dog, and what he can do to improve its condition. The slow and delicate pace of the text gives weight to this process and to the heartwarming conclusion. The illustrations keep returning to the same image of the dog in the bushes, showing how he emerges from hiding more and more as he begins to trust the family. VERDICT A sweet and tender story with a positive and happy resolution. Purchase where endearing pet stories are in high demand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA round-headed, bespectacled kid finds a stray dog and does everything to earn the dog's trust. Arriving home from school, the narrator discovers a dog crouching in a bush in the backyard. When the dog flees, the narrator puts out water in a Frisbee for it and later provides a quilt and leftover meatballs, hoping the dog will return. Next day, the meatballs are gone, but the dog still hides. Noticing that the skinny, cringing dog has scars and no tags, the thoughtful child asks Mom why anyone would harm a dog, and she \"fiercely\" replies, \"Some people are not as good as dogs.\" After more patient conversations with the dog and more Frisbees with food, the protagonist's efforts are finally rewarded. Referring to the stray as \"Dog,\" the child tells the story with a tone of urgency yet in a direct, easy-to-follow manner. Compassion for Dog shines through the text, strongly reinforced in the simple illustrations, drawn manually and colored in Photoshop. Nelson is a master at capturing nuance in facial expression and body language, both human and canine. As the unnamed narrator patiently, lovingly cares for Dog, the emotions of both are clear, and readers will cheer Dog's transition from fear to trust as he gradually emerges from the bush. The protagonist and Mom—no other family members are depicted—both present white. This gentle, moving lesson in perseverance will touch young readers, especially the dog lovers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cblockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBooklist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the bushes between the sidewalk and his yard, a boy sees a dog and tries to befriend him. The first time, the skinny mutt runs off. So the boy repeatedly places food and water beside the hedge. Shivering from fear, the dog eats and drinks what the boy leaves, but remains reluctant to venture out of the bushes. The boy notices the dog’s scars and keeps his distance, but often sits nearby and talks to him. When the boy asks Mom why someone would hurt a dog, she “says fiercely, “Some people are not as good as dogs.’” One morning, the dog finally licks the boy’s fist, and hears him say, “Let’s go home.” With many expressive picture books to her credit, Johnston writes simply and convincingly from the boy’s point of view, clearly communicating the dog’s fear and the boy’s patience and compassion in overcoming it. Created with strong black lines and muted colors, Nelson’s illustrations contrast the hopeful boy with the anxious dog, while kids will feel the longing on both sides.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DOWNLOADABLES BELOW - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDownloadables\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/hey-dog-cvr_medium.jpg?5350250638577454585\" style=\"display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"btn-wrapper\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0750\/0101\/files\/hey-dog-hires.zip?435\" class=\"product-btn\"\u003eDownload the Cover\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c!-- - - - - - - - - - - - ENTER DETAILS BELOW - - - - - - - - - - - --\u003e\n\u003ch5\u003eDetails\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: 978-1-58089-877-5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE-book\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN: \u003cspan\u003e978-1-63289-701-5\u003c\/span\u003e EPUB\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eISBN: \u003cspan\u003e978-1-63289-702-2\u003c\/span\u003e PDF\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAges: 4-8\u003cbr\u003ePage count: 32\u003cbr\u003e11 x 8\u003csup\u003e1\u003c\/sup\u003e\/\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e]\u003c\/p\u003e\n[\/TABS]"}

Hey, Dog

By: Tony Johnston / Illustrated by: Jonathan Nelson

"Hey, Dog. Hey. It's me."

What's more classic than a story of a boy and his dog? With her signature poetic style, author Tony Johnston tenderly portrays the burgeoning trust between an abused, scared little dog and the loving boy who finds him huddled in the bushes. With great patience and care - and under the watchful eye of his mother - the boy speaks softly and gently to the dog, feeds him scraps, and waits for the day when the dog leaves his hiding place to make the boy his own. Sad and sweet and triumphant, this story is sure to tug at a dog-lover's heart. 

Maximum quantity available reached.

Tony Johnston, author

Tony Johnston is the author of over one hundred books for children, including The Cat With Seven Names, The Barn Owls, and The Harmonica. She has taught a course in picture book writing at UCLA. Tony lives in California.


Jonathan Nelson, illustrator

Jonathan Nelson (Diné) was born into his mother's clan, the Towering House Clan (Kiiyaa'áani) and born for his father's clan, Mexican Clan (Naakai Dine'é). He is both the author and illustrator of The Wool of Jonesy, an American Indian Library Association (AILA) middle-grade honor book. He is also the illustrator of First Laugh - Welcome, Baby! by Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood. He lives in Colorado.

  • Coming soon!

School Library Journal

A young boy finds a homeless dog and patiently works to gain its trust. Walking home from school one day, an unnamed child sees a dog hiding in the bushes near his suburban home. Thin, trembling, covered in dirt and scars, and absolutely terrified, the dog shrinks from contact with anyone. Slowly and carefully the boy and his mother begin to feed and take care of the animal. This is a quiet story about cultivating empathy for anyone or anything that needs help. The boy is kind and considerate, constantly thinking of the dog, and what he can do to improve its condition. The slow and delicate pace of the text gives weight to this process and to the heartwarming conclusion. The illustrations keep returning to the same image of the dog in the bushes, showing how he emerges from hiding more and more as he begins to trust the family. VERDICT A sweet and tender story with a positive and happy resolution. Purchase where endearing pet stories are in high demand.

Kirkus Reviews

A round-headed, bespectacled kid finds a stray dog and does everything to earn the dog's trust. Arriving home from school, the narrator discovers a dog crouching in a bush in the backyard. When the dog flees, the narrator puts out water in a Frisbee for it and later provides a quilt and leftover meatballs, hoping the dog will return. Next day, the meatballs are gone, but the dog still hides. Noticing that the skinny, cringing dog has scars and no tags, the thoughtful child asks Mom why anyone would harm a dog, and she "fiercely" replies, "Some people are not as good as dogs." After more patient conversations with the dog and more Frisbees with food, the protagonist's efforts are finally rewarded. Referring to the stray as "Dog," the child tells the story with a tone of urgency yet in a direct, easy-to-follow manner. Compassion for Dog shines through the text, strongly reinforced in the simple illustrations, drawn manually and colored in Photoshop. Nelson is a master at capturing nuance in facial expression and body language, both human and canine. As the unnamed narrator patiently, lovingly cares for Dog, the emotions of both are clear, and readers will cheer Dog's transition from fear to trust as he gradually emerges from the bush. The protagonist and Mom—no other family members are depicted—both present white. This gentle, moving lesson in perseverance will touch young readers, especially the dog lovers.

Booklist

In the bushes between the sidewalk and his yard, a boy sees a dog and tries to befriend him. The first time, the skinny mutt runs off. So the boy repeatedly places food and water beside the hedge. Shivering from fear, the dog eats and drinks what the boy leaves, but remains reluctant to venture out of the bushes. The boy notices the dog’s scars and keeps his distance, but often sits nearby and talks to him. When the boy asks Mom why someone would hurt a dog, she “says fiercely, “Some people are not as good as dogs.’” One morning, the dog finally licks the boy’s fist, and hears him say, “Let’s go home.” With many expressive picture books to her credit, Johnston writes simply and convincingly from the boy’s point of view, clearly communicating the dog’s fear and the boy’s patience and compassion in overcoming it. Created with strong black lines and muted colors, Nelson’s illustrations contrast the hopeful boy with the anxious dog, while kids will feel the longing on both sides.

Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-877-5

E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-701-5 EPUB

ISBN: 978-1-63289-702-2 PDF


Ages: 4-8
Page count: 32
11 x 81/2]