Elizabeth Bluemle
  Dogs, havin' a snooze. Have you ever noticed certain similarities between your father and, say, a lab or golden retriever? Many dads have a whole lot in common with friendly, lovable, sometimes barky dogs. Dads and dogs can be so similar, in fact, that the young narrator of My Father the Dog is suspicious. "My father pretends to be human, but I know he is really a dog," she says. "Consider the evidence." She proceeds to lay out an inarguable case, citing newspaper fetching, ball chasing, treat loving, pit stops against trees, and many more qualities of loyal, lovable, family-protecting dads and the dogs they resemble. If you doubt the similarities, just read this book to any dog -- or dad. They'll back me up. |
News & ReviewsSchool Library Journal (January 1, 2009)
BLUEMLE, Elizabeth. Dogs on the Bed. illus. by Anne Wilsdorf. unpaged. Candlewick. 2008. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-2608-2. LC number unavailable. PreS-Gr 3—Even readers who don't share their bed with a half dozen dogs will love this charming story about a family and their unusual sleeping arrangements. As bedtime begins (appropriately after storytime) everyone—Mom, Dad, two kids, and six dogs—falls asleep in the same big bed. Throughout the night, the pets do what they do best: sleep sideways, bark at things no one else can hear, and whine to go out, and then in (and then out, and then in, etc.). In the end, they are rearranged into more manageable groupings, and finally canines and people alike get some much-needed sleep. The exuberant, rhyming text delights the ear as the hilarious illustrations engage the eye in this kid- and dog-friendly tale. Fun for sharing with a group or one-on-one.—Piper Nyman, Brookmeade Elementary School, Nashville, TN
FLYING PIG BOOKSTORE NEWS!!This isn't about me as an author, but about me as a bookseller. Our bookstore, The Flying Pig, won the 2008 Lucile Micheels Pannell Award for best children's bookstore in the country! It's a huge honor, and we couldn't be more thrilled. We won the children's specialty division; the wonderful Kepler's (in California) won the general bookstore division. Wahoo!!
Published by Candlewick Press. Image copyright Randy Cecil, 2006. BACK TO AUTHOR NEWS
My Father the Dog is now also available in paperback. Who *wouldn't* want to spend $6.99 for laughs aplenty? Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award
Minnesota State University Moorhead has given me the biggest thrill of my authorly life thus far: the 2007 Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award (for ages birth to age 8) for My Father the Dog.
REVIEWSHONORS Winner, 2007 Wanda Gag award for Best Read-Aloud (ages birth to age 8) Book Sense Children's Picks List Selection "A hilarious comparison of dad and a dog -- wow, what a resemblance! You can't help chuckling when you read this one." --Janet Bibeau, Storybook Cove, Hanover, MA REVIEW QUOTES Kirkus Reviews 04/ "Tail-wagging hilarity that's simply doggone funny - and a perfect Father's Day gift." School Library Journal 07/ The clean, yet warm oil paintings are the perfect accompaniment to the understated and almost deadpan delivery, and they enhance the humor of this doggone good tale. It’s ideal for storytimes or one-on-one sharing. –Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA Publishers Weekly 05/ "Appealingly flippant. . . . Young dog lovers will lap this up." Booklist 05/ "The charm of the characters, particularly the dad and the pooch, is perfectly conveyed. . . . Children will appreciate the humor in this view of a dad in an ordinary, but cozy family." Horn Book Guide Reviews 2006 Fall Website: http:/ Using a dry, spare poetic voice, the narrator of this comical book is a serious young girl who doesn't miss a thing. She explains that her father shares many habits with the family dog, including napping, scratching, and fetching. The text is accompanied by humorous oil-painted illustrations that have a scratchy, textured look. Copyright 2006 Horn Book Guide Reviews. |
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