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Summary
Summary
Dog wants to play. When? Today!
But no one will play with Dog. Not the chick or the lamb, the calf or the pig. Poor Dog! Isn't there one playmate who will play with Dog all day long? With its structure of rhyme and repetition, this is the perfect book to prepare children for reading, and Jeff Mack's exuberant and funny pictures will keep them turning the pages to enjoy the fun.
Author Notes
Christine McDonnell has been a librarian and a teacher, and is currently the school librarian in an elementary school. She lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Jeff Mack has illustrated more than a dozen books for children. He lives in Easthampton, Massachusetts.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-K-In this charming and simply told story, Dog approaches the farm's kitten, lamb, hare, chick, pig, and calf, who all give excuses as to why they cannot play ball with him. "'I don't dare,' says the hare. 'I'm too easy to scare.'" Dog looks utterly dejected, his head resting forlornly on a blue, starred ball, when he sees a pair of hands out of the corner of his eye. They belong to a little boy, who is ready to play "All day!" Full of life, the paintings capture the personalities of the animals, especially Dog, who exhibits expressions from hopeful excitement to sadness to joy. This is a good addition to farm-themed storytimes, especially because it is so subtle in its locale, focusing entirely on the endearing brown-and-white pup with floppy ears.-Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Half Hollow Hills Community Library, Dix Hills, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Dog has a ball but no one to play with, and all the farm animals have reasons why they cannot join him. "Dog wants to play. / When? / Today! / 'Oh no,' says the kitten. / 'I might get bitten.' " And so it goes, with repetitive phrases and rhyming couplets that are a good match for the youngest listeners. Poor Dog, by turns hopeful and then disheartened, finds that the lamb is too shy, the hare too easily scared, the chick too small and the pig and calf too busy doing their own things. In the end Dog does find the perfect playmate; one who will play not only today, but "all day!" Mack's acrylic illustrations suit the audience, giving a clue as to the next creature Dog hopes to entice into playing with him and investing Dog with considerable charm: His body language speaks volumes. The very simple structure of the text leaves plenty of room for the illustrations to carry the tale, precisely paced page turns encouraging even toddlers to join in with predictions and gently instructing them in narrative pattern. Subtle and sweet. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
One look at the appealing cover will entice the reader to join the perky, brown and white puppy, whose paw rests upon a big blue ball and whose expression clearly telegraphs his desire: it's time to play, and now! Told in intermittent rhyme ('I'm too small,' says the chick. 'Find another to pick'), the story involves a series of barnyard animals turning down the puppy's offer: the kitten declines, the lamb is too shy, the pig wants to dig, the calf just laughs, and so on. Poor Dog. But wait there's one more to ask. 'Yes,' says the child, I love to be wild. I'll play. . . . All day! Textured, sun-kissed painted images put bounce into the simple story and capture Dog's realistic body poses. Preschoolers will understand Dog's dilemma, and on a second reading, sharp eyes will catch glimpses of the boy in the background of the scenes leaving clues to the perfect playmate.--Cummins, Julie Copyright 2009 Booklist
