Speak!: Children's Book Illustrators Brag About Their Dogs - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0152778489 ISBN 13: 9780152778484

Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books, 1993

Synopsis

Forty-three successful children's book illustrators, including Barry Moser, Alice Provensen, Alexandra Day, and Lane Smith, offer charming, illustrated anecdotes about their dogs, including show dogs, show-off dogs, a moon-crazed spaniel, and others.

About this title

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3 Up-An affecting compilation of 43 illustrators' tributes to humankind's best friend. The result is a serendipitous melange in which artists introduce their endearing pets. It includes Steven Kellogg's Pinkerton and Alexandra Day's prototype for Carl, both of whom have starred in books of their own. Many of the literary sketches are irresistibly funny, such as Victoria Chess's Bruno, who always brings presents home from his neighborhood walks. Many are reminiscences, such as William Joyce's Tiny, in which the artist observes, "In everyone's growing up there should be an all-American, true-blue, one-of-the-family, bowwow wonder dog." Some are poignant, like Arthur Yorink's Bongo, who faithfully buries half a milk bone in remembrance of his dead dog-friend. Artistic styles are quite varied: Betsy Everitt's modernistic Mr.S. and his amazing bone-balancing act; Lisa Campbell Ernst's cartoonlike Heidi, who hides snacks for later; and Lane Smith's surrealistic "fancy-schmancy" show dogs. The book is handsomely designed, with an abundance of white space lending it a clean, uncluttered look. When it comes to their dogs, these artists are as eloquent with words as they are with pictures. Charming, sophisticated vignettes that should inspire students writing and illustrating stories about their own pets.
Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly:

If every dog has its day, that day has come for the canine companions of 43 children's book illustrators, each asked by Rosen to contribute a vignette to this picture book fund-raiser for various animal welfare organizations. In theory, the project seems invincible--after all, who could resist the lure of Petra Mathers's tidily sequenced scenarios with text in the voice of one Buddy-Boy ("I come from Bide-a-Wee. I have no pedigree. My past's a mystery. . . ."); Lane Smith's Miro-esque painting of his second-grade class's dog show; Alexandra Day's description of her rottweiler, who performed messenger service when Day was ill. But the package doesn't completely work. Despite the oversize pages, most spreads are painfully cramped. The pairings of various artists rarely enhance the individual contributions--for example, Seymour Chwast's heartfelt remarks about the death of a dog appear opposite James Ransome's romping verse about his "polka-dotted, liver-spotted / rollicking, frolicking" dalmatian. The texts themselves vary widely, from succintly told tales, like Day's, to the stylized (Marc Rosenthal: "My father-in-law Jack's dog story #6") to the overly sentimental. While the lack of organization may vex younger readers, specific components of this conglomeration could set adults' tongues a-wagging. All ages.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Harcourt Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0152778489
• ISBN 13: 9780152778484
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 43
• Editor: Rosen Michael J.