Dog Wants to Play

by Christine McDonnell, Jeff Mack (Illustrator)

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698176119
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/03/2009
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	24
File size:	60 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	1 - 3 Years

About the Author

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.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Subtle and sweet."—Kirkus

"[A] charming and simply told story . . . a good addition to farm-themed storytimes."—School Library Journal

"One look at the appealing cover will entice the reader to join the perky, brown and white puppy"—Booklist

Editorial Reviews

Textured, sun-kissed painted images put bounce into the simple story.

Booklist

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

School Library Journal

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)

Kirkus Reviews

"Subtle and sweet."—Kirkus

"[A] charming and simply told story . . . a good addition to farm-themed storytimes."—School Library Journal

"One look at the appealing cover will entice the reader to join the perky, brown and white puppy"—Booklist

From the Publisher