Doug's Dung

by Jo Rooks, Jo Rooks (Illustrator)

Overview

To be a dung beetle you must be strong, be powerful, and never give up. Does creative and unique Doug have enough determination and grit to make it?

Doug has trouble lifting heavy balls of dung. He just doesn't feel as strong as the other dung beetles. When Doug feels down that he isn't tough enough, a passing butterfly helps him see things in a different light, and he realizes that strength comes in many forms. This is an uplifting story of a determined dung beetle who finds his unique strength in creating beautiful things inspired by nature, flowers, friends, and the garden.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433832376
Publisher:	Magination Press, American Psychological Association
Publication date:	03/20/2020
Series:	Once Upon a Garden
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Jo Rooks is an illustrator, author, and graphic designer living in leafy South West London with her husband and two children. She is passionate about reading with children and hopes to bring lovable characters and meaningful messages in her story books.

Jo Rooks is an illustrator, author, and graphic designer living in leafy South West London with her husband and two children. She is passionate about reading with children and hopes to bring lovable characters and meaningful messages in her story books.

Editorial Reviews

A welcome addition to books about self-acceptance, courage, and reaching out.” 

Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center

The series is perfect for young children who are working with issues of shyness, self-acceptance, and courage, and discovering new talents, skills and hard work. There is simplicity in the text and the illustrations are happy and bright and compliment the emotions and themes in each book. This series is sure to boost the self-confidence of children.” —Children’s Books Heal

Children's Books Heal

Validating the work of young artists (and writers) is always worthwhile, and this iteration rolls along with plenty of alimentary appeal.” —Booklist

Doug's Dung

2019-12-22
A budding artist searches for his strength.

Doug the brown dung beetle appreciates nature. The other dung beetles say he needs to be "strong" and have "power." They take turns lifting a brown dumbbell. When Doug tries, he can't lift it, and the others tease him. Belinda the butterfly encourages Doug, reassuring him that he's "strong in another way." Petals floating on the breeze give Doug an idea. He covers a large ball of dung in an intricate petal mosaic. For another work of dung art, he uses a heap of bright yellow pollen. He continues to make unique art out of the brown spheres, building a little gallery to display his work. At first, he's still met with jeers, but he stays "determined" to do this thing that makes him happy. Eventually, the whole garden comes to appreciate his art, and the other dung beetles even make a sculpture to celebrate Doug and ask for lessons on creativity. The text avoids any crass poop jokes, not even defining "dung." Key message words ("determination," "resilience," etc.) appear repeatedly in boldface within the modest text, making the moral clear. The minimalist art gets its job done effectively. Predominant visual symmetry from page to page (the characters always face forward) makes for easy sight recognition for young readers. The large-eyed insects composed of simple shapes appear friendly while the earth-toned dung beetles cheerfully complement the brights of the garden—and thus Doug's art as well.

Encouraging and judgement-free. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews