Tucker: Little Dog Lost & Found

by Danny Sit

Overview

Paws down, this is the most adorable dog book out there!
Tucker, an irrepressible little terrier, isn't the type to wait by the cupboard for a bone: he wants adventure! So he leaves his loving home behind, jumps on a train, and heads to the sea for some surfing and clam-digging. Fortunately, the faithful dog discovers that his friends and family are also faithful to HIM…and help him find his way back home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402759994
Publisher:	Sterling
Publication date:	03/01/2011
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	AD550L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Danny Sit ran his own fashion photography studio in Houston, Texas, earning a nomination for American Photographer Magazine's Fashion Photographer of the Year. He then began shooting for Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Cosmopolitan, and many other stores and magazines. Tucker is based on his own dogs; he lives in Southampton, New York, with two Jack Russells.

Editorial Reviews

In this lost-and-found story, illustrated entirely in photos, debut author Sit introduces readers to a wire-haired Jack Russell terrier who's eager for adventure. After assembling a versatile travel wardrobe ("What if a cool rock band asked me to join? Just in case, I packed my favorite hoodie"), Tucker hops a train and ends up at the beach. Remorse quickly sets in (the despondent Tucker recalls how he was welcomed into his human Papa's home as a puppy, and even charmed the family cat), but in short order the pooch is found by a family friend and reunited with his grateful Papa. While many of the images are cute on an individual basis, they start blending together as the story moves through its predictable arc. It doesn't help that Sit is a very literal writer. "My adventure today was tons of fun," Tucker tells readers. "But when it's all been said and done, near family and friends is the place to be. And there's nothing more fun that just being me." If that's Tucker's idea of gaining self-awareness, maybe he's better off sticking to "Woof." Ages 4–7. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Stories of lost dogs abound, but Sit's substitution of photographs for illustrations makes this take feel fresh. Bright, achingly colorful photos, many of them shot with a long lens to gloriously isolate each hair on Tucker's face, will act as magnets to dog lovers. The story is secondary—and feels that way, too. Tucker wakes up one morning with an idea: "Today, I'm going on an adventure!" After napping on it, he fantasizes about the places he might go (cue shots of Tucker wearing sweaters and raincoats and even a hoodie: "What if a cool rock band asked me to join?"). Eventually he boards a train to the beach, where he rolls around in the surf until realizing he's lost. This is not a book about anxiety; the Jack Russell is rescued right away. It's clear that, for the most part, existing pictures were shuffled into a semblance of a story, maximized for cuteness. But the lack of narrative drive doesn't take away from that cuteness, which is indeed a force to be reckoned with. --(Daniel Kraus)

Booklist

PreS-K—After packing three different outfits in preparation for an outing, an adorable Jack Russell terrier decides to wear his sturdy plaid coat to begin his adventure. The text states that Tucker is eager, but the photos show a grave, obedient dog holding still for costume changes. The images are sharply focused and well composed, and Tucker, as narrator, speaks in simple sentences, well suited to the audience, but he responds to the camera with dull eyes. He is not captured on the page with the indicated emotions; he doesn't look excited by his adventure, and as cute as he is, his expressionless gaze asks for the ordeal to end. This disconnect is consistent throughout: Tucker sunbathes, digs in the sand, and plays with a ball, all the sorts of things that youngsters would enjoy. Then, toward the end of the story when he realizes he is lost, he smiles. A good idea gone astray.—Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

School Library Journal

A strong narrative voice, charming photographs and an utterly appealing little dog protagonist coalesce to create a winning story about a Jack Russell terrier named Tucker. The first-person story is related in an innocent, amusing tone, as it describes Tucker's big adventure: setting off from home, getting lost and finding his way back to his owner, Papa. The story focuses completely on the dog and his thoughts and emotions, which closely parallel those of a young child who might be lost. High-quality photographs (by the dog's owner) are used to illustrate Tucker as he packs up his coats, jumps on the local train and goes off for a romp on the beach. Becoming lonely, he finds Puddles, a bigger canine friend from his neighborhood, just in time. Puddles' owner helps facilitate a reunion between Tucker and his owner. Many of the photos are notably endearing: Tucker modeling his coats, peering down at a "lost dog" poster or carrying a stick down the beach with Puddles. Each page contains only a few sentences, making this a good choice for younger preschoolers and a possible selection for newly independent readers as well. Tucker's charming personality and the quality of the photographic illustrations help this to stand out from the pack. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews