I'm NOT Sleepy! Goodnight, Good Dog by Mary Lynn Ray

There is a house, a dark, quiet house, where everyone is dreaming. Everyone but the dog.

THE DOG ISN'T SLEEPY.

Oh, he knows all the prompts. The lights click off; the refrigerator's hum seems louder. The shadows are darker in the corners, and the moon through the windows shines silently.

HE KNOWS HIS BED, ROUND LIKE THE MOON.

But he's just not sleepy.

He wants more. More daytime. More time to chase his ball under the round bouncing sun, through the green grass with his girl. He wants more toy time, more dish time. He wants more petting. He wants to hear a voice saying "Good dog!" But goodnight?

NOT THE DOG.

He climbs into his little round blue bed. Perhaps he can get in the mood. Perhaps he can dream back the sun in the blue, blue sky, and his red ball in the green, green grass. Maybe he can dream of someone he loves saying,

"GOOD MORNING, GOOD DOG!"

Mary Lyn Ray's latest, Goodnight, Good Dog (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015) hits all the marks for a soporific story. A nighttime house getting quieter and darker, a moon at the window, a cozy bed waiting, and one little bedtime denier who. is. not. sleepy.

Noted author Mary Lyn Ray takes a definitely from-the-ground-up, doggy's-eye view of the sleepytime rituals--Dad rousing himself from a pre-bedtime snooze in the recliner, the click of the lamp switch, the sounds of the house--the refrigerator's hum, the creaks in the walls-- seeming suddenly louder, the goodnight pat on the pup's head, the soft breathing of his girl and the dark, still house with someone afoot who is not sleeping--yet. In tune with Ray's sibilant storytelling, artist Rebecca Malone also shows the wakeful dog's view of the sleeping house, happy dreams, and a sweet awakening, executed in quiet shades of flat blue and green with wide, black outlines set alternately in spot art and full-bleed pages. A winning bedtime tale with a four-legged protagonist standing in for the customary youngster who is just NOT quite ready for snooze time.

Well, What Did You Expect? If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

IF YOU GIVE A DOG A DONUT,
HE'LL ASK FOR SOME APPLE JUICE TO GO WITH IT...

THEN HE'LL ASK FOR MORE.

In Laura Numeroff's and Lynn Munsinger's latest collaboration, If You Give a Dog a Donut (Balzer & Bray, 2011), this dynamic duo doesn't break any new ground--and why would they?

In the series beginning with the ever-popular If You Give a Mouse a Cookie (If You Give...), Numeroff and illustrator Munsinger practically have a franchise on this format, the cause-and-effect story. In this latest one, of course, one glass of apple juice calls for another, and when the bottle from the fridge proves empty, the dog immediately leads the ever-helpful boy outside to pick apples to make their own juice.

But pitching apples down from the tree reminds the dog of baseball, and the obedient boy fetches ball and glove for a game of catch, which leads the dog to want to hit a few, and when he hits a long ball, his celebratory dance makes him overheated, which leads to a water fight with the hose, which leads to playing pirates at sea, which leads to.... Well, you get the idea.

In proper time the outdoor action leads the thirsty two back inside with their basket of apples for a needed drink, which means ...

HE'LL WANT A DONUT TO GO WITH IT.

Happily predictable, fans of the earlier books will predictably want to read If You Give a Dog a Donut, and right away!

Smashing Pumpkins: Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin by John Grogan and Susan Hill

All summer and fall the family had tended the pumpkin.

All summer and fall they kept their big puppy, Marley, out of the garden.

And against all odds--with the "world's worst dog" around, the pumpkin flourishes under the Grogan family's tender care, and by fall it has become absolutely gigantic.

"Will it win a prize at the state fair?" asked Cassie.

"We might even win a blue ribbon" said Daddy, "but first we have to get it to the fair."

The pumpkin is so very, very big that it's all Mommy and Daddy can do to roll it to the back of their truck, and they soon discover that there is no way they will be able to lift it into the load bed. Then Daddy gets an inspiration, hurries into the house, and returns with the ironing board, which he puts into service as an impromptu ramp. With Cassie and Baby Louie trying to help, they roll the giant pumpkin up and finally into the truck.

Triumphantly, Mommy gathers everyone in the truck bed to take a memorable picture. Marley has been watching all this activity with great excitement, and as the family smiles for the camera, he leaps into the truck's bed and scrambles on top of the pumpkin. The startled family watches as, seemingly in slow motion, the pumpkin starts to roll back down the ironing board, and keeps on going, with Marley, Daddy, Mommy, Cassie, and even Baby Louie in pursuit.

Alas, their chase is fruitless, and the pumpkin, predictably stops only when it rolls into a large tree, becoming a smashed pumpkin in the process.

But the Grogans are used to such canine-induced catastrophes. Mommy takes the scene in, and with a sigh, philosophizes:

"When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.

When life gives you a smashed pumpkin, make PIE!"

Together the Grogans pare and puree, mash and mix, and soon they have lots of pumpkin pies, one of which looks so picture-perfect that they enter it in the state fair pumpkin pie contest, with true happy-ending results:

"It was a blue ribbon pumpkin after all," Cassie said.

Marley: Marley and the Runaway Pumpkin (I Can Read Book 2) (Harper, 2010) is an engaging addition to this I-Can-Read (Level 2) series, the perfect Autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving readaloud, a proven kid-pleaser, with a controlled vocabulary for early readers as well. John Grogan's best-selling memoir, Marley & Me tie-in: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog, has delighted adult readers and movie-goers for years, and his original book has become the inspiration in the venerable Harper Row I-Can-Read series of easy readers about the rambunctious retriever puppy Marley.

Some of the other books in the Marley series include A Very Marley Christmas,Marley: Snow Dog Marley (I Can Read Book 2), and Marley: Strike Three, Marley! (I Can Read Book 2).

Boning up on Christmas Customs: First Dog's White House Christmas by J. Patrick Lewis and Beth Zappitello

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A DOG THAT HAD FOUND THE PERFECT PLACE TO LIVE!

Bo the Portuguese water spaniel is well settled in a the White House. He naps on the oval rug in the Oval Office, birdwatches from the window of the Blue Room, chases down missed jump shots in the White House gym, and "helps" the First Lady with her garden on the South Lawn.

But Christmas is coming, and when First Dog spots a stack of invitations for the local diplomatic corps to the annual White House reception, he can't resist pencilling in a slight change to the first sentence:

"YOU AND A CANINE GUEST ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND THE WHITE HOUSE CHRISTMAS GALA."

Formalities taken care of, Dog gets busy with his duties, drawing up a to-do list of plans for canine treats, a White House tour, and a special Doggie Dash on the Front Lawn.

At last the big day comes, and Dog takes his place in the reception line amongst a set of well-dressed First Family legs to greet his guests, and when the ambassador's canine escorts are all present, he takes the group around the President's House to see the sights--over 50 Christmas trees, the Blue Room with its four fireplaces ablaze and garlanded with festive greenery, and, of course, the piece de resistance, a model of the White House, done up in white chocolate, complete with the First Lady's garden on the lawn, historic furniture made of dark chocolate, a working chandelier, and even a tiny model of First Dog made from marzipan.

Best of all, Dog's guests share with the group the Christmas customs of their homelands. English Bulldog reminds him that his country gave the world the Christmas kiss custom, even if, as he ruefully admits, "No one will stand under the kisseltoe with ME!" The Newfoundland shares the Canadian custom of mumming for treats, the French Poodle provides a buche de Noel, and the Chihuahua points out that his own Mexico gave us the poinsettia and the pinata. The Turkish kangal dog points out that St. Nicholas came from his homeland, and the Aussie dingo reminds them all that he gets to celebrate Christmas in high summer with frisbee chasing and picnicking on the beach. First Dog takes special notice of that down-under custom:

"NOTE TO SELF: GET INVITED TO THAT DECEMBER DINGO DOGGIE DASH DOWN UNDER!"

First Dog's first-ever Canine Christmas Gala is a success, but when all the diplomats' dogs are ushered out into their limousines, there is still one more late-night White House visitor, one who comes not by limo but by sleigh. Yep, it's that ambassador from the North Pole and his canine guest, who leave the First Family's gifts around their tree. In fact, St. Nick's dog leaves his paw prints behind as he samples just a nibble, not of kibble, but of an actual corner of that chocolate White House model, along with a note of thanks for the cocoa and gingerbread chow Dog has left out for them.

"BO-HO-HO!" SINGS OUT THE EMISSARY FROM THE FAR NORTH.

"AND A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!"

Following up on their 2009 introduction to the Presidential pooch, First Dog, authors Lewis and Zappitello's new First Dog's White House Christmas (Sleeping Bear Press, 2010) focuses solely on the doggie doings, with a Bo's eye-view of the White House. In Tim Bowers' illustrations, the First Family are only seen from the knees down, except for one shot of the First Lady's garden-glove-garbed right arm as she shoos First Dog away from her carrot seeds. Young social studies students will be intrigued by the tour of the White House, and teachers will appreciate the brief lessons on Christmas customs around the world which the visiting dogs provide. A great kick-off readaloud to their holiday units for preschoolers and primary graders and for dog lovers everywhere.

Blast Off for Reading: How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills

Every fall evening, after chasing leaves, Rocket would lie in his favorite spot under his favorite tree. There he would sniff the neighborhood smells and settle in for a good nap.

But one day... a little yellow bird startled Rocket.

"Aha! My first student. Wonderful!" she sang.

The little bird sets up shop immediately, hangs out her shingle, and dismisses Rocket's protests that he can't read.

"Can't read? FANTASTIC!

Welcome to my class!"

Rocket is not so sure he wants to give up his carefree lifestyle (and his naps) so easily, but the yellow bird begins to read him stories, and Rocket lies down under the tree and just has to listen to a tale of a lost bone.

Eventually Rocket is intrigued and learns the "the wondrous, mighty, gorgeous alphabet, where it all begins," and soon begins to put together sounds and decode the words of stories for himself. His progress is phenomenal. But then, one chilly day, the yellow bird's banner is gone from his tree.

"See you in the glorious spring!" she sang.

"Don't forget words are built one letter at a time!

And Rocket doesn't forget. All through the snowy winter he puts his letters together. W-I-N-D and C-O-L-D, he spells, making new words for the weather for himself. And then one warm day there is a sign in his favorite tree, and Rocket reads it readily--and happily.

CLASS STARTS TOMORROW!

Tad Hills' newest, How Rocket Learned to Read (Schwartz & Wade, 2010) features the author-illustrator's sweet style of illustrations made famous in his beloved Duck and Goose series. For slightly older youngsters, just approaching reading readiness or learning to read, this one pairs beautifully with Louise Yates' new Dog Loves Books, reviewed here September 8, 2010.

Sharing Pairing: Toy Trouble (Martha Speaks) by Susan Meddaugh

Up 'till now, catching Frisbees has always been Martha's and Skits' favorite outdoor game. But that was before Helen's friend T.D. gave them the best dog toy ever--a genuine Screaming Slingshot Squirrel! Not only does it catapult from his fingers and soar across the yard, tail flapping in the breeze, but it makes a sound--chitter-chitter-chitter--calculated to make any pooch swoon! Martha and Skits are after it in a nanosecond! Skits makes the first catch.

"SKITS! GIVE IT!" MARTHA YELLS. "MY TURN!

Helen is forced to be the judge and jury here. "You have to share," she frowns, but when Skits reluctantly hands over the prize, Martha seizes the prize and taunts Skits with a triumphant "All mine!"

Helen confiscates the toy and takes the two inside. Pulling out an old toddler video on sharing, she plunks the two mutts down in front of the TV for a bit of attitude adjustment.

It's still a squirrel standoff. Martha tries negotiating a swap for one of her old toys, but Skits isn't having any of that either. Finally Martha makes a grab for the squirrel and is off and running. The two dogs are soon merrily competing in a game of "steal the squirrel," which morphs into a toy tug of war when Skits catches up with the swiped squirrel. Helen frowns again and points out that they are still not sharing!

"THIS IS HOW DOGS PLAY!" MARTHA POINTS OUT PATIENTLY.


'HMMM, THINKS HELEN. THAT DOES LOOK LIKE FUN!

As usual, Martha manages to get the last word in Susan Meddaugh's newest, Martha Speaks: Toy Trouble (Reader) (Green Light Readers Level 2) (Houghton Mifflin, 2010). Another entry in her Green Light Readers for beginners in the independent reader group, this one offers additional activities following the story to reinforce the vocabulary introduced. Kids familiar with the favorite PBS program based on Susan Meddaugh's long-popular Martha Speaks books will find that Martha the talking dog is a natural as a companion for playtime and reading time.