The Amazing Love Story of Mr.Morf - Hardcover

Carll Cneut

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0333962230 ISBN 13: 9780333962237

Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books, 2002

Synopsis

Mr Morf is a dog. But not just any kind of dog. Mr Morf is a circus dog. Instead of fetching the newspaper or guarding the house, he balances on the high wire, way up in the big top. And when other dogs are playing ball in the park, Mr Morf perfects his technique, day after day after day. Fame, however, isn't everything, and when Mr Morf wakes up sick one day, he knows that he is sick with loneliness. He packs his bag, leaves a note for the circus boss and sets off in search of a friend. But Penelope, the swallow, hasn't got time to be friends, the owl prefers to play at night and the wolf, quite frankly, is just in search of his next meal. But, then, just when Mr Morf is about to give up hope, he starts to laugh and laugh and laugh. He has a flea and she is tickling Mr Morf to bits! A friend at last...and what closer companion could he ask for than that!

About this title

About the Author:

Carll Cneut lives in Belgium where he has worked as a designer and illustrator for a number of years. This is his first picture book to be published in Britain and is a wonderful showcase for his quirky and engaging style.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Mr. Morf, a circus dog who has been tightrope walking since puppyhood, suddenly grows sick with loneliness, packs up his bone-shaped traveling case, and sets off to find someone to love. Sadly, everyone he encounters seems somehow unsuitable, from a migrating swallow to a bonneted wolf. Brokenhearted, Mr. Morf returns to the circus alone, only to find himself suddenly struck by a bad case of the tickly giggles, the source of which turns out to be the lovely Isabella, a sweet little flea who agrees to become Mr. Morf's true and lasting friend. It is the delightfully offbeat acrylic-and-pastel illustrations that distinguish this picture book, a combination of whimsical animals, pleasing patterns, delicate lines, and eccentric angles. The pages are not large enough to contain the lively antics of piggy-faced Mr. Morf and his colorful cohorts who juggle and balance and fly about under the Big Top. By contrast, Mr. Morf's journey leads him through some very lonely terrain, where large empty spaces convey the fruitlessness of his search. The art far outshines the text, which reaches for whimsy but seems weighed down with wordy earnestness and a rather abrupt ending. Still, there is something to love about Mr. Morf, not the least of which is his belief in the possibility of finding a true friend.
Teri Markson, Stephen S. Wise Temple Elementary School, Los Angeles
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Macmillan Children's Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0333962230
• ISBN 13: 9780333962237
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32