I Got Two Dogs: (Book and CD) - Hardcover

Lithgow, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1416958819 ISBN 13: 9781416958819

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008

Synopsis

Fanny and Blue may not be the smartest dogs, and they may not be the best-behaved dogs, but they are definitely the most-loved dogs.

John Lithgow's bouncy song - in the book and on the accompanying CD - is based on his own family's two dogs. And Robert Neubecker's eye-popping illustrations capture the joy of all things dog.

About this title

About the Author

John Lithgow is the New York Times bestselling author of I Got Two Dogs; Mahalia Mouse Goes to College; Marsupial Sue Presents: The Runaway Pancake; I’m A Manatee; Micawber; Marsupial Sue; The Remarkable Farkle McBride; and Carnival of the Animals. An award-winning actor, he has starred on stage, film, and television. He performs concerts across the country and has recorded the CDs Farkle and Friends, Singin’ in the Bathtub, and The Sunny Side of the Street. Visit John at JohnLithgow.com.

Robert Neubecker is the award-winning author and illustrator of Linus the Vegetarian T. Rex and the Wow! series. He also illustrated Not Just the Driver! by Sara Holly Ackerman, Shiver Me Timbers! by Douglas Florian, Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth! by Sarah Weeks, I Got Two Dogs by John Lithgow, and Monsters on Machines by Deb Lund. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, Robert also illustrates for The New York Times and Slate magazine. He and his family live in Salt Lake City, Utah. Visit Robert at Neubecker.com.

Reviews

PreSchool-Grade 1—This musical ode to two prized pooches packs a crowd-pleasing wallop of theatricality: "I got two dogs, Fanny and Blue./Bet you kind of wish you had two dogs too.... They're not too smart, but they're loyal and true-ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo/Oh there's nothing I'd trade for my Fanny and Blue." Lithgow performs his catchy melody on the accompanying CD, complete with a back-up chorus, trilling flutes, and trumpets. The lyrics are translated clearly onto the book's pages and will send listeners into fits of giggles at each houndlike repetition of the "ooo-ooo-ooo-ooo" refrain. Neubecker's large, vibrant paintings perfectly capture the frenetic world of dog ownership, cheekily depicting a broader appreciation for each creature's personality than the verses alone provide. For example, "I got two dogs, Fanny and Blue./Always go together like a sock and shoe" is paired with a picture that reveals the two mutts using a sock and a shoe as chew toys. The illustration for "I walk 'em in the evening and the morning dew" shows the pups bounding after a very displeased cat with their leashes trailing behind. Sure to entice youngsters, this book will find a welcome home in storytime and circulating collections.—Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI
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Though not always well-behaved, beloved poochie pets Fanny and Blue, are “loyal and true . . . ooooo . . .”, and are at the heart of this amusing, affectionate paean that uses Lithgow’s children’s song lyrics as text. They may not know any tricks, and Blue’s “ruffs” and Fanny’s “yips” at the night sky might not endear them to everyone, but “they’re happy and they’re huggy and they stick like glue.” Ultimately, the narrator says, “There’s nothing I’d trade for my Fanny and Blue.” The text’s bouncy rhythm and rhymes feature repetition and lengthy “Oooo’s” throughout (enthusiastically sung, with slight variations, by Lithgow on a companion CD). A hand-lettered font will encourage lively readings and participation, and colorful, energetic illustrations depict and extend the text of the playful scenarios: “They go together like a sock and shoe” accompanies a scene of the two dogs destroying the same. Ranging from comically chaotic to tender, this is an entertaining, peppy read with a reassuring sentiment of unconditional love that dog fans and owners will especially appreciate. Preschool-Kindergarten. --Shelle Rosenfeld

Edition details

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1416958819
• ISBN 13: 9781416958819
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Neubecker Robert