The Go Go Dogs

Astro and Otto, two dogs, get bored one day and become involved in a variety of schemes, from a mad tea party and a crazy spaghetti factory, to a bearded lady's zany circus and a bustling bazaar.

Two energetic, shadowy-black canines romp through the pages of this offbeat travelogue from newcomer Knapp. Astro is a pensive pooch who "ponders blades of grass, half empty food bowls, and astrophysics," but isn't above a gambol in the garbage pile. Astro's companion is Otto, a food-fixated, not-so-bright Doberman pinscher. Their story begins when they dig a hole in their backyard and plunge through it, surfacing at an English tea party a la Alice in Wonderland (complete with a white rabbit and hatter). From there, they journey to France (in a section titled "Oodles of Poodles") and Italy (where the "Ciao Hounds" consume spaghetti). They finally arrive in Rajasthan, where they purchase a magic carpet and soar home in time for dinner. Astro and Otto have much in common with Maira Kalman's globe-trotting dog, Max; their escapade unfolds in a wild spin of colors, patterns and variable sizes of type. A yellow-ochre Eiffel Tower perches on a lavender lawn, an orange circus tent stands against a confetti-strewn field of green, and hats and flowers fly pell-mell. Knapp's language, like her illustration style, is cheerfully convoluted: France is characterized as a "Land of eclairs and berets and bonjour mon ami, kiss, kiss!" The whirlwind tour concludes with a breathless, "Good-bye, au revoir, arrivederci, jai ram ji ki!" Knapp captures her title characters' boundless enthusiasm, and leaves readers wondering where these dogs might go-go next. Ages 4-10.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

A first-person narrator introduces ``my dogs,'' one who ponders astrophysics and one is ``too busy barking to waste time thinking.'' They dig a ``big, humongous'' hole. The typeface for ``big, humongous'' is large, the typeface for ``squished'' is squished, ``tiny'' is tiny, etc. Among the places they end up: in England at Prince Blithering's, in France with Lulu DejaVu, in Italy with Allesandra Maria Alberpasghetti. The locales are represented by many of the most common stereotypes about each (there's an outburst of ``mama mia,'' for example, in Italy). After their journey, the dogs arrive home in time for dinner. In some ways, the art recalls Maira Kalman's work, without her skill; the adventures resemble those of her Max, without the wit. (Picture book. 4-7) -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.