Synopsis
Offers an amusing tale about a talented dog who has the ability to solve puzzles, perform tricks, and bring happiness to all those around him, especially to his new masters, twins Julie and Justin, and their family.
Reviews
Readers of Ladybug magazine know the comic-strip tales of Mop the dog and his human family, comprised of Mom, Dad, redheaded twins Julie and Justin and, in a supporting role, the cat Muffin. This book contains seven previously published Mop stories in which the big sheepdog alternates between the roles of hero and bungler: Mop may wreck the twins' insect zoo in one tale, but in another he bravely saves Julie's favorite doll from an autumn downpour. The pleasures of this book are straightforward: Schaap and de Wolf, a husband-and-wife team, offer simple premises, pithy dialogue (with occasional assists from an omniscient narrator) and chipper watercolor cartoons. Even though Mop stories are seldom ingenious or wildly funny, they're always good for plenty of grins, and the format is warm and inviting. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Kindergarten-Grade 2-Mop and family romp from the pages of Ladybug magazine into a picture book/comic strip. Each of the seven episodes features the sheepdog and his family in a different situation beginning with when he joins the household. In subsequent episodes, he helps the twins put on a puppet show, gets trapped in a moving van, releases all the insects in a backyard zoo, saves a pie, rescues a doll, and snores during a sleepover. Mop's adventures are entertaining and written in short simple sentences. Occasional longer words such as "especially," "neighbors," "cloink," or "collage" may challenge beginning readers, but not after a shared read or two. The colorful cartoon illustrations support the text, while the endpaper illustrations introduce the major characters. New readers sometimes find the comic-book format less daunting than more traditional presentations; however, it doesn't lend itself to group sharing.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Mop the sheepdog, familiar to readers of Ladybug magazine, makes his picture-book debut in this collection of seven short picture stories. The tales are organized into three sections--Mop Joins the Family, Mop in Trouble, and Mop to the Rescue--told in classic cartoon style, complete with dialogue balloons. The stories will have limited appeal for school-age children, who will find them overly simplistic, but de Wolf's bright, cheerful watercolor illustrations make it easy for preschoolers to follow Mop's adventures even if they can't read well yet. This is just the ticket for the youngest library goers, whose limited attention spans make it difficult for them to sit through long stories. Lauren Peterson
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