Ten Silly Dogs

A rhyming romp begins with ten silly dogs, and when one stops to bark, nine are left to run in the park, until one very dirty dog is all alone, but not for long.

What a day these dogs have! There's running, knocking over garbage cans, digging, and even snacking from a friendly hot dog vendor. But dogs being dogs, they're easily distracted, and as the day wears on, the spirited pack is reduced one by one: "Eight silly dogs are/ racing through a lot./ If one lies down 'cause he's too hot,/ then there are seven racing through a lot." By the end of the day, one dirty, tired dog is all that remains, and as the book closes he's receiving a much-needed bath from his young mistress. Working in crisp-looking spreads with plenty of white space, Flather (Just Dog) creates 10 very different canine characters. They range in size and appearance from Labrador-ish to Pekinese-like, but they all share that goofy, wide-eyed, one-track-mind countenance that dog owners of all ages will instantly recognize and chuckle over. Bold, blocky numbers within bright red boxes feature prominently in each vignette to insure that the audience keeps an accurate doggy census. Flather's rhyming text feels a bit blunt, meter-wise, but that's a minor quibble for a book that is a rollicking tribute to a dog's life. Ages 2-5. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a backwards counting story, Flather follows ten boisterous canines on their daily excursion. Readers observe as the gang of adventurous pups dwindles from ten to one as each dog becomes distracted during the mad dash around town. The lure of chasing one's own tail, being too hot to trot, and a passing bee are some of the whimsical diversions. Jaunty rhymes relate the action and demonstrate a wry appreciation of canine idiosyncrasies. ``Four silly dogs/are climbing/ the stairs./If one fuzzy dog/just stops and stares,/then there are three/climbing the stairs.'' Every numeral introduced is highlighted in a bright red box. The full-page, richly hued illustrations capture in energetic lines dogs at play. (Picture book. 2-5) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

PreSchool-K-"Silly" may not be the most appropriate word to use with this litter of pups doing what dogs do naturally when exploring their environment. Beginning with 10 assorted pooches, Flather counts backward down to one lonely dog ready for a bath. Colorful illustrations depict a wide variety of breeds and sizes running across a field of green, over a rocky wall, and across a busy intersection. The colored-pencil and watercolor artwork is vivid enough to be easily seen by groups if used as a read-aloud. The rhyming text is large, with the written number emphasized in bold print. For collections needing more number books, this one will fill the bill.
Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Counting down from ten to one, dogs of all shapes, colors, and sizes take readers on a wild romp. One by one, the pack loses a member until only one lonely dog remains. A lively rhyming verse describes the adventure and relates the misfortune of the dog that gets left behind at every stop: "Nine silly dogs are scaling a wall. / If one can't get over 'cause he's too small, / then there are eight scaling a wall." Flather's colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations effectively convey a feeling of frenzied motion, often employing an interesting overhead perspective on the scene. The numbers are prominently featured in a red boxed-in area in large, thick black type, making this a good choice for teaching number recognition as well as counting. Eileen Christelow's Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (1991) and Paul Stickland's Ten Terrible Dinosaurs (1997) are both a bit more cleverly written, but this crazy canine story will be a worthwhile and popular purchase. Lauren Peterson