Sunday, July 06, 2008

hannah+dog day


Daughter Hannah has illustrated a children’s book called “Dog Day” (written by Sarah Hayes). It’s about to be published in the USA and, in my completely unbiased opinion(!), is absolutely lovely. Fortunately, someone else who shares this view has just given it a starred rating in the prestigious “Kirkus Reviews”:
‘With just a "Woof! Woof!" Ben and Ellie's new teacher has the class's rapt attention. Riff, an inquisitive-looking canine, wags his tail. With glee, his observant charges wag their bottoms. When he scratches an ear, they scratch all over. The pupils, all human, happily spend PE digging and fetching, imitating Riff; and after a couple of sniffs, they know it's lunchtime. Broadway's charmingly simple illustrations capture the joyful curiosity of Ben and Ellie's class as they accept the most silly of circumstances. In a number of spreads, she manages to display each child's individuality, and during naptime, she masterfully invokes the sweet bliss of sleep that comes under the watchful eye of a loyal and trusted friend. The artwork establishes a rhythmic interplay between words and images, as they become compositional elements that inform and complement one another. Hayes's playful text, with its call-and-response–like format and potty humor, will have young readers in stitches. The story begs to be read aloud in a group setting, but be prepared for giggles galore, as readers bark, pant and shake with Riff and company. A real crowd-pleaser’.
Doesn't it make a parent proud!

4 comments:

just Gai said...

I trust Dog Day will be Moira's next suggestion at Reading Group!

Anonymous said...

makes a little sister extremely proud too! What a brilliant girl and so good that other people see the obvious truth. I love 'er! x

bigdaddystevieB said...

gareth: yes, absolutely (wouldn't take too long to read and therefore provide more time for red wine perhaps?).

bigdaddystevieB said...

alice: completely (it IS lovely!)!
bighugs
x