Good Boy

Starred review from November 5, 2018
This gem of a story by Ruzzier (Fox & Chick: The Party and Other Stories) stars a boy in a green T-shirt that doesn’t quite meet his shorts. He has an exceedingly well-trained dog, and the comedy comes from the boy’s increasingly improbable commands. “Sit,” the boy says to the dog. “Stay. Roll over.” Pretty soon, they’re off to harder things: “Juggle,” the boy directs, and the hound obligingly lofts a ball of yarn, a bone, a liquid-filled drinking glass, and more. The dog cooks a meal and serves it, repairs a boat and sails the boy to an island, then the two blast into outer space (“Go,” says the boy from inside the rocket they’ve built). The unflappable child never seems surprised by his canine’s superb competence, and he’s willing to help out where necessary. When the duo opens the door to venture outside, ink-and-watercolor spot illustrations open out into views of land and sea bathed in warm, golden light. The sparse text, the tidiness with which Ruzzier works out his concept, and the endearing qualities of his two heroes make the book a small classic. Ages 4–8. Agent: Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

November 1, 2018
A little boy and his dog share experiences at home and out in the wider world, including a trip to another planet.The unnamed boy has light skin and golden hair in the same shade as his faithful companion, a midsized dog with beady eyes and a round nose like his owner. At first the boy is in charge, apparently giving the dog traditional commands such as "Sit" and "Stay." The dog becomes more of a peer as he begins to stand on two legs and act like a human, cooking and eating dinner and helping sail a boat to a mysterious island. The pair build a rocket ship and fly to another planet, where they speak to some ETs before flying back home. A satisfying conclusion finds the dog reading and singing with the boy at bedtime before a reprise of the command--or is it a request, or simply a description of the action?--"Stay," and the concluding words, "Good boy." The final double-page spread shows the pair tucked in bed, two good boys asleep together. The story unfolds entirely in one- or two-word phrases that can be interpreted as commands to the dog or as succinct summations of the action depicted on each page. Soft-focus watercolor-and-ink illustrations in subdued shades convey a dreamy atmosphere that makes the unfettered lives of this pair believable.The bond between the golden-haired duo is quietly conveyed with an imaginative charm that deepens on subsequent readings. (Picture book. 3-7)

COPYRIGHT(2018) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from December 1, 2018
Grades K-2 *Starred Review* Now this is how to train a dog! Ink-and-watercolor illustrations on plain white backgrounds show a young boy giving his dog the usual commands: Sit. Stay. Roll over. But as the tale moves from usual to un-, we observe the dog obeying some not-so-common entreaties. A two-page spread of three vignettes with the words Cook. Serve. Eat. show the helpful canine standing on a stool, stirring a meal on the stove. He then carries two plates, sits on the stool, and eats dinner?with a fork?at the table with his best friend. When the boy opens the front door, backgrounds become colorful as the two companions pedal away from home, repair and sail a boat, build a spaceship, and rocket off to the moon. When their afternoon adventure is over, they return home to their (extra)ordinary lives. The reader gets to decide which of the two is the "Good Boy, since it appears that the dog is the one reading the bedtime story before the two settle down for the night. One or two words per page and help from the illustrations make this an accessible easy reader. What, at first, appears to be a customary story of a boy and his dog turns out to be so much more?and so much more fun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2019
The relationship between this book's ginger-haired boy and lop-eared, ginger-furred dog evolves as the dog morphs from pet to pal to parent figure. The text begins with familiar commands: "Sit"; "Stay." Gradually, they become more elaborate and unlikely--"Cook"; "Serve"--until the dog accompanies the boy on a trip to the moon ("Go"). An original premise, bare-bones text, perfect picture-book pacing, and deliciously transparent watercolors combine for an emotional punch.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from January 1, 2019
On the cover, a ginger-haired boy and a lop-eared, ginger-furred dog greet each other, but it doesn't look like a paw shake between owner and pet. Instead, it looks like two established and slightly formal friends shaking hands. The simple image tips us the wink that this boy/dog relationship is not straightforward. The text, in the imperative mood, begins with the familiar commands of puppy school: Sit; Stay; Roll over. Gradually, these commands become more elaborate and unlikely? Cook; Serve ?until, as the white backgrounds explode with gorgeous color, the dog repairs a rowboat ( Fix ), constructs a spaceship ( Build ), and accompanies the boy on a trip to the moon ( Go ). Gently and sweetly, the dog morphs from pet to pal to parent figure as, finally safe at home, the obedient canine tucks the boy into bed and reads him a story. There's no alpha male here, just two genial, respectful, loving creatures. An original premise, a bare-bones text of thirty-two words, perfect picture-book pacing, and deliciously transparent watercolors combine for an emotional punch. By the time we read Stay for a second time at story's end, we recognize that it's not a command but a quiet and poignant request. sarah ellis

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2019
On the cover, a ginger-haired boy and a lop-eared, ginger-furred dog greet each other, but it doesn't look like a paw shake between owner and pet. Instead, it looks like two established and slightly formal friends shaking hands. The simple image tips us the wink that this boy/dog relationship is not straightforward. The text, in the imperative mood, begins with the familiar commands of puppy school: Sit; Stay; Roll over. Gradually, these commands become more elaborate and unlikely? Cook; Serve ?until, as the white backgrounds explode with gorgeous color, the dog repairs a rowboat ( Fix ), constructs a spaceship ( Build ), and accompanies the boy on a trip to the moon ( Go ). Gently and sweetly, the dog morphs from pet to pal to parent figure as, finally safe at home, the obedient canine tucks the boy into bed and reads him a story. There's no alpha male here, just two genial, respectful, loving creatures. An original premise, a bare-bones text of thirty-two words, perfect picture-book pacing, and deliciously transparent watercolors combine for an emotional punch. By the time we read Stay for a second time at story's end, we recognize that it's not a command but a quiet and poignant request. sarah ellis

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from December 21, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-A boy and his dog take an unexpected journey in this picture book for early readers. The simple narrative begins with a light-skinned, blond-haired boy and his similarly golden-haired dog scampering across plenty of white space. The boy's commands for the dog appear in large, black text: "Sit. Stay. Roll over." The dog's skills are more advanced than one would expect, however, as the next spread sees him "Stand. Shake. Bow." From there, it becomes clear that this canine has more in common with Gromit than with the average house pet. While he can certainly "Fetch" and "Jump," he can also "Juggle," "Cook. Serve," and "Clean." After sharing a meal, the two friends venture outdoors into a strikingly colorful landscape, taking a bike, a boat, and eventually a rocket ship on a brief, out-of-this world trip. The day ends with the dog tucking in his boy with a story, a song, and after the boy's request to "Stay," a snuggle. Ruzzier's distinctive cartoon-style, ink and watercolor illustrations propel most of the story, offering plenty of visual interest and cues for pre-readers to decode the limited text. The boy, with his drooping socks, and his belly occasionally protruding from under his T-shirt, is realistically childlike and charming. VERDICT A simple yet surprising friendship story, perfect for preschool audiences and for those just beginning to read. A first purchase.-Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN