Digby

by Barbara Shook Hazen, Barbara J. Phillips-Duke (Illustrator)

Overview

Digby is getting old. She can't run and play much anymore. But Digby is still a very good dog. She is good at waiting, watching and understanding. Best of all, Digby is a faithful friend — and she will never be too old for them!A little boy wants to play with his dog, Digby. His sister says Digby is too old to play catch. But if Digby can’t run and jump, there are other things she can do now. In a spare, simple text, Barbara Shook Hazen presents a story about change and life-cycles perfect for the youngest readers.

A little boy wants to play with his dog, Digby. His sister says Digby is too old to play catch. But if Digby can’t run and jump, there are other things she can do now. In a spare, simple text, Barbara Shook Hazen presents a story about change and life-cycles perfect for the youngest readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780064442398
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/01/1998
Series:	I Can Read Book 1 Series , #1
Edition description:	1ST HARPER
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	300L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Barbara Shook Hazen has written more than eighty books for children. Her most recent titles include, Where Do Bears Sleep?, illustrated by Mary Morgan Van Royen; Digby, illustrated by Barbara J. Phillips-Duke; and The Knight Who Was Afraid of the Dark, illustrated by Tony Ross. She lives in Massachusetts and New York City.

Jane Manning is the illustrator of My First Songs, This Little Piggy, and the HarperTrophy Black Cat Club series. She lives in Deep River, CT.

Barbara Shook Hazen is the author of many popular children’s books including Tight Times, The Knight Who Was Afraid of the Dark, and Even If I Did Something Awful. She lives in Massachusetts and New York City.

Digby marks the debut of exciting new artist Barbara J. Phillips-Duke. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Editorial Reviews

PreS-Gr 2Hazen skillfully conveys the feelings and questions a little boy has about his aging dog, acknowledging thoughts with which young readers can identify. The boy's older sister explains why Digby cannot run and fetch the way he did when she was little. She tells him that he is still loyal to the family and deserves their love and friendship. Through these conversations, the child is made aware of the changing life cycles and learns respect for the value of each phase. Phillips-Duke's bright, colorful, animated illustrations of the African-American family energize the very easy text and are sure to appeal to beginning readers. Digby provides a vehicle for young children to broaden their experiences; as such, it warrants a place in easy-reader collections.Amelia Kalin, Valley Cottage Library, NY

School Library Journal

This I Can Read book is a conversation between a boy and his older sister, stylish children in "homey," oversize clothes. When the boy commands his dog, Digby, to play catch, his sister explains that the dog is too old to play, but has different qualities now, such as patience. She also points out that she can play with him, just as Digby played with her when she was small. Behind the simple words is sweet wisdom; this tale from Hazen (Wally, the Worry-Wart, 1990, etc.) translates to tolerance for all the elderly. The illustrations, from newcomer Phillips-Duke, are a weak point. Three nearly identical scenes of Digby asleep in his basket open the book; the interaction between siblings grows static as they remain in the kitchen while they talk. Although the style is deliberately naive, there are details that readers will see as mistakes: A clockface has nine hours marked, instead of twelve; two small framed paintings "float" around on the kitchen wall (sometimes next to each other, sometimes on a diagonal); the dog basket suddenly disappears from view; a chair that appears to one side of the table in most pictures is on another side for one scene, and then abruptly back in place. These flaws bury the sturdy sentiments of the story.

Kirkus Reviews