Little Puppy and the Big Green Monster

by Mike Wohnoutka

Overview

"Who wants to play?" wonders Little Puppy. The schoolchildren are too busy, the sleeping man is too lazy, the big dogs are too mean, and the cat is too boring. Maybe the monster wants a friend. The monster replies with a powerful ROAR! But with unfaltering optimism, inexhaustible goodwill, and a bit of naivete, the tiny puppy transforms the curmudgeonly monster into the perfect playmate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823434480
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	07/20/2015
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 9.80(h) x 0.20(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Mike Wohnoutka has illustrated many books for children, including Jack's House, written by Karen Magnuson Beil and honored as a Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book, and Hanukkah Bear, written by Eric A. Kimmel and praised in a starred review from School Library Journal as "successful on every level." Little Puppy and the Big Green Monster is his first book as author and illustrator. His website is www.mikewohnoutka.com.

Editorial Reviews

"This sweet story of new, unusual friendship is sure to elicit plenty of giggles."—Kirkus Reviews
 
"Delightful depictions of a naïve puppy and a grumpy monster drive this story that strikes an emotional chord with very few words. . . . This sweet story should claim a secure spot on most library shelves."—School Library Journal
 
"Spare text with playful, humorous acrylic illustrations that depict even a surly monster as lovable will win over preschoolers."—The Horn Book

From the Publisher

08/01/2014
PreS-K—Delightful depictions of a naive puppy and a grumpy monster drive this story that strikes an emotional chord with very few words. Once the children have departed on the school bus, the pup, now alone, dismisses other potential playmates as being "too lazy," "too mean," and "too boring." Surprisingly, he is not dissuaded from trying to engage a seemingly unapproachable creature. The humor in this story, represented mainly through hilarious illustrations, is based on misinterpretation. The dog, clueless about the monster's true desire to read on a park bench, succeeds in getting the grumpster to play tag and hide and seek. Ultimately, he finds a place in the monster's bed and, of course, in his heart. This book will resonate with any child who has tried to convince an adult to abandon grownup concerns and just enter the world of childhood. Pair it with Suzanne Bloom's A Splendid Friend, Indeed (Boyds Mills, 2005) for discussions about "odd couple" friendships. This sweet story should claim a secure spot on most library shelves.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT

School Library Journal

2014-06-10
Little Puppy’s persistence wins him an unexpected friend.When the school bus departs, Little Puppy is left alone with his red ball and without playmates. Initial attempts to engage a man sleeping in a hammock, a group of big dogs and a cat provoke respective comments of “Too lazy. / Too mean! / Too boring.” When Little Puppy encounters the eponymous Big Green Monster, it is sitting on a bench reading a book, and even though the big dogs were intimidating, Little Puppy approaches the monster and tries to play hide-and-seek and tag. Undeterred by repeated rebuffs, Little Puppy dogs the monster as it tries to simply have some alone time with its book, and he even follows it back home. Ultimately, the monster softens a bit when Little Puppy licks its face, and the new friends end up curling up together for bedtime snuggles. Throughout, softly sweet, cartoonish illustrations depict the intrepid puppy and the big green monster, both of whom are quite cute in very different ways, with an emphasis on scale; that monster sure is big. Vignettes convey the slapstick of the interactions, while full- and double-page spreads emphasize emotion.This sweet story of new, unusual friendship is sure to elicit plenty of giggles. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews