Patch: A Picture Book

by David Slonim, David Slonim (Illustrator)

Overview

Patch is a good dog. At least he tries to be—but sometimes he finds it hard to remember commands or resist chasing rabbits. Three very short stories of a boy and his dog are combined in this adorably illustrated picture book that honors the special bond between dogs and their people and between friends of all species.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466839335
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	07/30/2013
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	13 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

David Slonim's sweet and mildly mischievous dog, Maggie, is the inspiration for Patch. He has also illustrated It's a Dog's Life by Susan E. Goodman, which features pooches of all sizes and shapes. He lives in Indiana with his wife, kids, and of course, Maggie.

Editorial Reviews

A short, funny tale that will resonate with preschoolers and new readers, as well as older children who need simple but meaningful stories.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Add this to the growing list of early reader buddies.” —Booklist

“Sweet and well-executed.” —School Library Journal

“It's great to have a pet story that emphasizes caretaking as well as affection; use this in partnership with a friendship story like Frog and Toad to talk about our comradeship with man's best friend. ” —BCCB

From the Publisher

PreS-K—Three vignettes show the unconditional love a young boy holds for his intractable pooch. "Patch is my dog. It's my job to take care of him. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's not." The accompanying illustrations show the child feeding the pup, petting him, and cleaning up after an accident. Despite being reminded not to chase rabbits, Patch does so anyway and ends up full of prickles. "'It's okay, Patch,' I tell him. 'Tomorrow we'll try again.'" The honest look at the ups and downs of pet ownership is both refreshing and realistic. In the second vignette, Patch gets fleas and is relegated to the doghouse. As the boy snuggles in with him, he ponders, "What are a few fleas between friends?" Finally the youngster enters his pet in a contest, and although he is amazing in practice, Patch freezes during the event. Both are disappointed, but later, when they play for fun, he performs like a champ and the boy reaffirms his unconditional love. The illustrations are done in a loose, painterly style with charcoal lines adding definition and detail to muted swatches of color. The blond narrator and his dog are drawn simply but express a lot of emotion through their body language. Although presented as a picture book, the limited vocabulary, short sentences, strong visual cues, and "chapters" make it more of a reader than a storybook. A slight, but sweet and well-executed offering.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, White Bear Lake, MN

School Library Journal

Patch is a perky pup who provides plenty of companionship to a little towheaded boy in this simple but satisfying story of the love between a boy and his dog. The unnamed narrator recounts three episodic tales of life with Patch, each told with just one or two short sentences per page. The episodes recount encounters with rabbits while on a walk, an outbreak of fleas and a contest of dog tricks. Patch has his problems, chasing after a forbidden rabbit, suffering through the flea treatments and failing to complete any tricks at the competition. With each disappointment, the boy soothes Patch's injuries or hurt feelings, reassuring his pet that they can try again and that they are "buddies through thick and thin." The story may seem slight at first, but it deftly addresses deep concerns common to young children: that they will still be loved after disobedience or poor performance in the outside world, that their basic needs, injuries and emotional concerns will be all be tended to, and that they will still be loved "no matter what." Cartoon-style watercolor-and-pencil illustrations complement the humor of the story and provide an impressive variety of expressions for the irrepressible pooch. A short, funny tale that will resonate with preschoolers and new readers, as well as older children who need simple but meaningful stories. (Picture book. 3-8)

Kirkus Reviews