Dogs Rule!

Publishers Weekly

Kirk (Go!) celebrates all things canine in this jokey, illustrated collection of 22 poem-songs, which he and an unembarrassable band perform on an enclosed CD. In Kirk's grainy caricatures, the pedigreed and mixed-breed dogs have human-like eyes and earnest smiles. Each piece takes a dog's point of view, from "Stay Out of My Yard!" to "Chasing My Tail." "Red Rubber Ball" confronts the audience with a full-bleed, close-up image of a dog holding a drippy ball in its jaws: "It's wet and it's sticky, and ready to throw./ I've chewed it for hours. How soon can we go?" "Purple Rhinestone Collar," performed as a blues song on the CD, pictures an offended-looking bulldog who has been forced to wear the fey accessory. "Lapdog" introduces a groomed toy dog ensconced in the lap of a dowager: "Feed me a bonbon; some cookies will do-/ A caviar sandwich? I'll share it with you!" A puppy laments being called a "Bad Dog," a hound misses its owners in "Howlin' Time" and a scruffy mutt praises its favorite sniffing spot in "Fire Hydrant" ("Every dog who's been here/ leaves behind a special scent./ I don't know where they've gone,/ but I can tell you where they went!"). A sleepy ballad, "Dog-Tired," closes the book and the folksy, mostly acoustic CD. Kirk's monotonous poems, most of them overlong and propelled by singsongy rhythms, will likely hold the interest of only the most sentimental dog lovers. Ages 3-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Twenty-two jolly verse celebrations of dogs come from the mouths of the canines themselves. The title selection is a chorus of many. Then others describe their magnificent doghouse; their desire to play ball, be petted or just sit on a lap; their favorite activities, from car-riding to bone-burying; what makes them happy or sad; and finally how "dog-tired" they are after a busy day. The rhymed selections offer a variety of forms, all filled with rich imagery and fun. Kirk's mostly full-page portraits of the pooches in characteristic pose range from the contrite "Bad Dog" to the teeth-gnashing terrier warning us to stay out of "My Yard." Naturalistic but with an interpretive edge, they stimulate our emotions, making us feel the shame, pain, or the blissful peace of resting in one's own bed. On the included CD, Kirk is joined by a number of musicians and vocalists in a musical production of all the poems as songs. Listening and reading or singing along is almost as much fun as they must have had making it. 2003, Hyperion Books for Children, Ages 4 to 8.
— Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

School Library Journal

K-Gr 6-In this oversized book, 22 lengthy poems, one per spread, run the gamut of dogginess. Rover delights in his sticky, red rubber ball. A puppy begs to be petted. An elegant lapdog enjoys her pampered lifestyle. Then there's the chowhound that is always hungry. A Chihuahua suffers from a poor body image and a terrier just wants to be loved. Canines catch Frisbees, go for walks, chase tails, are paper trained, and dig up bones. The selections are accompanied by bold, dynamic, full-page illustrations of expressive dogs. Kirk sings these clever selections on the accompanying CD. His voice is pleasant and the enunciation is clear. The varied instrumental styles such as rock, blues, and toy piano add another level of enjoyment to the book. This poetic canine tribute is sure to be a hit with dog lovers.-Linda Staskus, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A cheerful collection of compatible canines decorates the cover of this oversized volume, with a Chihuahua holding a bone monogrammed with the name of the author/illustrator. Using the same format as his previous collection with a transportation theme (Go!, 2001), Kirk here offers 22 rhyming poems about dogs and their behavior. The poems are actually the lyrics to songs (with vocals by Kirk) that are included on an accompanying CD. The poems cover several dog stereotypes and many aspects of common canine behavior, incorporating bouncy humor in both text and illustration. Kirk excels at capturing canine expressions: an outraged bulldog, a pampered lapdog, or a gleeful spaniel sticking its head out the car window to take the breeze. When considered as poetry, the poems are a little sing-songy, but then they are songs, and children might just have more fun singing along with the CD than merely listening. (Picture book. 4-8)