Sally's Snow Adventure

Children's Literature - Mary Hynes-Berry

Given the appeal dogs have for many young children, it is likely that the fourth adventure of Sally, a black Labrador, will be as successful as Hunek's earlier stories. One element of the success is certainly Hunek's wonderful woodcut illustrations, which have an arte moderne feel and paletter. The text is simple with one or two sentences per page that read very much like Labrador stream of consciousness. In this case, Sally is recounting her adventures at a "dog-friendly" lodge where she meets a host of dogs, including two rescue dogs who eventually rescue Sally herself when she wanders off the trail, ignoring basic safety rules. Young children reading about Sally's carelessness are likely to process the safety message for themselves, if they should ever spend time at a ski lodge. But even if they don't, there is plenty to look at in this picture book to keep dog-loving children coming back to read it again and again.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 1-In this installment about the endearing black Labrador who starred in Sally Goes to the Beach (2000), Sally Goes to the Mountains (2001), and Sally Goes to the Farm (2002, all Abrams), the pup is off to a dog-friendly ski lodge. With nary a person in sight, Sally sleeps on a sofa ("The bed is just like mine at home") and makes friends with the other visiting dogs. She meets two canines in "handsome" vests who introduce themselves as on-duty rescue dogs. After fanciful adventures skiing, tobogganing, and saucering, Sally is ready to head back to the lodge. Unfortunately, she strays from the trail and is soon lost in the woods. Her new friends alert the rescue dogs, who "know just what to do," ensuring a happy ending. Dog lovers and Sally's fans will enjoy her latest romp. The story also provides a starting point for a discussion of rescue animals, lifeguards, or others who wear recognizable uniforms. The woodcut illustrations provide the right balance of simple lines and details to draw in children. From the skiing dachshund to a tiny Sally lost on the tall mountain, the art contributes much to the story. The text, however, has a choppy style that will not suit every reader. Further, there is an awkward switch from first- to third-person narration and back again. However, this is a small glitch that is probably more distracting to adults than to children. Overall, a fine purchase for seasonal storyhours.-Rita Hunt Smith, Hershey Public Library, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Huneck offers another drolly humorous story in his series about Sally, the black Labrador, who this time visits a "dog-friendly lodge" in a wintry mountain setting. Sally's first-person narrative describes arriving at the lodge and meeting new canine companions, including two rescue dogs, as well as activities such as snowshoeing, snowboarding and skiing. When Sally tries to take a shortcut back to the lodge, she loses her way and has to be located by the rescue dog pair. The human owners are never shown directly, and the dogs get along quite well on their own, having their own fun and solving their own problems. The refreshingly simple text is hand-lettered at the bottom of each page, with just a couple of sentences per page. The innocent tone of the uncomplicated story is well-matched to Huneck's distinctive woodcuts, showing Sally and friends in striking contrast against the wooden floor of the lodge or cavorting on the snowy mountainside. (Picture book. 2-7)