Fiction - Animals - Mammals, Fiction - Clothes & Fashion, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous, Fiction - Emotions & Behaviors, Fiction - Occupations, Fiction - Family Life
Log in to track your reading progress.
Overview
Sherman Crunchley is in line to become chief of police when his father retires. The problem is, Sherman doesn't like being a police officer. He has a hard time saying no to anyone-crooks, his boss, and especially his dad. Sherman turns to self-help books, videos, and even hypnosis to learn how to refuse, but nothing works. On the day of his father's retirement party, Sherman finally comes up with a solution, and the party guests help him convey a loud and clear message. Readers will tip their hats at the resourceful way Sherman finds happiness in this silly, thoroughly satisfying story about being true to oneself.
Illustrated by Tim Bowers.
Following the tradition of the Crunchley dog family, Sherman is expected to succeed his father as Biscuit City's Chief of Police, but the only thing he likes about being a police officer is the hat he wears.
Editorials
Publishers Weekly
Canine police officer Sherman Crunchley has no desire to take a bite out of crime. And he really doesn't want to fill his father's shoes as police chief, even though it's a family tradition. Given the elder Crunchley's imminent retirement, however, it seems inevitable that affable Sherman will be leading Biscuit City's bow-wows in blue-unless he can finally, just once, bring himself to say no. Quick thinking and a bit of haberdashery put Sherman and his dad on the same wavelength. Numeroff and Evans (who teamed up for Monster Munchies) have crafted a mild-mannered, humorous tale about handling a difficult situation. Bowers (previously paired with Numeroff for Sometimes I Wonder If Poodles Like Noodles) brightens the proceedings considerably with softly textured oil paintings of pleasant pooches seen from a variety of angles. His friendly assortment of breeds donning human clothes makes Biscuit City look like a swell place to serve and protect. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.Children's Literature
Poor timid Sherman is a dog in line to take over the police chief's job from his father. While Sherman's relatives as far back as anyone can remember have been chief, Sherman hates the job. He'd much rather try on hats and be nice to people. On the beat, he uses donuts to break up fights (the dog characters here fight with fists, not teeth and claws), and looks the other way if he can keep from issuing parking tickets. Books on how to say no don't work, hypnotism doesn't work because Sherman has an aversion to saying no to anything, and it looks like he'll have to accede to his father's wishes. But he hits on a great way to say "I don't want to be chief" at the party celebrating his supposed new career. It turns out that his father really does not want to relinquish the job, and Sherman can do what he wants to do—open a hat shop. This story plays to children's desires to please adults and extols the virtues of standing up for what you want. But it is an adult theme as well, since parental expectations guide or burden most of us. Bowers, in full-page, colorful paintings, has created a likeable town populated entirely with dogs of various breeds. Sherman's mom looks likes a spaniel, his dad looks like a bloodhound, and Sherman looks like a beagle. It is all good fun, and it may even be on a few adults' shopping lists to support sons or daughters who decide to follow their own dreams and not those of their CEO fathers or mothers. 2003, Dutton, Ages 5 to 8.— Susan Hepler, Ph.D.
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 3-Sherman Crunchley, a police officer in Biscuit City, has a family tradition to follow. He is to become chief of police when his father retires next month. The problem is, though, that this dog doesn't want the position but doesn't want to disappoint his dad. The only thing he likes about the job now is wearing the hat. The truth of the matter is that hats are the love of his life. He is pictured throughout the book wearing a variety of different and outlandish headgear ranging from the simple police hat to a doghouse hat. He tries a variety of methods to communicate this fact to his father, including checking out How to Say No from the library and ordering a video tape entitled Must Say No. He even tries seeing a hypnotist. Finally, he gets an idea. He fashions special hats for all of the guests at his dad's retirement party and assigns them to their seats, whereupon the letters on their hats spell out, "I don't want to be chief." To Sherman's surprise, his father is delighted; he didn't want to retire. The illustrations are done in bright, bold colors, and the pup's hats add an amusing touch. Children will enjoy this funny tale, and they might even learn a lesson about life in the process.-Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.Kirkus Reviews
Sherman learns how to be his own dog in a tale that revolves around the ability-or, in Sherman's case, inability-to say no. Though Sherman doesn't like police work, force of tradition-long family tradition-is about to land him the chief's job. He can't say no and disappoint his father; in truth, Sherman-drawn as an insecure but sweet pooch in Bowers's ingratiating artwork-can't say no to anyone. Now, hats-well, Sherman can't say no to hats, either, but that's because he likes them so much. After a series of goofy self-help schemes fails to give voice to Sherman's inner "no," he decides to let his hats speak for him. Such a little word to create such anxiety, though the authors' point will not be lost on young readers: if you say no, the house will not fall down and family and friends will not flee; this time, the negative has positive potential. (Picture book. 4-8)Book Details
Published
November 3, 2005
Publisher
Puffin Books
Pages
32
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780142403853