Synopsis
When Chowder goes off to the Fabu Pooch Boot Camp, as usual he just doesn't fit in. Chowder tries his best, but his attempts to make himself more fabulous all fall flat. When the First Annual Fabu Pooch Pageant is announced, Chowder anxiously tries to think of a way to stand out. After all, the prize is a one-year supply of Snarf Snacks!
Some pups practice their pearly grins, other hounds get massages to relax. One pooch even gets permed! But Chowder finds his calling when he discovers a trampoline. He leaps, he flips, he bounces, and he wows the crowd!
Children's Literature
The previous book about Chowder clearly established that he is nothing like your ordinary bulldog. In this adventure that point is reinforced as Chowder's hip young owners/parents, the Wubbingtons, are eager to fulfill his wish to attend the Fabu Pooch Boot Camp, where beautiful dogs are turned into fabulous ones. Chowder soon realizes that doggy perms and flossing will never allow his stocky bulldog body to approach the chic elegance of his fellow campers. Chowder is not phased, because he takes Mrs Shirley Fabu's advice to follow his dreams and develops a trampoline act that is nothing short of fabulous. Peter Brown's distinctive acrylic illustrations that play up the elegant pretentiousness of pugs and poodles reinforce the clear moral: the most important way to succeed is to follow your dreams and be yourself. Young children who love dogs and bouncing will enjoy the story, while their parents are likely to be engaged and amused by the genial satire of the back story.