Always In Trouble [Hardcover]

Corinne Demas (Author), Noah Z. Jones (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2009 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

"Emma's dog, Toby, was always in trouble.

On Monday he got into the garbage.

On Tuesday he ran into the road.

On Wednesday he ate a loaf of bread that Emma's dad had just baked."

No matter what day of the week it is, Toby's up to no good. His owner, Emma, doesn't know what to do! So she takes him to dog training school, where Ms. Katz teaches him everything a dog needs to know. By week's end, Toby has learned some surprising new tricks, leaving no doubt as to why he is top dog in Emma's eyes!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—Emma's dog is lovable, but his misbehavior is a serious problem. Using a predictable pattern to tell the story, Demas relates Toby's antics each day of the week and his experiences at dog-training school. Then, in a leap from reality to fantasy, Toby demonstrates that he is a good dog by baking bread, vacuuming the rug, and folding the laundry, among other household jobs. The ending, however, shows that the pup has not given up all of his old ways. The story is great for reading aloud, but the many humorous details in the cartoon-style illustrations make it fun for individual reading as well. Text, illustration, and design all work together to create a delightful story.—Marilyn Ackerman, Brooklyn Public Library, NY
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From Booklist

Toby, an enthusiastic, goofy, and lovable mutt that belongs to an African American couple and their daughter, Emma, has a schedule for getting into trouble. On Monday he got into the garbage, on Tuesday he ran into the road, on Wednesday he ate food he shouldn’t, and so on until Sunday, when he snoozed. His continued misdeeds land him in Ms. Katz’s dog-training school. Although Toby performs well in school, he returns to his schedule of misbehaving. After a second week at the school, he becomes a model dog, except for an occasional tug on his leash to chase squirrels. Whimsical cartoon illustrations make Toby’s troublesome and dangerous behavior seem humorous and lighthearted, in the same spirit that misbehaving is handled in such stories as David Shannon’s No, David! (1998). Children will delight in Toby’s antics, especially when he disappears through a die-cut hole on the last page. They will also appreciate Emma’s role in helping him become the almost perfect dog. Grades K-2. --Randall Enos

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545024536
• ISBN-13: 978-0545024532
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 11.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #348,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Corinne Demas is the author of two collections of short stories, three novels, a memoir, a collection of poetry, a play, and numerous books for children. She is Professor of English at Mount Holyoke College and a fiction editor of the Massachusetts Review. Before the year 2000, she published her books under the name Corinne Demas Bliss.

Corinne grew up in New York City, in Stuyvesant Town, the subject of her memoir, "Eleven Stories High: Growing Up in Stuyvesant Town 1948-1968". She attended Hunter College High School, graduated from Tufts University, and completed a Ph.D. in English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University. She lived in Pittsburgh for a number of years, teaching at the University of Pittsburgh and at Chatham College.

She lives with her family in Western Massachusetts and spends the summer on Cape Cod. You will find more information at her website: www.corinnedemas.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun, November 30, 2008

By 

Sandy (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Always In Trouble (Hardcover)

The appealing, unpredictable pooch (who is always in trouble) will brighten even the bleakest season. Anyone who has ever had a dog who wasn't always perfect will love this story and smile at the surprising turn of events. The illustrations are zany and delightful.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Little Trouble for A Lot of Love, May 1, 2011

By 

VReviews (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Always In Trouble (Hardcover)

Toby the dog chews, digs, plays in the mud, pees on the carpet, and eats what he shouldn't; and despite giving him extra attention, Emma just couldn't rely on Toby to behave. So off to group obedience training school he went; and as what so often times happens with kids as well, Toby was the model student at school. Unfortunately, Toby went right back to his old tricks after receiving his dog training diploma. So desperate measures required desperate methods, which lead to "individual" doggie training. Happily for Toby, Emma, and mom's laundry Toby becomes the model dog at home as well (at least most of the time).

Great read aloud for practicing and teaching prediction, what-if-questions, alternate endings, calendar and respect lessons. The bright and expressive illustrations show the action and mood of the tale to perfection. Those who've gone through raising a puppy will make laugh out loud connections throughout.

Pairs nicely with, Katie Loves the Kittens, and Stella, Unleashed: Notes from the Doghouse.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for "that kind of day", May 28, 2010

By 

M. Heiss (USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Always In Trouble (Hardcover)

Sooner or later, it comes to every kid's life. One day, they start misbehaving for no reason, and for a while they are always in trouble. Even kids who've always had reliably good behavior still have a 6-month streak of badness right before kindergarten -- this is the perfect book.

"Always in Trouble" has cute illustrations and a very nice family, and reading it to your kids helps parents remember that every dog... er, kid ... will get through those misbehaving days. It's a nice, gentle way to show love to your kids, despite their behavior.