Bad Dog, Dodger! [Hardcover]

Barbara Abercrombie (Author), Adam Gustavson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2002

On his ninth birthday Sam is given what he wants most of all -- a puppy. Sam names him Dodger. The whole family loves Dodger, but Dodger does get into trouble sometimes -- like when he knocks the trash all over the kitchen floor, or chews a big hole in Sam's baseball cap, or jumps into the tub when Sam's older sister is taking a bath. "Bad dog, Dodger!" Sam scolds him each time. "He's not bad. He just wants to play," Sam's father says.

Then the Little League baseball season begins. In the very first game, when Sam is up at bat, Dodger comes flying onto the field and runs off with the bat! Sam knows something has to be done or he may not be allowed to keep Dodger, so he starts Dodger's serious obedience training.

How Dodger becomes an honorary member of Sam's team is the happy climax of this funny story that -- with Adam Gustavson's humorous, full-color pictures -- will delight all Little Leaguers and their parents as well.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3-A well-written, charmingly illustrated story with a satisfying, happy ending. Sam wants a dog so much that he eats his vegetables, cleans his room, and otherwise proves that he is a worthy young dog-owner-to-be. On his ninth birthday, his wish comes true. Unfortunately, Dodger is afflicted with puppy fever and accordingly wreaks havoc at home and on the Little League field, so he might have to be sent to a family who can give him the attention he craves. Determined, Sam arises early each morning to spend time training him, ultimately saves the day and his dog, and hits a home run for his team, which accepts Dodger as its mascot. The clean, simple writing is without a superfluous or false word, and the well-worn story line emerges fresh and crisp. Furthermore, it works both as a picture book for preschoolers and as a beginning reader. The color illustrations in oils are realistic, warmhearted renderings of a white, middle-class American family. Dodger is especially well depicted as a quirky but lovable puppy that dog lovers of all ages will find irresistible.
Dorian Chong, San Jose State University, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 6-8. Sam wants a dog. When he finally gets a gangly black puppy for his ninth birthday, he names it Dodger and soon discovers that, in typical puppy fashion, it leaves destruction and a surfeit of chewed objects in its wake. When Dodger disrupts Sam's Little League game, Sam's mom suggests that Dodger may just be too much dog for the family to handle. Sam takes matters into his own hands by giving Dodger obedience lessons every morning. After a month of training, Dodger shows up at another game, where he behaves himself to the astonishment of everyone. Tales of a puppy's first disobedience and ultimate redemption abound. Yet, Abercrombie's text will be great for beginning readers, and Adam Gustavson's illustrations enliven what would otherwise be a mundane story. Painting in vigorous oils with broad, visible brush strokes, Gustavson nicely captures Dodger's look of wide-eyed innocence after each manic outburst. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry; 1 edition (May 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689837828
• ISBN-13: 978-0689837821
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #643,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Abercrombie has published thirteen books, plus essays and articles in many national publications. She teaches in the Writers' Program at UCLA Extension where she recently won a Distinguished Instructor award. Her most recent books are Courage & Craft and CHERISHED: 21 Writers on Animals They Have Loved & Lost. Her next book, A Year of Writing Dangerously, will be published in 2012 by New World Library. She lives in Santa Monica, California and Twin Bridges, Montana with her husband Robert V. Adams, and their rescue dog Nelson.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Puppy Love, June 5, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Bad Dog, Dodger! (Hardcover)

This is a great book for any child who has a dog, has ever wanted a dog, or has ever played with or laughed at a dog. The tension over the new puppy builds at a level a child can understand and a parent can enjoy reading. By the end everyone will be rooting for Dodger.