Customer Reviews

Bark, George

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Most kids books fall into that mediocre range. Good enough to entertain children when given a decent reading by an adult, but nothing that sticks with you.

I suspect all parents have this moment when they are reading books to their kids. The point where they think, "I could write kids books." And, in fact, most of us could, and they would be no worse than most of what's out there. Look at the books churned out by celebrities, for example. They're not great, but not much off the mark of everything else out there.

But then you have the exceptions. The best kids books have an illusion of simplicity, but have a special magical quality. Jules Feiffer, with "Bark, George," has produced a book that rises above the rest. It's an effortless read which you can fly through at a rapid pace. But that simplicity is deceptive. Much in the spirit of Charles Shultz, Feiffer is able to draw crude, minimalist figures that manage to have depth, spunk, and charm.

First there is the dog saying "meow," and "oink-oink" and "moo." When the exasperated mother dog takes her son to the vet, things get more surreal, and more hilarious. The vet, bespectacled and pony-tailed, wearing the classic white coat, gloves up and begins to remove animals from the "deep down inside of George." Don't worry, he goes the upper GI route, not from below. The expressions on everyone's face, including the animals being extracted, is brilliant and hilarious. The illustration of the mother dog kissing the vet is amusing but very touching as well.

This is the most I've enjoyed Feiffer since he animated the transcripts of the Chicago Eight trial.

This book has been a huge hit in my house. I give myself partial credit as well, since I think my high energy reading really adds to the effect. But the real kudos go to the Feiffster, who taps into a child's imagination with the skills of a Schultz, Seuss, or Silverstein.

My 2-year old daughter loves this book. She giggles the whole time she "reads" it to me word for word. It's simple and fun and great to share.

My reputation as the "uncle with the knack for picking good children's books" remains intact after I sent this book to a not-quite-two-year-old nephew. Not only did it entertain him, but it caused his older brother to laugh out loud as well. Thanks for the lead on this smart, deceptively simple, entertaining book!

As someone who deals with children's books every day, this book is rare and wonderful. No lessons, no morals, just fun. It is wonderful to watch the expressions on people's faces listening to this charming story, and adults love it as much as children.

My niece and nephew love this book -- they laugh out loud at every non-bark George utters and the twist ending sends them rolling off the couch in a giggling fit. This is the best babysitting tool in my repetoire.

I got this book for my son, who is 2 years old. He requests it eagerly, and enjoys saying "silly DOG" each time George belts out the wrong sound. This is the type of kids book that will have your child repeating with you, and adding things on his own interactively. It is a fun book with cute illustrations and punchline. As a mom who loves to read fun books, I recommend it for all parents with young kids.

This is a must buy for any family library. If you have ever had a puppy or are wanting one, this book shows how mother and son are working to teach George to bark. What mother and son go through is absolutely hillarious. Don't be surprised if this book is read over and over again!

Mother dog is beside herself. Her puppy, George, just can't seem to bark like a dog. "Bark, George." George went: "Meow." As mother asks him to try again and again, he quacks like a duck, oinks like a pig, and moos like a cow, but just can't seem to bark like the dog he is. "George's mother took George to the vet." The vet studied the problem and this time when George meowed, the vet "reached deep down inside of George..." and to everyone's surprise, pulled out a cat, then a duck, a pig, and finally "deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep down inside George..." a cow. Now, George can bark "arf", or can he..... Jules Feiffer's brief text doesn't waste a single word, and is complemented by his simple and bold, cartoon-like illustrations that captivate with their marvelous facial expressions. Together word and art create an engaging treasure that will charm and delight preschoolers as young as two. With a hilarious, surprise ending that's sure to tickle your funny bone, Bark, George is a timeless classic, to read and share with friends and family now, and future generations in the years to come.

My class loved this book! The librarian at our school read it to them, and now that's all they want to hear every Monday at library time. I intend to purchase a copy for my classroom.

My two year old son loves this book and I love reading it to him. He really gets a kick out of George's mom and all her expresions. When I read this book, my son insists that I grit my teeth and put my hand on my head and say "No George" just like George's mom.

It's a wonderful book. A must for every 2-3 year old that occassionally has a frustrated mom.