From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4–Chowder is not like most bulldogs. Instead of burying bones, he busily arranges them into a skeletal formation, as an archaeologist would. He gets about town with his doting owners in the type of backpack that a toddler would ride in, and he uses the toilet like a human. His quirkiness leads the neighborhood canines to conclude that he would be better off in a zoo, so it is with mounting excitement that he spots the grocery stores new Critter Corral through his balcony telescope and looks forward to making friends there. Browns static, acrylic-and-pencil compositions and the repetition of visual elements across the page yield strong designs. The rounded figures and precise patterning suggest a Playmobil™ world, with a touch of texture. The scenes depicted through the telescope are circular close-ups, framed in black. The parting shot, showing how Chowder communicates with his new friends even when they cant be together, requires a bit of visual sophistication, as does the book in general. Its wacky comedy and the quest for acceptance will best be appreciated by those whove been around the block a few times. Fans of Anthony Browne and Craig Frazier will sit up and beg for more.
–Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
*Starred Review* "Chowder has always been different." It's hard to disagree when the illustration shows Chowder the bulldog doing his business on the toilet. But that's not the only way he stands out: he rides mechanical horses, and though other dogs collect bones, he uses them in paleontology projects. His devoted owners, the Wubbingtons, are perhaps responsible for his singularity: they carry him in a baby pack and let him use their computer. Still, he longs for animal friends, so when a petting zoo opens, he eagerly makes a visit. Alas, while trying to play with the animals, he kicks their ball into a tree, thus alienating his potential pals. But distressed Chowder makes a comeback when he spots the ball in a tree and valiantly attempts to retrieve it. Yes, he starts to fall, but the other animals rescue him. Everything works here. The tongue-in-cheek humor melds delightfully with Brown's distinctive acrylic-and-pencil artwork. The characters have such a sturdy appearance, they look as though they could be carved from wood, and high-gloss finish gives the art a computer-enhanced look.
Inventive is the best word to describe the design--as when Brown uses the book's gutter to move Chowder from the zoo's bathroom (where he's doing his business again) to the tree. But along with the glitz, there's also a real story here, starring a winsome protagonist.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
