The Dog Who Cried Wolf [Hardcover]

Keiko Kasza (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

Moka is a good dog. But when Michelle, his little girl, reads him a book about wolves, being a good dog suddenly seems awfully boring. Wolves get to run around doing whatever they want. No one ever makes a wolf dress up for a tea party.

So Moka decides to run away to the wild. But what will happen when the real wolves show up?

For any kid who's tired of being good, Moka's antics will be a vicarious treat.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 1–Moka is a good dog who lives a perfect life with Michelle until they read a book about wolves. Suddenly, he feels like a failure. He is inspired to hunt for his food and howl at the moon, so he runs away to the mountains to be as free as a wolf. Kasza's perfect pacing and expressive watercolor illustrations show how the pup's joy at being able to jump, dance, and pee wherever he wants turns to misery as his prey outruns him and a skunk sprays him. Missing Michelle and his former life, he tries howling at the golden moon, and when his cries are answered by some real wolves, he runs home in terror. Children will find themselves captivated by Moka's playful antics and comforted by his return. Children will howl with delight when they meet this engaging pup. Pair this story of adventure and going home again with Gene Zion's Harry the Dirty Dog (HarperCollins, 1956) for supremely satisfying storytime.–Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. Just as a white dog with black spots named Harry (as in Harry the Dirty Dog) once ran away from home for a more exciting life, so does Moka, a white dog with brown spots. When Moka's owner, Michelle, reads aloud from a book about wolves, Moka compares his tame existence to theirs and leaves to try a more wolflike life. With an effective variety of page layouts, the expressive pen-and-watercolor pictures show him dashing off on his adventures, where he jumped and danced and "peed wherever he wanted." But finding food is difficult, and his final goal, to howl like a wolf, proves scary, indeed, as reflected in the large, dark sky that dwarfs the little dog. Thanks to excellent pacing, children will get caught up in the childlike Moka's emotions: the pleasure of being free, the loneliness of night, and the exuberant reunion with Michelle, captured in a large, light-filled close-up. A final twist provides the perfect end to this appealing tale that will lend itself to storytime or one-on-one reading. Kathleen Odean
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile (September 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399242473
• ISBN-13: 978-0399242472
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,128,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Keiko Kasza was born on a small Japanese island in the Inland Sea of Japan. She grew up in a typical Japanese extended family with her parents, two brothers, and grandparents. Uncles, aunts, and cousins also lived nearby. "All the steps I took growing up were very normal," Ms. Kasza says. "The only unusual thing I did was go to college in the United States." She graduated with a degree in graphic design from California State University at Northridge. Ms. Kasza married an American, and the United States has been her home ever since.After publishing five children's books in Japan and working as a graphic designer for fourteen years, Ms. Kasza decided in 1988 to devote her time to picture books. She says, "Having two small boys and two professions was too much to handle."Ms. Kasza admires many great picture-book creators, such as Leo Lionni and Maurice Sendak, but says that the work of Arnold Lobel has influenced her the most. The subtle humor and warmth he created in his books continues to inspire me," she says. "I often go back to his work when I get discouraged or lose confidence."Ms. Kasza compares the process of making a book to acting on stage under the lights:"I become the character that I'm working on at that moment. I pretend that I'm a bird looking for a mother, or a pig trying to impress his girlfriend. When I'm acting, I'm a child myself."Ms. Kasza's ambition is not to create a hundred books, but to "create one really good book that will be kept on the family bookshelves for generations, although a hundred really good books would be even better, of course!"Keiko Kasza lives in Indiana with her husband and two sons.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great job, Kasza!, June 28, 2006

By 

Crazy Reader (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dog Who Cried Wolf (Hardcover)

My two-year-old daughter and I love Keiko Kasza's books. When I found out about this book, I made a trip to the library and checked it out right away. This story is really cute and very funny. The illustration is a bit different from Kasza's other books. The pictures look more like a cartoon than those in her other books. It became my daughter's favorite book right away. We have to read it everyday, at least 3 times a day. We once made a record of 7 times in one day. It turns out that she can read the whole book herself. She can memorize every single word. She particularly loves to howl "Haoooooooooo..." just like the dog, Moka, and the wolves. It's such an outstanding book: excellent story and wonderful illustration. Great job, Kasza!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll Howl With Delight For Moka!, March 25, 2008

By 

R. Silva "Rick Silva" (Cape Cod MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dog Who Cried Wolf (Hardcover)

Moka was a typical housepet until one day when his owner, Michelle, read a book about wolves. Suddenly Moka decided that there must be more to life than dry food, walks on a leash, and tea parties with Michelle.

He runs away to the mountains to live the life of a wolf. But Moka learns that hunting isn't as easy as it looks, and eventually comes home for a happy reunion with Michelle.

Written and illustrated by Keiko Kasza, this story is quick-paced and funny. The artwork is excellent, especially the eye-catching cover illustration featuring Moka howling at the moon.

The "running away from home" theme is a classic that goes back to the parable of the prodigal son, and this retelling presents it in a form that children, especially animal lovers, will really enjoy. Kids will also like the funny ending to the story.

Definitely an enjoyable bedtime read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute Story, Amazing Illustrations, Excellent Punchline, November 3, 2011

By 

Sudhir Warrier - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dog Who Cried Wolf (Hardcover)

This is one of my favorite book to read to my toddler girl. She loves to hear us reading this book. Week after week, she wants to hear the story. As parents, we never gets bored with re-reading it either. This is about an adventurous dog who yearns to get freedom and his lessons of running away from home. It subtly reminds young minds of lurking dangers of venturing for the greener-other-side. I believe the story and illustrations are by author, Keiko Kasza, I have to give special mention to the beautiful full page illustrations. The best of all, the story ends with a funny punchline. Some books are well received by my little one but others are not. This is one of those gems where my 3 year old loves to participate and discuss the story. Highly recommended for parents of 2-5 year old children.