Review
"Purposely telling her tale from the animal's perspective, Colman avoids the clich of sending her message by way of cute animals dressed in the guise of humans; instead, her animals get to be, well, animals, with feelings and needs all their own. With humor and empathy, Colman shows that the loneliness, boredom and frustration brought about by the lack of control over one's own destiny exists for animals as well as humans and, with a bit of consideration, we can all do our part to help alleviate this suffering and create more meaningful lives for our animal companions."
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Bark Magazine, 2003
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap
Through the trials and adventures of Francine, a willful but demoralized pup, accomplished illustrator Audrey Colman—most recently known for her work in William Kotzwinkle’s Walter the Farting Dog—takes us on a journey that captures the true essence of a dog’s life in Francine Francine the Beach Party Queen.
Francine, stuck living within the confines of a rigid, derisive family, suffers from an absolute lack of freedom. Tired of the same food, mundane on-leash walks, being hushed constantly and considered little more than a pretty distraction, she longs for more.
Determined to gain control over her fate, she leaps out the window, flees to the park and eventually meets up with a flamboyant dance troupe. Joining them for revelry and merrymaking, she is offered kindness and companionship, green tea and cookies. The dancers embrace Francine for being the dog she is. A raucous group, they even love her barking. She makes them laugh and teaches them loopy dance steps, and they beg her to stay. She’s never been happier. There’s no going back.
Francine and her entourage are brought to life through the furious blaze of vibrant color, scratchy texture, and insistent pattern that Colman is known for. But the message—that we ought to pay more attention to the needs of our animal companions— is not lost to the beauty of her images.
Like Francine, Colman has a fierce independent streak. A longtime vegetarian and animal-rights advocate, she has channeled her frustration at how the emotional and physical needs of animals are all too often ignored into this jewel of a book. Purposely telling her tale from the animal’s perspective, Colman avoids the cliché of sending her message by way of cute animals dressed in the guise of humans; instead, her animals get to be, well, animals, with feelings and needs all their own.
With humor and empathy, Colman shows that the loneliness, boredom and frustration brought about by the lack of control over one’s own destiny exists for animals as well as humans and, with a bit of consideration, we can all do our part to help alleviate this suffering and create more meaningful lives for our animal companions.
- Bark Magazine, 2003
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
