Good Boy, Fergus! [Hardcover]

David Shannon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2006 | Age Range: 3 - 5 years

Meet Fergus, the canine star of the upcoming book from Caldecott Honor artist David Shannon. Much like Shannon's beloved characters, David and Alice, the adorable Fergus is always getting in trouble!

Follow Fergus as he experiences the perfect doggy day--well, except for his bath, of course! From chasing cats and motorcycles to being scratched on his favorite "tickle spot," David Shannon's newest sweet and silly character will inspire young readers to laugh out loud at his mischievous antics. Fans of Shannon's previous books will love reading all about this naughty but lovable dog!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2–Reading this story is like having a romp with the funniest dog in town. As the book opens, two lines of text (Good morning, Fergus!/Want to go out?) frame the irrepressible face of a furry white terrier, black button eyes glistening with excitement. Subsequent pages feature the pups adventures chasing cats and motorbikes, scratching and being scratched, playing in the dirt, begging for meatballs, and riding in the car. No matter what the animal does, his masters refrain is…you guessed it. Readers see everything from a terrier-sized perspective, and they rarely see anyone but Fergus. When he is trampling his owner to request a walk, they catch just a glimpse of a human face. The motorcyclists face is so covered with gear as to be generic. The more intimate portraits here are of things of interest to Fergus–spaghetti and meatballs, for example, or the whipped cream that he likes on his kibble. Shannons artwork is like an overstuffed sofa: colorful, homey, and bouncy. A riotous book to unleash on all readers–even those who own cats.–Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 2. Fergus is a West Highland terrier, sort of an antihero to Rosemary Well's doggie, McDuff. He goes wild when he sees a cat, won't come when he's called, eats the daisies, and puddles in the wrong places. Of course, he's not entirely to blame; his unseen master is the sort who tells him not to beg, then slips him a tidbit, and puts whipped cream in his food bowl after the original offering gets only a disdainful sniff. This book is all about the impressive, oversize visuals--pictures that show the adorable doggie in full canine-caper mode: leaping, chasing, digging, not rolling over on command. And the expressions on Fergus' face perfectly mirror those of many pets who have the innocent look down pat: "Who me?" However, the best audience for this will be children old enough (or experienced enough with dogs) to catch the humor. Fergus has made cameo appearances in other Shannon books. Come to think of it, maybe he's not so much a counterpoint to McDuff as he is Shannon's David in fur. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 5 years
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: The Blue Sky Press (February 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439490278
• ISBN-13: 978-0439490276
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 0.1 x 11.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (52 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

DAVID SHANNON is the illustrator of many successful picture books, including How I Became a Pirate. His numerous awards include a Caldecott Honor for No, David! He lives in Burbank, California.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars David Shannon gets the essence of "Westie-tude" February 18, 2006

By Andy Orrock TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

My family had a Westie. David Shannon's "Good Boy, Fergus" completely nails the character of the breed. He's got every maddening but endearing trait of the "Westie-tude" down to a "T" in laugh-inducing drawings that you'll be eager to show others. Yes, "Fergus" is for reading level 4 - 8, but this adult reader was in tears of laughter thumbing through it. It's a compulsory purchase for anyone who has had a Westie make their indelible imprint on your life.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars David Shannon=Dr. Doolittle? May 1, 2007

By M. Allen Greenbaum HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

How David Shannon can get inside the head of our best friend is beyond me. There must be an angry dog somewhere who's barking mad at his or her stolen royalties. In fact, I almost suspect that our dog, the undeniably intelligent,funny, cooperative-yet-willful Sadie the Golden Retriever both co-wrote and modeled for the book.

NO that's there's any physical similaries between Fergus--a SUPER-expressive white terrior--and Sadie. However, both these dogs know how to give "Attitude," with a huge capital A. WHoever said that dogs are easy; cats are hard never met Fergus: Destructive as a bull shopping for china, playful as an otter, and stubborn as the stubbornest mule on either side of your closest mountain range. The disruption starts early as a calm morning walk (Fergus' human holds a newspaper, perhaps thinking he might glance at the headlines) turns into a chase after a cat. Fergus' legs fly in different directions, his tongue lunges forward, and his eyes grow big. Shannon draws this (in gouache and ink, I believe) almost like a cubist painting, "Dog Descending a Porch Trying to Eat a Cat," with playful elongations of time and dimension. The next 2-page spread is all too familiar to dog owners: Fergus, despite much pleading, expert commands ("COME"), and good cop/bad cop negotiations, refuses to return from his post at a squirreled tree.

Fergus knows how to work it. He's cute and cuddly, and he knows it. He can follow the rigorous commands of "Sit," "Roll Over," and "Down." This is a great advantage when wanting that itch scratched or the always-hungry belly filled. Fergus hides under the bed when it's bathtime(though his butt shows), adhere to canine union rules by sticking out his head while Mr. Human drives, successfully--through sheer persistence--gets spaghetti table scraps, and LEAPS upon his human at the mere metion of "walk." He pees on the sidewalk, but that's a dog's perogative, and, before retiring for the evening, waits out dinner until the man squirts it with whipped cream. Dry Food a la Mode, anyone?

I love this book. It captures the obvious and the subtle in well-known dog behaviors, and does so sympathetically. Sure Fergus can be a little work, but Shannon takes the healthy attitude that this is what a dog is like. Show dogs may sniff their noses at this notion, but Fergus is just not one of them, and never will be. Shannon's illustrations are spectacular; the big expanses of color with inkshading and detail, copious use of yellow, and the big green palid jacket of Mr. Human have an exciting 1940's aesthetic. Fergus is all motion and emotion, and Shannon gets it perfectly and playfully, with lots of open space, curvy lines, and multiple actions upn which delighted eyes will dance. Fergus has appeared in ten of Caldecott Honor winner Shannon's previous books, but this is his first as the main character. He acquits himself like a very good dog, indeed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lush Life March 21, 2006

By TundraVision

Format:Hardcover

David Shannon's Fergus MacLaggan is always into everything - except that which he ought! Readers and the children to whom they read will delight in the luscious illustrations and Fergus' antics and escapades, he who will not eat his kibble without that aerosol artificial whipped cream topping from a can!

It's a wonderful dog's life!

/TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer