Good Dog [Hardcover]

Maya Gottfried (Author), Robert Rahway Zakanitch (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

In this heart-stealing picture book, fine artist Robert Rahway Zakanitch gives us 16 masterful, soulful, impossibly expressive portraits of dogs, and Maya Gottfried wonderfully captures their voices and inner personalities in 16 enchanting poems. It’s a doggie delight!

These dogs beg to be patted, tickled, scratched, and ruffled. Which one will be your best friend?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 3–In this beautifully designed book, free-verse poems that present the inner musings of 16 dogs are combined with painterly, full-page portraits. The verses capture distinct canine personalities, such as a haughty Pekingese ("MEMO/To: My Person.../I feel terrible about chewing on your custom-made leather shoes. Though,/they were on the floor"); a loyal collie ("Through the dark night,/you need not be scared./For you, only you,/I will always be there"); and a brawny bulldog ("But you know, don't you? That/beneath this tough exterior there thumps a gentle heart"). Pencil sketches of the canines are scattered around the text. On the facing pages, Zakanitch's stunning oil paintings of the pets are set against shiny black backgrounds, with breed names hand lettered in white chalk. Animal lovers will delight in this captivating dog show.–Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

From the Inside Flap

In this heart-stealing picture book, fine artist Robert Rahway Zakanitch gives us 16 masterful, soulful, impossibly expressive portraits of dogs, and Maya Gottfried wonderfully captures their voices and inner personalities in 16 enchanting poems. It's a doggie delight!

These dogs beg to be patted, tickled, scratched, and ruffled. Which one will be your best friend?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375830499
• ISBN-13: 978-0375830495
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 0.3 x 11.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Maya Gottfried is a lifelong New Yorker, with the exception of approximately four years spent at Bard College in upstate New York, and a semester at Goldsmiths (University of London). Maya and artist, Robert Rahway Zakanitch recently received the Pennsylvania School Librarians Young Reader's Choice Award for their book, Good Dog (Knopf). In addition to creating books for children, she has written for various print and online publications, and penned the essay "Untitled" for the grown-up anthology Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes.

Maya was inspired to write Our Farm (Knopf) after learning about Farm Sanctuary online, and swiftly becoming engaged with the organization as a volunteer in New York City. Not too long after being introduced to the shelters from afar, she managed a trip to the Watkins Glen, NY location where she met and began to get to know a number of the people and non-human residents of Farm Sanctuary. It was during that trip that the first conversations about the book took place, and Maya began to get to know the Farm Sanctuary residents as the individuals that they are.

Maya lives in Brooklyn with her two cats, Lucian and Bunny. Unfortunately there is no space (or grass) for cows in her apartment, but one can always dream.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, February 1, 2005

By 

Book Lover - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Dog (Hardcover)

This book is written for a 4-8 year old age level, but I loved it so much that I bought one for myself- I put it out on my coffee table! The poems are very smart and fun, and they are individualized to perfectly fit the extraordinary drawings of various dog breeds. I love it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doggie Lovers Will Love Good Dog, October 10, 2005

By 

Doggie Lover (San Diego) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Dog (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my brother for his birthday specifically because he has West Highland Terriers like the dog on the cover. He also appreciates good artwork. When I got the book I showed it to my parents, who are also dog lovers, and we all giggled out loud at the wonderfully hilarious poems and the sweet, funny illustrations. The pictures are suitable for framing. The book is marvelous and it put a big smile on our faces, just like the smile on the dog on the last page! Oh yeah, my brother loved the book too, and couldn't wait to read the poems to his Westies.

Reviewed by a dog (and cat) lover from San Diego.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Dog, May 9, 2005

By 

Susan B. Barry (Austin Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Good Dog (Hardcover)

Absolutely as charming and original in text--which is perfectly matched in illustration-- as any children's book I have seen in too long. Gottfried's text soars in imaginative flight to capture canine essences, and should elicit the same enthusiasm from any child and adult. I was truly impressed.