Customer Reviews

Gowanus Dogs

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Sometime in their lives, children should learn that not all people live cozy, sheltered lives. That's what Gowanus Dogs accomplishes. A reader complained about how the author depicts homeless people, but at least the topic of homeless people is introduced. Gowanus Dogs is a good entree to a discussion with your child about homelessness and poverty, although I doubt that few real-life endings are as happy as the book's ending.

This is a great book. I live near the Gownaus Canal so I was interested as soon as I read the title. I read the book to my first grade class and they loved it. The story is wondeful - a homeless man helps to save the lives of some stray dogs and some people pitch in to give the man a fresh start - a home and a job.

I will give Jonathan Frost this: He is a wonderful artist who provides here several etchings that will no doubt be enjoyed by child and adult alike. However, the writing in "Gowanus Dogs" is very poor, indeed, and the story itself -- and how he resolves it -- are especially troubling. It assumes that dogs (and, therefore, all animals) are, and ought to be, dependent upon man for food, shelter, and safe keeping. It also resolves that animals are ONLY acceptable when they are owned by humans. The grand "happy ending" of this very slight, poorly written, and poorly thought-out book, has a canine mother losing her entire family of puppies and living alone in a garbage yard. (We're supposed to be happy because at least her puppies are now safe and sound in the care of kind men.) Joanathan Frost should stick to his etchings and mezzotints. He should only again think of picking up a pen if he intends to use it for writing apologies to those who bought this book. A further note: Frost implies that homeless people are just like you and me. All would be well if they only had a job. But I'm a native New Yorker who lives not far from the Gowanus Canal. Many of the homeless here (as well as across America....dare I say, the majority) suffer from mental disorders and/or drug dependency. Being sympathetic to their plight is, I suppose, noble, but proffering to children that homeless people are otherwise friendly and kind and approachable is, especially in this day and age, reckless and mindless.