From Publishers Weekly
A hound named Homer gets a double whammy when, shortly after his next-door neighbor Ms. Gallivant puts her house up for sale, Homer's master Hank hangs a similar "for sale" sign in their own front yard. Although Hank has a surprise in store (he and Ms. Gallivant eventually purchase each other's houses), Homer reacts angrily to news of the change and terrorizes the would-be homebuyers who look at the property. Pulver (the Mrs. Toggle books) posits Hank as the authoritative "parent," communicating a child's uncertainty and frustration through her portrayal of Homer. The loose style of Levin's pen-and-ink sketches, enhanced here with daubs of watercolor, seems better suited to the artist's New Yorker cartoons, where punch lines and one-shot drawings matter more than repeated, consistent characters. (Levin's finest creations turn out to be Victorian houses with elaborate, multicolor exteriors.) Though most real-life uprootings don't result in an instant happy ending like that described here, the bulk of the story conveys true emotions. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2?When Mrs. Gallivant moves, the dog next door is depressed because he won't have her biscuits to eat, her balls to play with, and her understanding of his habits. Homer is even more upset and angry when his owner, Hank, decides to move, too, and he does all he can to keep people from buying their house. Accidentally locked in a neighbor's garage overnight, he realizes that he misses his master and, once released, runs home, only to discover that Hank has purchased Mrs. Gallivant's house. The circle is completed when their former neighbor moves back to Hank's old house, bringing with her a new puppy, a friend for Homer. Bright, busy, almost frenetic cartoons illustrate this silly, unbelievable story.?Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.