Hondo and Fabian (Hardcover)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "Wake up, Hondo. Time to go!..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An amiable showcase for McCarty's (Little Bunny on the Move) distinctive pencil art, this day-in-the-life tale centers on a dog and cat who live with a family, the only member of which readers see is a cherubic toddler referred to as "the baby." The plot is not long on action: pooch Hondo climbs into the family car (its vintage sets the tale in the 1930s or '40s) and travels to the beach, where he romps with a canine pal. Feline Fabian stays at home "to play with the baby." As the dogs "dive in the waves," the cat "dives for the door" (trying to escape the youngster's clutches). These quiet contrasts end with the winding down of the day: the dog's return, when he and the cat eat dinner from their respective bowls and, "full and fat," retire to their favorite resting spots. The minimalist narrative sets off the richness of the pictures, viewed as if through a scrim. Colors soften to a candlelit palette, enhancing the warm, nostalgic mood for an effect at once ingenuous and sophisticated. Ages 3-9.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

reSchool-Grade 1-Two pets have a day devoid of excessive excitement. Simple pleasures amuse them as Hondo, the dog, plays at the beach with his puppy friend, while Fabian, the cat, stays home, eluding the family toddler and pulling toilet paper from the roll. Many easy-to-decipher, one-syllable words are repeated, giving children the opportunity to help with the reading. The few three-syllable words provide a challenge for the bold. The colored-pencil, selectively realistic illustrations are velvet-warm and fog-fuzzy. Hondo and Fabian have a gentle charm, and this amiable slice of life is a nice choice for bedtimes, for libraries needing more pet books, and for McCarty fans.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (April 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805063528
• ISBN-13: 978-0805063523
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #99,575 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's Not Just Puppy Love, March 25, 2002

By	Terrie (Little Chute, WI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

The Publishers Weekly editorial review of this book is entirely accurate so I'll leave the details to them. I loved this book for the perfection of the way the artist/author captures the exhuberant love for life expressed by the dog and cat characters, Hondo, Fred and Fabian. Peter McCarty manages to give us the essence of a happy day in the lives of these animals. It is so infectious that I felt happy just looking at the simple yet evocative illustrations. This is a book for very young children, I suppose, and I'm sure toddlers will love it and will be readily able to appreciate the fun it celebrates, but as an adult I loved the way it illuminates the feelings of non-verbal beings and the opportunity it gives us to glimpse the richness of those feelings that we so often overlook. It's a wonderful book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that will inspire your children's dreams, January 20, 2005

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I always breathe a quiet sigh of relief when I see that a book like "Hondo and Fabian" was written and illustrated by the same person. Sometimes you really want to gush about a beautiful picture book, but you find yourself admitting that while the illustrations are eye-droppingly good, the story is less than thrilling. And as a result you really find yourself lauding the illustrator and paying scant attention to the author. Now I was worried that this would be the case with "Hondo and Fabian". It's a remarkably simple story told with illustrations that tap dance on the line between "picture book" and "art". Had this been written by one person and illustrated by another I would've sobbed and paid lip service to the author while secretly wishing the illustrator would reap all the profits. Fortunately, Peter McCarty is the sole genius behind this 2003 Caldecott Honor winner. So all praises flow naturally to him.

In this tale we meet a dog and a cat that share a home. The dog is Hondo and the cat Fabian. On this particular day Hondo is off to have an adventure while Fabian stays at home. While out, Hondo rides in a car, meets up with a friend on the beach, dives into waves, and comes home. At home, Fabian sits about, plays with the "baby" (a spunky toddler that I suspect may bear more than a passing resemblance to the author's own daughter), escapes from the "baby", and plays with a roll of toilet paper. At the end of the day they come home to one another and go right to sleep. Two happy pets in a happy home.

The back bookflap of this story contains pictures of the real Hondo and Fabian. Readers shouldn't find themselves surprised then when they feel an odd astonishment at how ... well... less round the real animals are. The illustrations in this book are nothing short (and I do not use this term lightly) of magical. Soft lighting, rounded features, and beautiful pastel colors of the deepest reds, grays, browns, and blues fill this palette. Both Hondo and Fabian look so doggone furry and lovable that it's all you can do to keep from hugging the book tightly to your chest. The publication page says that McCarty used pencil on watercolor paper to get these pictures. I, for one, have a hard time believing it. Colored pencils have never been so breathtaking. So luminous. Gush gush gush.

So I'm a fan. Obviously. It's hard to think of a living soul on this planet who wouldn't be. If you'd like a storytime book with very simple words, cute animals, and realistic situations (I loved how the child held the cat) then "Hondo and Fabian" is a brilliant choice. It falls into the category of books destined to be remembered for years to come. One of the most deserving of Caldecott Honor winners.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Big Beautiful Hit with my toddler, July 2, 2002

By A Customer

After reading about Hondo and Fabian in the NY Times book review, I picked this up for my two-year-old daughter. This quickly became her favorite book, which brings on cries of "Again! Again!" Reading this to her is a pleasure as the pictures are gorgeous and the simple story is easy for her to relate to and get excited about every time we turn the well worn (already!) pages. This would make an excellent board book. We have given it to several neices and nephews since we discovered it, and everyone from the two-year-olds on up love it.