Looking Out for Sarah [Hardcover]

Glenna Lang (Author)

Book Description

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

In this story of friendship, loyalty, and trust, Sarah and her guide dog, Perry, go about their busy day. Perry helps Sarah go shopping, to the post office, and take the train to school. Sarah, a blind musician and teacher, entertains the children and tells them about the time she and Perry walked from Boston to New York to show the world what a blind person can accomplish with the help of a guide dog like Perry.

This true story of an amazing black Labrador retriever and his owner will inspire young readers to follow their own dreams and give them the courage to achieve anything.

Expressive, stylized paintings in bold colors and simple shapes convey the extraordinary relationship between Sarah and Perry.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-Readers follow a guide dog and a blind woman through a typical day. There are bits of information about guide dogs throughout, such as the fact that they are allowed in restaurants and stores and that people should not pet and handle them while they are working. An interesting incident that only gets two sentences is the fact that Sarah and Perry once walked the 300 miles from Boston to New York to show "what a guide dog can do for a blind person." A concluding note explains that the book is based on a real dog and a real person. While this is a charming and informative look at the life of the guide dog, it is not without some minor flaws. At times, Perry has too many human characteristics. Also, the text states that when Sarah puts on her purple sweater, Perry knows they are going to a school, but dogs are color-blind. The full-page illustrations are in soft-toned gouache that looks almost like cut paper. The layout is the same throughout, with large pictures on a single page and two or three lines of text. This informative and easy-to-read book is a good addition to most collections. It would be interesting to use in conjunction with Nicola Moon's Lucy's Picture (Dial, 1995; o.p.), the story of a little girl making a collage picture for her blind grandfather.

Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 3-8. Based on a true story, this handsome picture book tells of a day in the life of a guide dog, Perry, a black Labrador retriever who looks out for his blind owner, Sarah. Every page shows the close bond between the strong, active woman and the beloved companion who helps her be independent. Walking in the street, shopping, working, and relaxing at home, they are together. The narrative is true to Perry's viewpoint, whether he's enjoying the soft carpet and the crumbs under the table or leading Sarah up the steps of the post office or feeling the wind flattening his ears as he runs in the park. The gouache art, in bold, saturated colors and flat, well-defined shapes, is both childlike and sophisticated, with Perry at the center of the big pictures. Once Sarah and Perry walked 300 miles, from Boston to New York, and children will be caught up by the excitement of the journey as well as by the depiction of what a guide dog can do. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881066478
• ISBN-13: 978-0881066470
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,327,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for ALL ages!, December 7, 2001

By 

Karen C. Matthews (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Looking Out for Sarah (Hardcover)

What a thoughtful, lovely book this is. It is told from the point of view of a dog guide, Perry, who "looks out" for his owner Sarah, who is blind. The story is about things that Perry and Sarah do together, and it leaves the very real impression that Sarah is just like everyone else, except that she happens to be blind. They visit schools, where Sarah entertains the children by playing her guitar and singing, then allows them to pat Perry (that's his favorite part of school). Sarah tells the story of when she and Perry once walked from Boston to New York "to show the world what a guide dog can do for a blind person." Sarah and Perry go to a park for his daily play session, where he "never grew tired of bringing the ball back to Sarah. Each throw was as exciting as the last." Throughout the book, you are aware of the strong, loving bond between them. Glenna Lang's delightful illustrations are simple, uncomplicated and lovely to look at. I plan to give this book to many friends, as I treasure my own copy and look forward to introducing others to its charm.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looking Out for Sarah, May 28, 2002

By 

amanda rosborough (Clemson University, Clemson SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Looking Out for Sarah (Hardcover)

Glenna Lang's Looking Out for Sarah, based on a true story about Sarah Gregory Smith and her guide dog, Perry, talks about how animals can help people with disabilities do extraordinary things. In the story, the narrator tells of ways that the black lab helps his blind master complete everyday tasks like go to the market, play in the park, take a train ride, and go to the post office. Sarah and Perry also take a special adventure, hiking from Boston to New York City to show the nation the wonderful capabilities that "helper dogs for disabled people" have. Lang narrates the story beautifully, as Perry would tell it. The illustrations she uses place an even greater focus on Perry. While all of the pages are warm and colorful and all of the other characters such as Sarah and the school children wear bright clothes, Perry stands out from page to page. It is as if Lang wants the reader to be in Perry's shoes, or paws, for a day and see all of the wonderful things he does for Sarah. Overall, Looking Out for Sarah is a delightful children's book, full of big, brightly illustrated pages that can teach children of all ages the advantages of our canine companions.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Working life, March 28, 2004

By 

Erika Mitchell (E. Calais, VT USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Looking Out for Sarah (Hardcover)

This book tells the true story about the life a guide dog named Perry and the blind woman named Sarah that he works for. The book explains how the dog helps Sarah get around in the morning, how he helps her cross the street to get to the grocery store, and how he gets to go where other dogs aren't allowed. It describes how Sarah is able to keep up with her busy schedule of activities like playing music for local schoolchildren thanks to Perry's tireless work. The book also describes an adventure that Sarah and Perry had together when they walked from Boston to New York City. The book is not at all scary. It's a great description of working dogs and the kinds of help they can provide for disabled people, as well as the kinds of activities that disabled people engage in every day. The book has about 650 words.