Customer Reviews

Madlenka's Dog

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"In the universe, on a planet, on a continent, in a country, in a city, in a house on a block where everyone is walking a dog, there lives a girl named Madlenka who wants a dog very much..." Unfortunately her parents say NO! So Madlenka uses her very vivid imagination, and takes her invisible dog, complete with collar and leash, on a walk around the block. They greeting old and familiar friends who happily play along as they remember the special dogs of their past..... Award winning illustrator, Peter Sis is back, and his latest picture book, Madlenka's Dog, is just as charming and engaging as last year's Madlenka. Mr Sis keeps the text to a minimum, and let's his elegant and entertaining, detailed artwork tell the story. Children will enjoy poring over the pages, lifting flaps and peeking through die-cut holes. Little imaginations will soar as they travel around the block and to the far corners of the world on a magical journey with Madlenka and her neighbors. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Madlenka's Dog is Peter Sis at his best, and a captivating adventure kids will want to take again and again.

My husband and I bought this book for our 4 year old daughter for Christmas since it had received such great reviews (in two different parenting magazines). It is a truly fantastic book. Our daughter already owns Peter Sis's book "Ballerina" and loves it. His illustrations and simple but poignant text captivate our daughter. She just "gets" his books. We appreciate the surprise flaps and vivid illustrations, but it is evident that she finds some magical quality in them I can't define.
I can't wait to see his next book!

My 18 month old loves this book! It works on many levels. The pictures are wonderful and the short sentences are rhythmic. The story can be used to teach about different cultures and using your imagination. The flaps make it especially exciting for those still in the peek-a-boo stage. I think this will be a family favorite for a long time.

Madlenka "wants a dog very much." But, apparently, is unable to have one (we don't learn why). But what I love, is that she doesn't get sad about it, but instead lets her imagination take over and pretends to have a dog. The wonderful, diverse people in her city all pretend along with her (each seeing a different dog presumably one from their own childhoods - and there is a glossary of sorts in the back). Then to make things even more fun, Madlenka's friend, Cleopatra, has a "pet horse." Together they have all sorts of imaginative adventures.

This book didn't overly wow me, but I do love the concept. Ditto on the art, which is a bit abstract, but very cute and there's the delightful addition of lift-the-flap (which I always enjoyed when I was young).

This lovely happy book about a little girl on a quest to own a dog is so beautifully illustrated and so quaintly told that you cannot help but love it. I am a dog owner so I know how it feels to love a furry friend. Recommended for both big kids (adults) and little ones!

There's not a lot to the plot here, but Sis does such an amazing job of making the reader feel a part of Madlenka's block in N.Y. that it's easy to forgive. After reading this book with my daughter over and over and over again (Madlenka's a favorite,) she finally prompted me to get out a map and show her where Japan, Russia, France, and the other countries within are located. Personally, I just liked looking at the dogs.

I wasn't sure if our toddler would like this book, but it was an instant hit! Only after the 4th reading did we discover the hidden dog pictures behind the flaps.

My daughter is a huge dog lover and that is why we purchsed this book, but with it's delightful pictures & unique storytelling this has become a family favorite. We would recommend it highly to other dog lovers or anyone looking to enter the wonderfully imaginative world of Madlenka!