Smog the City Dog [Hardcover]

Adria Meserve (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

In this contemporary retelling of Aesop's fable "The Dog and His Shadow," Smog the city dog has, through his selfishness, lost his precious bag of snacks. He soon learns that the only way to save it is by working together with the other hungry animals. With playful illustrations, this delightful story is a fun read-aloud that makes the important lesson of sharing and cooperation easy for young children to swallow.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Smog, a bright-eyed stray who looks like a Dalmatian in reverse, thinks he has it made after he successfully snatches a bag of food from a sleeping human. He trots triumphantly through newcomer Meserve's playful, urban landscapes, with the gritty texture of pastel chalk drawings on concrete (the actual media is gouache and collage); the streets undulate and loop like ribbons. But other scavengers are "hot on his heels," including a pink mouse, a plump porcupine, a squirrel, a cat and a fox. Then Smog mistakes his reflection in the water for another dog, lets out a defensive "Woof!" and the bag plunges into the water with a "Glug, glug, glug." That's story enough for Aesop, but not for Meserve. She brings all the animals together for a comically Herculean act of cooperation which requires readers to turn the rectangular book sideways so they can savor the literal length to which the animals go. "A tummy full of food and a park full of friends. What more could any city dog want?" muses Smog, as he and his comrades enjoy a shared repast al fresco. One caveat: the broken-looking typography may be edgy, but at times it can be difficult to decipher. An impressive debut from a thoroughly original visual stylist. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-In this contemporary retelling of Aesop's "The Dog and His Shadow," a likable pup travels through rolling cityscapes looking for something to eat. Having no luck in his own neighborhood, he ventures over to the canal and snatches someone else's picnic. Several other city animals follow Smog, hoping to share his food. He leads the parade of hungry creatures to the canal's edge, where he spies another dog peering up at him from the water. To prevent this canine from taking his dinner, he lets out a warning bark, and the coveted picnic sinks to the bottom of the canal. Fortunately, Smog and the other animals are able to rescue it by working together, and they all enjoy a good feast. Although the fact that Smog steals the food may be troubling to some, Meserve emphasizes the value of friendship and teamwork, expanding upon the original moral. The gouache-and-collage illustrations that fill every page, including the endpapers, are bright and expressive, infusing a sense of positive energy into the story. At times, however, the text is overwhelmed by the colorful pages and can be difficult to read. Still, this is a good supplement to more extensive collections of fables, such as Jerry Pinkney's Aesop's Fables (SeaStar, 2000).
Linda L. Walkins, Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Brighton, MA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811835510
• ISBN-13: 978-0811835510
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,375,928 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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