Customer Reviews

Unlovable

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought this book as a gift for my best friend's daughter, and now I want a copy for myself. Cute but not saccharine, it's a tale about being yourself, appreciating your own uniqueness and finding friends who appreciate you. The illustrations are quite nice as well. Get it for a young child you care about. They'll love it.

Dan Yaccarino, the man behind Nickelodeon Junior's "Oswald", has given us a dog with a face only a mother could love in Alfred, a pug who hasn't got a friend in the world. Poor Alfred seems to run afoul of everyone he meets. The cat verbally hassles him and has even gone so far as to teach the parrot to cry out, "Unlovable!" (This book proves every dog lover's contention that cats are just rotten to the core.)

Certainly our hero can find some companionship with his own kind, right? Nah. When you are this homely, what would a snooty poodle have to do with you?

When a new family moves next door to Alfred's, a mysterious voice makes conversation across the fence, and things begin to change for our homely pug. Get the book to find out how Alfred triumphs over all.

Yaccarino seems to have a golden touch with kids. His exaggerated, yet simple paintings have a vibe that kids identify with. It's a signature style that is hard to miss. My three year old son has loved every Yaccarino-illustrated book we've brought home. That he's the author on this one, too, only sweetens the package.

It's hard not to feel a twinge and identify with Alfred when he's labeled "unlovable" for all the wrong reasons. Given that the classic moral of the story is one all children should know, what better way to introduce it into their world than through a delightfully illustrated work that will resonate them with them from the first page?

Can you stand another 5 star review of "Unlovable?" Well, it certainly deserves it! Dan Yaccarino has consistantly been my 6 year old son's favorite illustrator and writer. We own many of his fabulous books. When I spotted this book peaking fron the edge of the shelf at a local bookstore, I recognized instantly that the artwork was that of Mr. Yaccarino. I hadn't intended to buy "Unlovable" at that time, but after a quick read to myself, couldn't resist surprising my son with it. The story is touching and teaches an important lesson about accepting yourself for who you are. The true test of a good book however, is not just whether I like it or my son likes it, but if we both like it. This one is a winner by all accounts. My next dog is definitely going to be a pug!

My seven year old son, Logan, loves this book. He read it so many times at school that he has most of it memorized. This is a wonderful story about acceptance and finding a great friend. I highly recommend this book! Enjoy!!!

Poor Alfred is unlovable. Everybody tells him so and he believes them. His housemates, the cat, parrot and even the goldfish tease him mercilessly. "You've got the ugliest mug I've ever seen. No one could love you!" The neighborhood dogs constantly belittle him. "His mouth is too small to hold a ball..." "His legs are way too short for running..." "You couldn't even scare a mailman." So Alfred spends most of his time alone in his fenced backyard. One day he hears a snuffling sound on the other side of the fence. A new dog, Rex, has moved in. Neither dog is tall enough to see over the fence, so in a hasty moment of wishful thinking, Alfred tells his new buddy a little fib. "My name is Alfred. I'm a golden retriever." Their friendship blossoms. They like all the same things, sleeping in the sun, dog food, and scratching. And they both hate baths and going to the vet. Day after day, they sit on either side of the fence talking for hours. Then one morning, Rex has a brilliant idea. He decides to dig under the fence and come over, so that the two can finally meet..... Dan Yaccarino has written a charming and sensitive book, with a gentle message, that won't be lost on little ones still finding their way through the minefield of early friendships. His simple and engaging text is complemented by bold, bright, and expressive illustrations, and youngsters will love watching this sad and lonely little dog bloom as he becomes more confident, and feels the joy of true friendship. With its happily-ever-after, surprise ending, Unlovable is a sweet and delightful picture book preschoolers will beg to read again and again.

I read this one, during our reading period, to all my classes. The kids, without exception, enjoy this one. The illustrations are simple, to the point, and quite well done. The lesson here, don't judge by looks alone, is quite well given and the children pick right up on it. I can usually get fifteen minutes of discussion out of one reading of this work. The story line is simple, yet important. The illustration stick right with the story line and enforce the story quite well. Recommend this one highly.

Dan Yaccarino, the genius who has given Nickelodeon Jr. the character of Oswald, has now delighted the world with a pug character.

The cuddly, curly tailed dog with the black wrinkled face has no friends. Alfred, the curly tailed dog just cannot connect with anyone he meets. A cruel cat verbally abuses him and even gets a stupid parrot to echo "Unlovable!" to poor Alfred. (I agree with another reviewer that this book proves to dog lovers that cats can be just plain rotten).

A pompous pampered poofed poodle with a sense of entitlement won't give our curly tailed pug hero the time of day. In time, our canine hero triumphs. Move over, poodle! Step aside, mean cat! Fly away, parrot!

These weirdly drawn charcters are funny and very distinctive. This book is one that readers of any age can identify with and dog lovers, pug lovers in particular will love. Though the moral lesson is timeless and oft told, how better to bring it home to a young audience than through a lovable dog with a curly tail?

Alfred and Rex talked for hours. Alfred said he liked sleeping in the sun, dog food, and scratching. Rex did too. Rex said he hated baths and going to the vet. Alfred did too.A little pug dog learns he's lovable just the way he is. Alfred the pug dog thinks he's unlovable. Other dogs make fun of his tiny legs and funny face. The cat and the parrot and even the goldfish tease him. Then a new dog, Rex, moves in next door. Because Alfred wants a friend so badly, he tells Rex a little fib about himself. But what will happen when Rex learns the truth? Will he find Alfred unlovable too?

I am a children's librarian at a large suburban library. I order large quantities of books based on reviews and often publisher's catalogs. I had no inclination that this particular book would be about a Pug, but since I am a giant fan of Dan Yaccarino - his illustrations mesmerize the youngest and oldest (well, I'm not that old!!) alike - and his words cause major bellying chuckles! When I read this book all I could do was scream... "LOLA"(!!)(although she's black and Dan illustrates her as the more popular, fawn color). And there's "CHLOE"(!!) our black cat, on the sill, staring at her with those "you poor soul" eyes!! What a realistic depiction of those "so ugly they are adorable breed". Wherever we go with our dog, people comment that this is the breed they want. Boy if only people were judged the same way!! Thanks for this book, Mr. Yaccarino and keep those chuckles coming!!

I must admit I have made less than positive remarks about my sister's pug (I always believed she was a lab kind of girl) and hence she bought my son this book. It was such an endearing tale and a good read that we have enjoyed it at bedtime again and again. If you love dogs, you will not be disappointed. If you love pugs and your friends and family give you grief, it is purebred heaven!