Unlovable (Owlet Book) [Paperback]

Dan Yaccarino (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2004 | Age Range: 3 - 6 years | Series: Owlet Book

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?

Dan Yaccarino has created a charming story about a little pug who learns the true meaning of friendship.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When Alfred, a supposedly unlovable pug (or so the cat tells him) meets a new neighbor dog through the solid fence, he can't help himself: "My name is Alfred," he says. "I'm a golden retriever." As long as he can keep the fence between himself and Rex, Alfred is relaxed enough to get to know his new buddy. They share many likes (sleeping in the sun, dog food, and scratching) and dislikes (baths and the vet), and spend hours chatting. But then one day Rex decides to dig a hole under the fence so he can come over to Alfred's side. It's the moment of truth--will Rex find Alfred unlovable when he sees him face to face?

Dan Yaccarino's story about real friendship (and the danger of shaky self esteem) will strike a chord with anyone who has ever told a teeny tiny white lie (or a whopper) on the playground just to boost his or her image a bit. Alfred suffers from a common malady: he believes anything others tell him. But on the final page, readers will rejoice to see Alfred and his pal Rex peeking mischievously over the windowsill at the naughty cat, who is obviously flustered to see that her victim isn't going to take it any more. Yaccarino (illustrator of Circle Dogs, by Kevin Henkes, I Love Going Through This Book, by Robert Burleigh, and many others), whose stylized gouache on watercolor paper illustrations are recognizable a mile away, manages to make this pug positively lovable despite what any feline might say. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Yaccarino (Circle Dogs) finds an ideal subject for his smooth, lava-lamp-globular painting style: the fawn pug. According to human regulations for cuteness, Alfred the pug dog is adorable, with his oversize round head, buggy brown eyes and curly tail. Yet no people appear to provide Alfred with affection. Instead, the sensitive, anthropomorphic dog suffers the taunts of a smirking cat, a parrot who repeats the word "unlovable" and large-breed dogs (" `His mouth is too small to hold a ball,' a big German Shepherd sneered"). Alfred's only friend is Rex, the dog next door, who is too small to see over the plank fence between their yards. "I'm a golden retriever," Alfred boasts to his hidden companion, only to dread the consequences of his fib. Yaccarino, working from a springtime-fresh gouache palette, keeps everyone in suspense by concealing Rex's identity and applying time-tested elements of Cyrano de Bergerac and William Steig's Shrek! As it turns out, the blind date ends happily. Rex is Alfred's mirror image and, in the wordless concluding image, he and Alfred beam identical smiles at the disdainful cat. This amiable tale of self-confidence challenges its cruel title, and word-slinging bullies, at every turn. Ages 3-6.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 3 - 6 years
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Owlet Paperbacks; Reprint edition (May 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805075321
• ISBN-13: 978-0805075328
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #368,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dan has written and illustrated over three dozen children's books and has had the pleasure of working with some of the most prestigious names in children's literature, including Margaret Wise Brown, Jack Prelutsky, Kevin Henkes and Patricia MacLaughlin. Dan has also had the honor of being invited to the White House to share his books and to participate in the annual Easter festivities.

Dan has created and produced Nickelodeon's animated series, Oswald, as well as Willa's Wild Life and is the character designer behind Nickelodeon's The Backyardigans.

Currently, Dan is writing and illustrating more books and is developing more television as well as feature film projects.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sweet Book. January 9, 2002

By "kamillustration"

Format:Hardcover

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.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Kids love Yaccarino October 13, 2003

By Daniel L Edelen TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

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?

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner! July 10, 2002

By "sheilamo"

Format:Hardcover

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!