Wag! [Hardcover]

Patrick McDonnell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2009 | Grade Level: P and up

It seems that everything gets Earl's tail wagging--a bowl of food, a field of flowers, long walks, and belly rubs. But Mooch, Earl's best friend, knows what all of these things have in common: love is what makes Earl's tail wag. Patrick McDonnell, creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip, Mutts, pays an incredibly sweet tribute to his dog in a tale of wiggling and waggling, fwipping and fwapping...and every dog's secret to the joy of life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Patrick McDonnell is the creator of the Mutts comic strip, which is about to celebrate its fifteenth anniversary. He has illustrated for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest, Time, Parents, and other journals, done CD covers for the Greatest Hits classical music series, and created a license plate for his home state of New Jersey. Hailed as "the next Charles Schulz," Patrick sits on the board of directors of the Humane Society of the United States, and has won numerous awards for both Mutts and his animal welfare work. He is the author of The Gift of Nothing, Art, Just Like Heaven, Hug Time, and South, and the co-author of Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (October 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316045489
• ISBN-13: 978-0316045483
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.4 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #142,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Patrick McDonnell is a New York Times best-selling author. He received the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award for Cartoonist of the Year in 1999, and Mutts was named Strip of the Year in 1997. A dedicated animal advocate and Genesis Award recipient, McDonnell regularly lends his talents to animal protection groups and issues, including the Humane Society of the United States, where he serves on the national board of directors. McDonnell was also recently elected to the board of directors of the Charles M. Schulz Museum. He is a native of New Jersey.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Earl for all seasons, September 17, 2009

By 

Julia McDonough (Charlton, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wag! (Hardcover)

Wag! is the most childlike of Patrick McDonnell's children's books. On a background of baby blanket colors, the illustrations of Earl, Mooch and friends leap right off the pages, almost as if animated. Earl's love of life, as expressed by his "fwipping" tail, cannot be contained!

As a religious reader of the Mutts daily comic strip, I think of Earl as the "straight man" to Mooch's "funny man" and compare them to sidekicks Lucy and Ethel of TV fame. Wag! fondly reinforces this special bond through the friends' priceless facial expressions and enthusiastic body language. This book speaks to readers, young and old, that there is something to wag about in every season of the year.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Our toddler is CRAZY about this book!!, November 6, 2009

By 

A. L. Cox - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wag! (Hardcover)

I am not, first and foremost, a Mutt's fan, but I am a fan of McDonnell's kid's books, and this is one of his best (Hug Time is also wonderful). Our toddler is so crazy about Wag that she shrieks with joy just seeing the cover, and literally cries when we have to put it away (after reading it many many times!). The energetic art and simple sweet story are perfect for children, and heart-warming for adults. My only regret is that McDonnell wasn't writing books when I was a kid!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I go "fwip fwip" for this book!, October 6, 2009

By 

Jadeline - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wag! (Hardcover)

It's simple, cute, and funny. With the simplest strokes, Patrick could capture the most amazing expressions. It's an easy read for the kiddies and I can totally see them mimicking Mooch afterward. (You'll see what I mean.)

A must have for all MUTTS fan!