Customer Reviews

Widget

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The husband and wife writer and illustrator of "The Pirate's Parrot" team up again for a humorous tale of animals and adventure. Little Widget is a stray dog seeking shelter and food. He finds the home of Miss Diggs and her six cats. Miss Diggs wants him to stay, but the cats hate dogs. To gain acceptance of the cats, Widget acts like a cat, purring and using the litter box. The cats welcome him, but Widget must act like a dog again to find help when Miss Diggs falls ill. The cats are pleased when Widget brings people to help, and ultimately accept him as a dog.

Accented by flowing watercolors of multiple hues and shades, the line-drawn illustrations lend a sense of urgency and action to the story. Widget himself is given many expressions, from fear to fierceness to cuteness. Young children will delight in Widget's attempts at cathood, and the pace of the story will keep preschoolers enthralled at storytime. A winning tale with heart and character.

By my estimates, there are roughly one million "just be yourself" picture books available on the market today. These range from Madonna's uber-hokey "The English Roses" to older and far more adept books like Leo Lionni's classic, "Swimmy". In the case of "Widget", author Lyn Rossiter McFarland and her illustrating husband Jim McFarland have taken a slightly different route. By using a story in which being true to one's own self (apologies to W. Shakespeare) is not only desirable but also necessary, they have written a truly sweet story. Cat and dog lovers alike should be pleased.

Widget is a small white dog and if I knew my dogs better I could probably tell you his breed. Possibly a terrier. A stray, he finds warmth and shelter in the home of one Mrs. Diggs. Unfortunately, Mrs. Diggs (having not yet reached "crazy cat lady" status, but certainly on her way there) owns six finicky felines that don't like dogs at all. Noting their disapproval, Widget sets out to show one and all that he can be just as cat-like as any of them. If they meow, he meows. If they puff up and hiss, he puffs up and hisses. In fact, Widget is so complete in his cat-like activities that he even purrs, plays with toy mice, and (I'm sure many dog lovers would kill for their pets to learn this one) uses the litter box. Stunned, the cats accept him and Widget eventually forgets that he's a dog at all. One day, however, Mrs. Diggs has an accident and Widget comes to the unarguable decision that sometimes being a dog is a very useful thing indeed.

Anyone familiar with that old Disney cartoon about "Lambert, the Sheepish Lion", in which a lion tries to pretend to be a sheep and ends up saving the flock from a wolf? This isn't exactly that story, but it's pretty darn close. The difference here, however, is the clever turn in events. When Widget decides that barking is the only way to get the neighbors attention (and help for his fallen mistress), the cats decide to bark too. This is a far more satisfying ending than one in which the dog, who has capitulated to the desires of his fellow pets, is alone in acting like his natural canine self. After pretending to be a cat for so long, it's only fair that the kitties should eventually follow his lead and become like a dog too (when necessity calls, that is). Lyn McFarland's text is nice and clear. It is fortunate, however, that her husband Jim McFarland is the illustrator. This tale could easily have been given to an artist less adept in the ways of cats and dogs. It could have become hokey or, worse still, sacchrine. Fortunately, you're in safe hands here. Widget is cute without being cloying. And the cats are disapproving without ever becoming nasty or cruel. McFarland's watercolors perfectly compliment a story in which an adorable animal finds shelter, love, and (eventual) acceptance. I was impressed with his delicate lines, his subtle gradations of colors, and even his ways of displaying the tenderest of emotions on a face of a faithful pet.

"Widget" really hasn't been recognized formally by the picture book community. As it stands, it has not won huge prestigious awards or garnered worldwide attention. Instead, it is a soft subtle little tale that makes everyone reading it happy. If you're a cat or dog lover, I can't imagine you wouldn't take to it. If, instead, you just want a well-written picture book to read to your kids, this is an ideal choice. It's a top notch book all around. Well done, McFarlands.

I noticed this book in the bookstore because "Widget" is my son's nickname. I picked it up, read it, laughed out loud, said "Widget is going to love this" and immediately purchased it. It ended up becoming one of my son's ... favorite books. It is a very charming and funny book for both children and adults. It is also a good book to introduce children to the concept of accepting differences and getting along with others. I read this book to the kids at my son's school and they were totally entertained by Widget's antics acting like a cat and trying to fit in.

It has been some time that I was as delighted with a children's book as I was with this one. I am not sure how this one escaped my notice in the past, but I certainly made up for lost time once I found it.

I suppose I could relate to this book quite well as the little stray terrier that was looking for a home; dirty, cold, tired and hungry, quite resembles the one that showed up at our doorstep one cold winter evening about a year ago...he is still with us. This coupled with the fact that our next door neighbor, who lives on the other side of our orchard, is a true "cat lady," (By my last count there were 26 plus of the furry little creatures hanging around.

This is the story of a rather bright little dog. He is lost, hungry, cold and dirty; much like or Ivan (As in Ivan the Terrible), who stumbles upon a nice warm house with a special cat size door cut into the human door. Upon entering, he discovers warmth, food, coziness and six really hostile cats who do not like dogs, even little ones, one bit!

Now this dog is a thinker. He can tell right away that the six feline occupants must be won over, along with the person they own, the cat lady. So, the first words our of Gidget's (That is the dogs name), is "Meow." From there our scruffy little guy not only talks like a cat but acts like a cat in everyway, even down to displaying quite extraordinary mouser skills! Hey, a dogs gotta to what a dogs gotta to. He even wins over our kindly cat lady!

This little story hits you two ways. First, the story is truly cute. Any dog or cat lover will love it. The author has the personalities of these furry friends down pat. Secondly the art work in this one is absolutely delightful. The artist has used watercolors quite effectively and the expressions and body language given to the cats is beautiful...I will bring a smile to any child's or adult's face immediately.

Kids get what the little dog is doing instantly, and wait in anticipation for his next devious move. But is our little pup doomed to act like a cat for the rest of his life? Of course not! Events unfold that prove the usefulness of dog like qualities that completely win over not only our little old lady, but her highly critical cats.

This is a great read-aloud book and it is one of those that you will get repeat reading requests for. This is a great book for both dog and cat lovers.


Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

My 5 yr old grandson was delighted with Widget and the Puppy (from the library). He read it over and over and was especially interested in the pictures and could always find something funny that he had missed the previous reading. I bought him his own copy, along with Widget, for his sixth birthday. He loves both books! Both make wonderful bedtime reading.

I absolutely LOVE this book!!!! Every night I read children's books to my 2 /12 year old son. We recently checked this book out at the local library, and we liked it so much we are going to buy a copy for ourselves. I love how this book shows compassion by Mrs. Diggs, Widget's ability to adapt to a new household of cats, and the cats loving acceptance of someone who is supposed to be a born enemy. Love and acceptance is the theme. It's a feel-good book that you will want to read over and over again each night. I give it 5 stars!

I checked this book out of the public library and my 4- and 6-year old boys and I loved it so much we bought it. The story is fun, but the illustrations truly bring the narrative to life. I later went back to Amazon to find more Widget books and found a used copy of Widget & the Puppy. I read it for the first time last night and the exact same thing happened as when we read this one: my two sons and I (now all a year older) burst into the kind of laughter that becomes contagious. We giggled and laughed through the entire thing and then read it again.

All I can say is you need this book for your kids. We LOVE this book. The story is sweet and happy and the illustrations are just wonderful. This is a book that I will not hand on to anyone but will hold onto to pass to my kids for their kids!

This is a fun book to read with children who like cats and dogs. Little readers understand the humor and grown ups will also find this book funny. We love all the McDuff, Sally, and Carl books. Widget is our newest interest. Our family really loves it!

Widget is a wonderful book, building up to many fun surprises. The text is clever, yet simple enough that my beginning reader can (and willingly does) read it, and she enjoys sharing it with the adults in her life. It is a much-needed alternative to the many i-can-read series out there. The illustrations enhance the story. We love Widget, and it will stay in our permanent collection.