Bark, George (Hardcover)

~ (Author, Illustrator) "Bark, George..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

When George's mother tells her son to bark, he meows. She patiently explains that "Cats go meow. Dogs go arf. Now, bark, George." But he quacks! Then oinks. Then moos. Becoming less patient and more exasperated, George's mom takes him to the vet, who reaches deep down inside the errant pup, and, much to everyone's surprise, pulls out a cat! Then a duck, a pig, and finally a cow. George is cured, and barks at last! On the way home, his proud mother wants to show off her convincingly doglike son to everyone on the street. But when she says, "Bark, George," he simply says, "Hello." This is the simplest offering yet from Jules Feiffer--creator of the delightful picture books Meanwhile and I Lost My Bear. Still, his cartoonish drawings are intensely expressive, alive, and hilarious. None of it will be lost on the youngest of readers who will giggle every time George fails to bark, every time the vet extracts a new animal, and at the final punchline, too. In a world of often overdone or underdone picture books, this fine Feiffer creation is just right. (Click to see a sample spread. Copyright 1999 by Jules Feiffer. Permission by HarperCollins Publishers.) (Ages 2 and older) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

In just a few pen strokes and just a few words, Feiffer (I Lost My Bear) outlines the playful scenario of a puppy who cannot say "arf." The images are striking, with no background details or props but the unobtrusive text. In the initial spreads, a big dog and a little one face each other from opposite sides of the book: "George's mother said: 'Bark, George.' George went: 'Meow.' " As George proceeds to quack, oink and moo, his dismayed mother grimaces and puts her paw on her head in the classic gimme-a-break gesture. She takes her afflicted son to a veterinarian, who snaps on a rubber glove and decisively repeats the title command. This time, when the pup meows, "The vet reached deep down inside of George... And pulled out a cat." Feiffer reverses the old-lady-who-swallowed-a-fly plot and boosts the giddiness with every barnyard animal removed from tiny George. The pen-and-ink close-ups of the dogs and vet are studies in minimalism and eloquence, and the characters' body language registers intense effort and amazement. Rather than being black-on-white, the illustrations get a boost from cool pastel hues. This pairing of an ageless joke with a crisp contemporary look will initiate many an animated game of animal sounds. Ages 2-6. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; 1st edition (June 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062051857
• ISBN-13: 978-0062051851
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 9.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,418 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #3 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( F ) > Feiffer, Jules
  #32 in	Books > Children's Books > Animals > Dogs > Fiction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you, Feiffer, August 9, 2005

By	My Uncle Stu (Boston) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Most kids books fall into that mediocre range. Good enough to entertain children when given a decent reading by an adult, but nothing that sticks with you.

I suspect all parents have this moment when they are reading books to their kids. The point where they think, "I could write kids books." And, in fact, most of us could, and they would be no worse than most of what's out there. Look at the books churned out by celebrities, for example. They're not great, but not much off the mark of everything else out there.

But then you have the exceptions. The best kids books have an illusion of simplicity, but have a special magical quality. Jules Feiffer, with "Bark, George," has produced a book that rises above the rest. It's an effortless read which you can fly through at a rapid pace. But that simplicity is deceptive. Much in the spirit of Charles Shultz, Feiffer is able to draw crude, minimalist figures that manage to have depth, spunk, and charm.

First there is the dog saying "meow," and "oink-oink" and "moo." When the exasperated mother dog takes her son to the vet, things get more surreal, and more hilarious. The vet, bespectacled and pony-tailed, wearing the classic white coat, gloves up and begins to remove animals from the "deep down inside of George." Don't worry, he goes the upper GI route, not from below. The expressions on everyone's face, including the animals being extracted, is brilliant and hilarious. The illustration of the mother dog kissing the vet is amusing but very touching as well.

This is the most I've enjoyed Feiffer since he animated the transcripts of the Chicago Eight trial.

This book has been a huge hit in my house. I give myself partial credit as well, since I think my high energy reading really adds to the effect. But the real kudos go to the Feiffster, who taps into a child's imagination with the skills of a Schultz, Seuss, or Silverstein.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple, fun, adorable book., November 18, 1999

By	Lisa Lynn Weatherwax (Ankeny, Iowa) - See all my reviews

My 2-year old daughter loves this book. She giggles the whole time she "reads" it to me word for word. It's simple and fun and great to share.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved by the whole family, December 27, 1999

By	Jim Summers (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

My reputation as the "uncle with the knack for picking good children's books" remains intact after I sent this book to a not-quite-two-year-old nephew. Not only did it entertain him, but it caused his older brother to laugh out loud as well. Thanks for the lead on this smart, deceptively simple, entertaining book!