The Hound from the Pound (Hardcover)

by Jessica Swaim (Author), Jill McElmurry (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
After a hapless woman adopts a pack leader from the pound, his furry friends follow in dogged pursuit in this rhythmical romp.

Lonely Miss Mary longs for a four-legged friend. But when she makes the mistake of choosing the untrained basset hound Blue, no sooner does he howl AH-ROOoooooo! than her house has gone to the dogs! Dalmatians and dachshunds, sheepdogs and setters, poodles and pups of all spots are ruling the roost. Can Sam the canine trainer teach this menagerie some pawsitive tricks? A charmingly illustrated, rollicking text offers a doggone good time and a perfectly happy ending.

About the Author
Jessica Swaim says that she divides her time pretty evenly between dogs and books. This is her first book with Candlewick Press. She lives in Parker, Colorado.

Jill McElmurry has illustrated many books for children, including OUR NEST by Reeve Lindbergh and Karen Pandell’s WHERE'S STRETCH? and PEEKABOO, STRETCH! She lives on the Higglety Pigglety Farm in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (August 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076362330X
• ISBN-13: 978-0763623302
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #443,411 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three Silly Chicks Review, October 15, 2007

By	Three Silly Chicks "www.ThreeSillyChicks.com" - See all my reviews

"In Manchester Square, in a cottage of stone,
Miss Mary Lynn MacIntosh lived all alone.
The bedroom was cozy, the kitchen was clean,
but the days were too dreary, too doggone routine."

So begins Jessica Swaim's HOUND FROM THE POUND, a delightful wag of a tale about a lonely woman who finds companionship (and LOTS of it) from Blue, the titular hound from the pound, who invites all his friends over to hang at Miss Mary's:

"Retrievers lined up at the toilet to drink.
Chihuahuas swam laps (muy bien!) in the sink.
A bloodhound got gummy bears stuck in his snout.
Shar-peis used the shower to steam wrinkles out."

Mary continues to be overrun by eager pound pups until Sam the Dog Trainer arrives just in time to save the day. The final spreads reveal a yappy ending for everyone (although Jill McElmurry's fashionista poodle bridesmaids do tend to steal the show!). Don't be surprised when kids holler AH-ROOooo and hound you for repeated readings of this fun romp!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Dog lovers, this book is for you!, September 20, 2007

By	Shannie Mills (Lansing, MI. United States) - See all my reviews

This is an adorable picture book that features a lovely, heartwarming story and beautiful illustrations. I love the rhyming, sing-songy text. I bought it for a couple who have a bassett hound and their new baby. The bassett hound holds the spotlight, but many other dog breeds appear in the story, too, including daschunds, greyhounds and bulldogs. There is quite a bit of text on each page, so I would recommend it for toddlers on the older end and up.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A delightfully charming and whimisical book!, October 24, 2007

By	Stacey Patterson (TORRANCE, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This book is absolutely charming; from the lyrical pose to the victorian-esque illustrations. It will warm hearts everywhere, whether you are a die hearted dog lover or one who believes in "happily ever after". This book will be a wonderful addition to any storytime venue - kids will love it and adults will love reading it.

Kudos to these two women for putting together such a wonderful piece of literary art!