Dougal The Garbage Dump Bear (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "DougaL was a shy LittLe bear with a heart of goLd..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-K–A once-loved but now well-worn stuffed bear is tossed out after being replaced by new, clean toys. Finding himself in the garbage dump, Bear makes friends with a stuffed bumblebee. Together they explore the area, rescue dozens of other discarded toys, and dodge garbage trucks and tractors. When the big boss says they must leave, kindly workers take them to a little house on the beach, where they spend the rest of their days at play. What begins as an appealing adventure soon turns into a long, rambling tale that becomes more maudlin and implausible with each new turn. Cutouts and collages of photos of stuffed animals create interesting artwork. However, the hand-printed text is difficult for beginning readers and too long to use as a read-aloud. The author's voice is intrusive, introducing an adult sensibility to an otherwise childlike concept. The book's design is more attractive than its content.–Sally R. Dow, Ossining Public Library, NY
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Review

"...thoroughly entertaining, well written, creatively illustrated and purely enjoyable." --- Life is like a Lunchbox

"...wonderfully detailed pictures are hilarious and expressive...a great activity-producing selection for a rainy day, or any day." -- School Library Journal, September 1 2005

"A heartfelt message at tale’s end...proves that this odd duckling of a story is truly a swan." -- Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 2005

"Designed to look like a scrapbook, the book is clever and creative and a wonderful read-aloud." --- Education Oasis

"Dougal is unique and unforgettable and will have you thinking twice..." --- Curled Up Kids

"Not a bad way to while away some stuck-indoors time." -- Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2005

"Utterly delicious...every detail repays study." -- Washington Post, August 7, 2005

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Kane/Miller Book Pub (September 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929132786
• ISBN-13: 978-1929132782
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #736,096 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 Lovely, sweet tale, September 11, 2006

By	LS in PDX (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

Our son received this as a gift and I love the book. It's a sweet tale about a bear who was thrown out and how he is "rescued" at the dump. Cute little quirks are added that make it fun for parents to read as well.

Lovely story, nicely illustrated with photos.

The School Library Journal reviewer clearly didn't "get" the story -- of COURSE it's implausible. It's a FICTION story, and Dougal gets to live it up with the guys who work at the dump. The only place I find the author's voice intrudes is the very last line. The moral about sometimes bad things happen so that good things can happen could be more subtly stated. But that doesn't detract from the book.

Highly recommended for anyone who loves stuffed animals or garbage!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dougal The Garbage Dump Bear by Matt Dray, October 1, 2005

By	Heidi Anne Heiner (SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Author and photographer Matt Dray discovered Dougal the Bear when he worked at a dump in Australia. A clever book with a scrapbook design, readers follow Dougal's journey from a child's toy to a garbage dump reject where he makes new friends and begins a new life. With a few bittersweet moments, Dougal doesn't become real like the Velveteen Rabbit, but still enjoys a happy ending for his young readers. This whimsical book will delight anyone who has ever loved and lost a teddy bear.

Recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a delightful book, July 31, 2006

By	John Kramer (Thora, Australia) - See all my reviews

Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear is a wonderful, quintessentially Australian book. Quirky, whimsical yet down-to-earth, and incapable of taking itself seriously.

Ignore the School Library Journal review by Sally R Dow. How anyone can criticise a children's book as "implausible" is beyond me. And as for "too long to use as a read-aloud" - my three-year-old daughter doesn't think so. In fact, when we read it she usually asks for it again and again.

Yes, there are a few jokes for adults, but when did making a children's book enjoyable for both child and parent become a bad thing?

We first came across this book at our local library. We now own a copy, and Dougal is this year's birthday present for all our godchildren.