Product Description

Dad pretends to be human, but the kids know otherwise. Between first-thing-in-the morning scratching, fetching the paper, snacking, lying around for hours, and even the occasional pit stop behind a tree, the evidence is clear. But so are their father’s steadfast love and loyalty. Aren’t those the best things about dads and dogs alike?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #712179 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-11
• Released on: 2006-04-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3–In this funny picture book, a young narrator shares her unusual concern: My father pretends to be human, but I know he is really a dog. She goes on to list the undeniable evidence: he likes a good scratch, growls when he is suddenly awakened from a nap, and when he toots, he looks around as if someone else were responsible. The illustration of the girl peeking under the dining table to see if he is begging for treats offers a clever shift in perspective. The clean, yet warm oil paintings are the perfect accompaniment to the understated and almost deadpan delivery, and they enhance the humor of this doggone good tale. It's ideal for storytimes or one-on-one sharing.–Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 2. A young girl, convinced that her father really is a dog, shares her observations of the similarities between her father and the family pet. In a playful text she describes actions common to both, such as starting the day with a good scratch; clearing the room with a single "toot" (and trying to look innocent); using a tree for a quick "pit stop"; and, at the end, displaying loyalty to the "best family in the world." The illustrations accentuate the humor, especially in the physical similarities between Dad and the dog. The charm of the characters, particularly the dad and the pooch, is perfectly conveyed in the exaggerated figures, which are rounded and elongated, and, like the backgrounds, painted in blocks of color, subtly textured with cross-hatching. Children will appreciate the comic view of a dad in an ordinary, but cozy family. Randall Enos
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"A hilarious comparison of dad and a dog -- wow, what a resemblance! You can't help chuckling...." Janet Bibeau -- Children's Book Sense Picks -- Summer 2006

"Appealingly flippant. . . . Young dog lovers will lap this up." -- Publishers Weekly 05/08/2006

"Tail-wagging hilarity that's simply doggone funny - and a perfect Father's Day gift." -- Kirkus Reviews (04/01/2006)

"The charm of the characters...is perfectly conveyed. . . . Children will appreciate the humor in this view of a dad....." -- Booklist (05/15/2005)

"[I]deal for storytimes or one-on-one sharing." –Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA -- School Library Journal (07/2006)

Customer Reviews

SIMPLY A FUN READ, AND TRUE, SO TRUE
This one will hit pretty close to home in many households. I know it did in mine. The young child here flatly states that "My father pretends to be human, but I know is is really a dog." The child then goes one to prove the point. Little things like fetching the morning paper, can lie aroud for hours, growls when disturbed from a nap, and many more. This book is simply funny. The art work by Randy Cecil is quite appealing and the concept of the story is great. This is a good one to give to dad on Father's Day and is fun to read with the kids. Actually, there is quite a lot of truth in this book and will particularly be appreciated and enjoyed by those adults who have the ability to laugh at themselves. I enjoyed ever page of this one and saw so much of myself in it.

Of Dogs and Dads
Elizabeth Bluemle, a fine writer out of Vermont College's MFA program (but choose your advisor wisely) combines with prolific illustrator Randy Cecil in this farcical comparison of dads and dogs.

Bluemle reveals that dogs aren't just man's best friend; they seemed to have evolved from the same genes as well. How else does one explain one dad's proclivity to "start off the day with a good scratch," chase wildly after thrown balls, and run down the stairs to investigate strange noises in the middle of the night--just like the two family dogs!

Although the narrator proclaims, "My father is human, but I know he is really a dog," she concedes that the "evidence" has some limits. For example, although she tells us "my father loves snacks," she admits, "I've never actually seen him begging for snacks udder the kitchen table, adding cautiously, "but it could happen." Still, the parallels are uncanny, even when the behavior is...well, not exactly flattering. We're informed that, like the dogs, "When [Dad] toots, he looks around the room like someone else did it." Furthermore, "he has been known to use a tree for a quick pit stop." Surely these defecatory similarities cannot be mere coincidence!

Illustrator Randy Cecil displays an unusually light touch with oils in his 2-page spreads and circular vignettes. His deftly scratched color textures aerify the oils, and the exaggerated curves and elongated limbs match the fanciful narration. I enjoyed his pictures of dad's and dogs' parallel behaviors, although the dogs could have exhibited a little more personality (e.g., one raised eyebrow a la "Wallace and Grommet"). Cecil leaves the reactions to the human family.

There's a tenderhearted conclusion to all this playful fun poking, and a real kicker on the last page ("...Mom says we can keep him!") A wonderful father's day gift for dads with an easy sense of humor, or any person in touch with their inner dog.

Hilarious!
This is the kind of witty book that a lot of writers will wish they thought of first. A tongue-in-cheek look at the habits of Dad's everywhere, MY FATHER THE DOG is one that kids and their parents will want to read over and over. A great Father's Day gift for kids to buy for their dog-like Dad's!