Daily children’s book recommendations and events from Anita Silvey.
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The new books on their way to becoming classics . . .
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September has been designated World Animal Remembrance Month. So since I like to think about dogs, I’m going to feature some famous dog protagonists who deserve to be remembered: Spot, Art Dog, the unnamed heroes of Go, Dog. Go! and Steven Kellogg’s irrepressible Pinkerton. Possibly September should just be designated Steven Kellogg appreciation month. Steven has given so much to the field of children’s books—both in the great picture books he has created and the hours he has spent talking to children. There was a time in his life when he traveled forty weeks out of the year to visit classrooms and libraries.
Now, as Almanac readers know, over the past two years I have been engaged in training my Bernese Mountain dog Lancelot. Actually as I write, Lance has been banished to the outdoors because he believes the computer to be a rival for his affection. Like many pups in training, he has developed selective hearing, showing a bizarre mixture and obedience and chaos. I should have been reading Pinkerton, Behave! every day just to console myself.
In a story inspired by Steven’s own Great Dane named Pinkerton, the book focuses on the dog’s training, because like every puppy he needs to learn how to behave. At first the patient family tries to train Pinkerton at home, but he quickly develops some peculiar habits. “Come” sends him jumping out the window, and “fetch” causes him to eat the newspaper. So like dog owners the world over, the family calls in some professional help and sends Pinkerton to dog school. Unfortunately, Pinkerton affects the dog school much as my Lancelot did—he still doesn’t get commands but causes the other dogs to disobey. Pinkerton proves to be particularly clueless on the “Get the burglar!” command and acts as if he has just met his new best friend. But, of course, even misbehaving Great Danes have a role to play. When a real burglar arrives in the house, Pinkerton saves the day! As a proud owner says in the end, “I love you, Pinkerton.”
In this book as in all of his work, Steven combines a totally satisfying story with drawings filled with energy and exuberance. In fact, Steven Kellogg has never stopped having fun making picture books that are child-friendly and filled with humor. So if you know anyone who needs to laugh a bit about an ill-behaved puppy, get them a copy of Pinkerton, Behave! I am going to read it to Lance today; maybe he will pick up some new commands. I remain optimistic—if Pinkerton can be trained, Lance will not be far behind.
Here’s a page from Pinkerton, Behave!:
Also recommended:
- A Dog’s Way Home by Bobbie Pyron
- All of the Pinkerton series by Steven Kellogg
Additional Information
A few other events for
- Happy Birthday to Aliki (Digging Up Dinosaurs, Mummies Made in Egypt, Feelings) and to me, Anita Silvey (The Plant Hunters, Henry Knox: Bookseller, Soldier, Patriot).
- It is the birthdate of American author Sarah Orne Jewett (1849-1909), best known for The Country of the Pointed Firs. Jewett’s children’s book Play Days was published in 1878.
- Happy birthday also to Barkley the Dog on Sesame Street.
- This day in 1752 never did happen, nor did the next ten! England adopted the Gregorian calendar, and jumped from 9/2 to 9/9 to get in synch with other nations who had already switched to this arithmetical calendar. Read A Child’s Calendar by John Updike, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman.
- It’s Skyscraper Day! Visit your nearest high rise, and read Skyscraper by Susan E. Goodman and Michael J. Doolittle or Unbuilding by David Macaulay.