Friday, July 25, 2014

Trouper - Perfect Picture Book Friday

      I would have bought this book based on the cover alone.
      Mr. E. B. Lewis lives in New Jersey and I was fortunate to hear him speak when he came to the elementary school my kids attended. I don't know if "room parents" go to a lot of the school assemblies, but I made sure I went to his! He is an extraordinary artist, adept at capturing emotions in watercolor brushstrokes. 
     This is the author's debut picture book, but she's no slouch either! 
     I have to stop myself-- I don't want to give all the juicy tidbits away in my opening. On a scale of 1 to 5, this book is a 6.

Title: Trouper
Author: Meg Kearney
Illustrator: E.B. Lewis
Publisher: Scholastic, 2013
FICTION based on real events
Audience: age 4 and up
(an author's note inside the front page mentions
a "kill shelter" but that is not part of the story)
Themes: Dogs, Pet adoption, Kindness

Opening:
               "Back in the before time,
                before I licked your nose
                or sniffed your shoes,
                before you bought my bed and bowl,
               before the place you picked me out,
               I ran with a mob of mutts.
Synopsis: Told from the dog's point of view, Trouper tells the story of a feral dog waiting to be adopted. The reader isn't told why Trouper is homeless. The book follows his journey to the animal shelter and his wait to find a home.

What I like about this book: Everything. Nowhere in the text does it say that the dog is handicapped. And although the handicap is shown in the illustrations, this is a handi-capable dog that plays with the other strays and acts like any other dog. As someone who has owned "special needs" pets, I adore the way the issue is a non-issue here. And oh-h-h those doggie eyes. Without being pedantic, it also addresses the tough issue of animal cruelty ("dodging stones thrown by boys who thought the world was mean, and so they had to be.") and the reward of adopting an older pet. Once again, the dog's age isn't mentioned in the text, but the graying muzzle in the illustrations lets the reader know Trouper is no puppy.
Resources/Activities: I covered this topic when I reviewed Nancy Furstinger's picture book, Maggie's Second Chance. You can read that post here. Susanna Hill also covered the topic and listed activities in her review last week of JJ The American Street Dog. I am a firm believer that kindness to animals develops kindness in other parts of life. The author, Meg Kearney, adopted the dog who is the "real" Trooper. Her website has a short video (keep the box of tissues close by!) about how Trooper joined her family. And she explains why her dog's name is spelled differently in the book.



Interesting side note:
I have an unpublished manuscript about a dog waiting to be adopted, also told from the large black dog's point of view. It was the very first picture book manuscript I wrote, several years ago.This subject is personal to me and I am always thrilled to see the big black dog get a home and story, even if it wasn't mine!

 This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

Thanks for taking the time to leave me thoughts and comments!

22 comments:

  1. Oh you are so right about TROUPER! I (heart) this book!

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  2. What an important true story about a feral dog, finding a home, a bed and a friend. I love the photographs instead of illustrations. I love happy endings for pets finding adoptive families.

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    1. These aren't photographs, Pat! They are Mr. Lewis' AMAZING watercolor paintings. He is one of my illustrator crushes.

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  3. This look so sweet. All our pets are rescued. I hope this book shows how wonderful that can be.
    My friend has a picture book about adopting a mature dog coming out in December from HarperCollins. It's a completely different kind of book, but she hopes it will have an impact.
    Thanks for pointing this one out.

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    1. Rescue dogs are wonderful. They have no more (or fewer) problems than the rest of the dog population.

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  4. Nioce pick, Wendy. I love the watercolors.

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    1. I need to invent a new superlative to describe them. That good.

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  5. I have to get this one. Thank you, Wendy. I too love it when an issue is a non issue!

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    1. Maybe this book can be a birthday present to yourself, Joanna?!

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  6. Wendy, this book looks beautiful. I also have a crush on Mr. Lewis. We are on our 5th rescue dog - so I will need to add this to our library shelf.

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    1. I volunteered for years in rescue. Currently taking a break but know I will go back. It's nice to be able to help.

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  7. Oh, wow, Wendy! This book sounds SO good! And what beautiful writing! And a gorgeous cover! Obviously I am going to have to find and read it immediately. I am also partial to shelter dogs, and have owned a two big black dogs, and have written a story about homeless dogs... so near and dear to my heart too! Thanks so much for sharing!

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    1. I thought you would like it! Black dogs are wonderful.

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  8. Interesting point of view on this one. Thanks for the review.

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    1. A hard point of view to do well. And I thought it was.

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  9. The opening lines made me tear up...I know a lot of people who'd love this book!

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    1. Have the tissues handy then, before you watch the video!

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  10. Wow, you got to hear E. B. Lewis at a school assembly. I am envious. This does look like a fascinating book, and I know just which MS you are talking about. It looks like this may be a good mentor text.

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    1. I am lucky! Payback for all the less fun room parent chores. LOL. And lucky for me that Mr. Lewis lives locally.

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  11. That spread that you included says it all, I think. Pure JOY!! What a great book. I'll have to check this one out for sure! Thanks for sharing!!

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  12. I know I'm loving all the dog books that have been reviewed recently!

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