My Big Dog

When I was a wee, young pup and first came to live at the 7 Acre Wood, there was already another dog living here. A Big Dog named Hank. Hank was not very happy to meet me in the beginning. It took a few days for him to be ok with me cuddling with him.

Then when Walker came to live with us, I was the Big Dog and I was not too happy to share things with him. But it didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t so bad after all.

I guess it’s hard to share attention with a new brother or sister or whatever. They steal your toys and get in your space and upset the family dynamics.

One of my all time favorite books is My Big Dog by Janet Stevens and her sister, Susan Stevens Crummel.

It was published in 1999 by Golden Books Publishing

It is a fiction Picture Book suitable for K and up

Themes would be animal stories and sibling rivalry

It begins — “My name is Merl and I am a cat, a very special cat. Inside my house, my PUR-R-R-R-fect house, everything is MINE!”

Merl the cat goes on to list all the things in the house that belong to him — including the people. Then he hears some strange sounds – CRASH. THUD. WOOF. His house has been invaded by a very large puppy! He tries lots of ways to get rid of the obnoxious, slobbery pup, but nothing works. And the puppy keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger. So Merl decides that he himself must leave.

Merl is picked up by a nice lady who takes him home and proceeds to bathe him and fluff him and dress him. Well, that’s no fun! He tries a farmhouse, but they shoo him out to the barn. Two kids find him, but they play tug-of-war with him. The he gets rained on. A very sad state.

The next thing he knows, he’s being picked up by that pesky big dog! The big dog takes Merl back home. And Merl decides that home is the place to be even if he has to share it with a big dog. Maybe they can be friends after all.

The illustrations in My Big Dog are funny and fabulous. Soft artwork is combined with photographs to make for a whimsical reality. I love it!

This book has quite a bit of onomatopoeia (big fun word!) that makes it a fun read aloud. It would provide for a fun lesson about that Big Word.

Some of the kids in the class we visited have little brothers and sisters and we had a good discussion about how they felt when those siblings arrived. Some of them love their little siblings like crazy but some find that they get a little jealous. I can sure understand that.

Ms Crummel has some class activities on her website HERE.

It is Perfect Picture Book Friday so you might want to venture over to Susanna Hill’s blog for more fabulous Picture Books and great resources.

And here’s a little video that I’m guessing will make you humans chuckle —

So go hug your sibling – and your dog – and your cat —
and have a JOYFUL weekend!
Rhythm

I’m Confused!

I am so confused! My alarm went off at 6:00 this morning and I bounced up to greet the day. Woke up the Mom Person with my cheery slurp and she grumbled! “Go back to sleep! It’s only 5:00! I explained this to you last night!”

She did ramble on last night something about clocks moving backwards. Some such silly stuff. Clocks can’t go backwards! I don’t understand you humans. She says that she explains this to me every fall, but all I know is what MY clock tells me. Which is — breakfast is at 6:00 and dinner is at 5:00. So will I have to wait for dinner as well? Or will it come early? I’m so confused!

I don’t understand time. I know when things are supposed to happen during my day and I try to be ready for those events. Like breakfast and dinner and going to school and going to the library and going to visit the hospital. I know what days they happen and what times. But sometimes you humans get confused!

We have a great little book by Dan Harper and illustrated by that awesome guy Barry Moser and his daughter Cara. It’s called Telling Time with Big Mama Cat. Big Mama Cat knows how to tell time. And she knows when things are supposed to happen. Her day “begins at 6:00 with a big stretch.” And continues on to breakfast at 7, helping the rest of the family with various activities throughout the day and going to bed at midnight. On each page there is a clock that shows what time it is. And it even has a fold – out clock so that you can move the hands as Big Mama goes through her day.

This is a most fabulous book. That Big Mama Cat is one smart kitty. And as always with Mr Moser, the illustrations are incredible. It hasn’t helped me figure out what’s going on with the clocks today. But I’m hoping things will get worked out before my dinner time. In the meantime, I’m thinking that it’s nap time. I’ll have to go check with the Mom Person and make sure.

I hope you’re on time for all of your events today! And if you have time, you might want to  check out Telling Time with Big Mama Cat!

Let’s Go to the Library!

I’d like to take you on a tour of my library! The Somervell County Library in Glen Rose, Tx. Come on in. This is a Grand library, with lots and lots and lots of books. Even more than we have at our house! There are history books and cookbooks and how – to books and science books and gardening books and books just for fun. Everything under the sun!  And if you can’t find a book that you are really really wanting, the very fine ladies that take care of the library can find the book for you through another library! Is that smart or what?

These ladies are outstanding! They work so hard – helping people find books, putting books back on shelves, checking books out, checking books in. I give them 4 paws up!

The library has lots and lots of big windows so the sun can shine in. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit and watch the squirrels playing outside. My favorite place in the library is where all the picture books are. That’s usually where all the kids are, too!  They have some really cute chairs there that I don’t fit in.

Along with all the books, there are lots of computers at the library! Now who would want to look at that computer when there are all these books around?! But there are always lots of people sitting at those computers. I don’t know what they are doing. Looking stuff up or playing games, I guess. Sometimes I go visit  these folks because they just look too serious.

Me and Walker are the only dogs at the library. I don’t know if other libraries have dogs that come visit. I’ve heard that some libraries have cats! My Mom Person even read me a book one time about a library cat named Dewey. Crazy! Does your library have dogs or cats? Or maybe a kangaroo? I’ve never seen a kangaroo.

Libraries sure are great places to visit. You can sit and read, or do some research or your homework, or just come in out of the weather.  I think that libraries are about the only place that you can just go hang out in all day and never have to buy anything!! I love the library!!

These are some other library places you might want to check out —

American Library Association

Public Libraries

A History of Libraries

Going Beyond Survival in the School Library

Go check out your library!  And then tell me what’s so special about it!