What Makes a Favorite?

From the tens, hundreds, thousands, millions of children’s picture books, how does someone pick a favorite author or a favorite book?  It’s an almost impossible task.  Sometimes though it’s fun to reach back in time and find a book that was written 20 plus years ago and had almost been pushed aside, but as it’s slid out of the bookcase all of the great memories surrounding it come tumbling out.  It still holds the magic that makes it unforgettable.

The favorite book we chose to highlight is The Night I Followed the Dog by Nina Laden.  It’s a true gem for readers and listeners!  In the story a young boy thinks his dog is ordinary until he follows him out on the town one night.  There he discovers his dog winds down with other dogs in a 1940’s style nightclub guarded by two funny but ferocious bulldogs.  The action moves quickly and the pictures vividly illustration this movement.

Why is this book a continual favorite?

The plot of the book is strong enough to keep a child’s interest through numerous readings as each time children find new elements of the author’s craft.  One example is Laden’s word illustrations.  “Backwards” is written backwards.  “Eats” has teeth marks in it.  “Fancy” is written in a more elaborate font.

It is clever and written such that readers wonder what’s going to happen next at the end of each page.  For instance near the beginning of the book the young boy says, “But I don’t think their dog is so great now–not since the night I followed MY dog.”  This begs the question “What’s that dog going to do?” in the reader’s mind.

Personification.  The boy’s dog wears a tuxedo, fumbles with his bowtie, and jumps into limousines.  The dog describes the nightclub by saying, “This is a place where dogs come after a hard day.  It’s a place where we can relax.  It’s a place where we can talk about our problems with the mailman or with the poodle next door.”  Personification adds to the humor of the story by requiring its readers to connect animal and human behavior.

The illustrations enhance the story.  Readers are amazed at the gorgeous “house” in which the dog lives.  His closet is full of sophisticated shoes and clothes.  The floors are hardwood with throw rugs.  A remote control and a “candy” dish, full of dog treats, sit on the sofa table.  The bulldogs as guards are terrifying and humorous at the same time.  The guards have on leather jackets and caps and wear menacing expressions.  They are offset by the boy’s dog in between them looking fetching in shades and a white tux.  Each illustration is grand enough that it has a page of its own.

Each one of the characteristics above could be a made into a unit of study in both writing and reading.  The Night I Followed the Dog could be an anchor book for those lessons.  What better way to teach author’s craft (personification, plot, imagery, language, voice) than through a great book!

Now–“It’s 10 pm…do you know where your dog is?”