Today my humans took me to something called an arts festival. There were lots of people for me to meet and lick and impress with my panting, tail-wagging charm. Even a few human-pups - including one in this wheeled thing called a "stroller" - stopped to give me a quick pet or a belly rub. I can't count the number of times I got called "adorable" and "cute." All for just being me!
Be yourself. "Let it all hang out," as some humans say...
Anyway, two storybook characters Allison and I read about yesterday try to understand the same idea: what it means to be yourself. One of them calmly shows others that he will not change to fit in; the other learns the hard way that being himself is best.
In The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson, a bull named Ferdinand (but you guessed that, didn't you? Arf!) is different from the other bulls.
*You know, I didn't know what a bull was at first.*
"Arooo," I woofed to Allison, pawing at the cover.
Okay, so your name is Ferdinand, and you're a bull - but what is a bull?!
"A bull is a boy cow," Allison answered.
"Arooo?"
I stuck my tongue out and panted for a second while I thought about this. What was a cow?
"It's got four legs," Allison continued patiently. "It eats grass, it's black and white or brown, and it goes mooooooo!"
Then she told me that cows give us milk and ice cream. After that I decided I didn't care much what a cow actually is; if it lets Allison eat ice cream and occasionally drop a bit that I get to lick up, then cows and bulls are terrific!
So Ferdinand is different from the other bulls because he doesn't like to fight. Instead, he sits and smells the flowers (personally, I'll take a good bit of sniffing over a tussle any day). This goes okay for awhile, until some silly humans get confused. They think that Ferdinand is a ruff and tough bull - just because he runs around and snorts and yelps at a bee sting.
The humans bring Ferdinand to a big round ring to fight in front of an audience. Scary stuff those humans in Spain thought of...Allison says that Spain is a far-away place with different "traditions." That means they do things their own way. But Ferdinand refuses to fight - he knows he should still be himself and do things his own way! So this bull gets a happy ending when he shows the humans that he doesn't need to be what they want him to be.
Overall, I give this book two paws up. A good story with a lovable hero (though of course a canine hero would have been more lovable!). Allison and I agree that the illustrations (black and white drawings) show just enough detail and give the reader a wonderful sense of Ferdinand's world. Good for human-pups ages 4-8.
Keep on sniffing, Ferdinand!
I didn't like the second story as much as Ferdinand, but I think human-pups will laugh at the silly lion in Don Freeman's Dandelion:
This fluffy feline featured on the cover is invited to a party at his friend's house. Even though the invitation says to "Come as you are," Dandelion runs out to get a complete makeover. Curly mane, new sweater, a cane, everything! This part made me a little mad; why would he do all that? Just to impress the guests at the party? To keep up with "What Well-dressed Lions are Wearing This Year"? That's not what's important!
I might have tried to take my frustration out on the book..grrrr!
In any case, Dandelion learns his lesson when his friends don't recognize him, and he gets caught in a storm. ("I'll always be just plain me," he finally tells his friends.) Fancy clothes and haircuts don't mean anything. It's being you that counts! Woof! One paw up for this tale. I found the story's hero almost too silly (Allison says that Dandelion's so vain he probably thinks this song is about him...whatever that means.). The illustrations - pencil-drawing style with shading - are loosely done but interesting. The details in Lou's shop and the cap and cane shop are fun though! Good for human-pups ages 4-8. Laugh at the foolish cat!
Good night! I'm just about to fall asleep on my pillow next to Allison's bed. Off to dream of kibble, art festival adventures, bulls, and cats.
The One and Only,
Sam I Am
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