The Bull and the Lion: Keeping It Real

Hi!

     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.

Click me for Disney's film short based on the story.

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:

Click me for more on the author

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



Sniffing Out Good Books - My First Bookstore Adventure

Hi!

     Yesterday was a busy day for my family and me! My humans took me to Burlington, MA to check out a sale at something called "The Used Book Superstore." After an ear-flapping car ride, Allison and Rachel followed me into a pet store to do some shopping while Mama Suz and Daddy went ahead to scout out some good reads. I wasn't allowed inside the bookstore, you see (a silly rule), but I found a new squeaky duck and explored the local park.

Lots to sniff around the Burlington Common!

      Then I went for a walk after giving Allison directions on what to look for in the bookstore.

Here are three of our favorite finds:  

Puppy Victoriana, a small board book (less destructible, so good for human pups who are teething like me). It features pretty old-fashioned pictures of dogs and a few lines of old-fashioned doggerel in between. "Doggie scampers when I call,/And has a heart to love us all." Exciting for dog lovers of all ages, really! Simple, but unique. *There is also a Kitty Victoriana in print for any human with the patience for those evasive felines (the cat next door STILL won't play with me! GrrRuff!).  

Scruffy's Museum Adventure by Claudia Logan, illustrated by Jozeph Zaremba. This story's plucky canine adventurer is like me: a bit scruffy and full of curious mischief. I listened happily to the tale of Scruffy's race through Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. Most of the story depends on the illustrations of the paintings and the other strange things Scruffy finds - and also on his comments about each discovery. One of his favorites? A statue of a three-headed dog named Ceberus. (My question is, does he have three tails to wag too?) When the humans in charge of the museum finally catch Scruffy, his family decides on a compromise to keep Scruffy learning about art (you'll have to read to find out!). All and all, a  brief but good dog's eye-view of the MFA for elementary level human-pups and their families. 

Someday, Allison says, she'll take me to Boston to explore, even if I can't actually go into the museum. Maybe I'll sneak in like Scruffy...? I can't wait! YIP! 

The Best Pet of All by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Hanako Wakiyama. I was a little unsure when I saw the cover of this book. Allison explained that the green winged creature was a dragon. I cocked my head. What's a dragon?

"Well," Allison said, "It's a big flying lizard with the temperament of a kitty and the ability to breathe fire."

I rolled over and whined. Was this going to be a scary book then? But Allison scratched me behind my ears and began to read. "On Monday I asked my mother if I could have a dog..."

As it turns out, the dragon is part of a little boy's smart plan to convince his mama to let him have a dog. Dogs may be messy (hey, everyone makes mistakes) and loud (sometimes I get very excited, yipping and attacking things like cardboard boxes and soda bottles), but they're not as bad as a dragon who eats spaghetti in the bathtub! Once again, a doggy saves the day at the end of this story. Allison especially likes the illustrations, which she calls "retro" and full of bright colors (oranges and greens and yellows, she says)  and the details. This book had my tail wagging, so I'm sure human-pups ages 4-8ish will love it too!

     After all that excitement, I'm ready for a nice calm day. Maybe a bit of snoozing on the big cushy pillow in Allison's room.   

 After all, my humans bought a whole box of books yesterday; I'm going to need lots of energy to keep reading!!!

Yours in book hunts,

Sam I Am