The Doghouse by Jan Thomas

The Doghouse
by Jan Thomas
Harcourt Books, September 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

Jan Thomas is my new favorite picture book author based on just two books: I loveloveloved A Birthday for Cow (reviewed here in June). And now Cow, Pig, Duck and Mouse are back with a scary story just right for the season, The Doghouse. (In addition, What Will Fat Cat Sit On? made Katie's 5 Books (New Ones) Every Primary Library Should Have list and I'm pretty sure I will own it, love it, and add it to my own list by the end of this weekend. In addition, I see that Jan Thomas has a new book coming out in 2009. I'm thinking pre-order thoughts.)

The story in The Doghouse begins on the endpapers with Cow, Pig, Duck and Mouse playing with a big red ball. Cow makes a great kick that is headed right for (insert scary music as the pages turn past the title page to the first page of text) the doghouse, which suddenly has a dark sky, a bat across the full moon, thunder and lightning, and skeletal trees around it. First the animals send big, brave, strong Cow in to get the ball. Cow does not come back. (More bats across the moon, and three pairs of wide, frightened eyes left.) Next Pig goes in. Does not come back. Then Duck. Does not come back. Mouse begs Duck to come back, but the scary face of the Dog appears and tells Mouse, "I am having Duck for dinner." After a page of sheer Mouse terror...

***SPOILER ALERT***

...Dog turns back to his dinner guests seated at the table and says with regret in his eyes and voice, "Too mad Mouse couldn't come, too."

But isn't that Mouse peeking in the window? Sure enough, he joins the group for cake in the final endpapers.

Be sure you look for a cameo appearance by the big red ball in the final pages.

A Birthday for Cow

A Birthday for Cow
by Jan Thomas
Harcourt, 2008
review copy compliments of the publisher

Your good friends work hard to do something nice for you for your birthday, but it's your TRUE friend who knows just what will make you happy. Pig and Mouse are making a birthday cake for Cow. Duck tries to get them to mix a turnip in, stir the batter with a turnip, or decorate the cake with a turnip. Pig and Mouse want nothing to do with the turnip. Can you guess what Cow's excited to see when she comes to the party? You guessed it, the turnip!

This is a bright, bold picture book with expressive characters and not much text. Young readers will love it, and it will make a fun read aloud if you don't mind your audience shouting, "TURNIP" along with Duck!