Please Take Me For a Walk

April 12, 2010
Gazing adoringly up at readers with bright, soulful eyes, a sweet dog with white woolly fur repeatedly uses the titular refrain to request a trip outside, describing all the things he loves to do and see. The puppy will “keep the squirrels high up in the trees” and is eager to meet humans and fellow dogs (“Some neighbors like to pet me, and some neighbors do not”). Gal’s (Night Lights
) fresh and inviting charcoal and digital collage illustrations of a hip, multicultural community (a green map covered with dogs on the endpapers suggests the setting is Berkeley, Calif.) are the highlight, with a menagerie of canines and active city residents, many wearing zesty, fashion-forward clothing. The puppy’s eyes alone telegraph a broad array of emotions, gleaming with excitement, determination, and sometimes tentativeness, as when meeting a group of larger dogs. In the end, it’s all “so everyone can see... my best friend and me.” With his ingenuous enthusiasm and the promise of exciting urban adventures at every turn, readers might wonder why he even has to ask. Ages 3–6.

May 1, 2010
PreS-Gr 1-The star of this book, a fuzzy white terrier, is the quintessence of dogdom. The title serves as a refrain, and at each repetition children see only the pup against a green background, looking hopeful and appealing as he romps around on his red-and-white gingham leash. The other pages are awash with charming autumnal scenes that depict the heart of a village and all the happy activities the dog envisions himself engaging in: "I need to chase away the neighbor's cat, /send the birds back to their nests, /and keep the squirrels high up in the trees]." This is readers' opportunity to enjoy many aspects of their own world through the safety and enthusiasm of the animal's eyes. Children will appreciate the vitality and diversity in each picture, executed in charcoal on paper with digital collages. They'll see families in the park, stores with friendly proprietors, houses, sidewalks, vehicles, mail carriers, and a spectacular variety of other dogs. The collages contribute a riot of texture and color to each page. This delightful addition will have children voicing a request very much like the pup's: to get out and interact with their communities."Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2010
Even cat people may be hard-pressed to resist the polite pleadings from this picture books little pup. After all, as he enumerates, theres lots to do on a crisp autumn day: keeping squirrels in trees, visiting the butcher and bookseller, watching the guys shooting hoops and the people playing chess, meeting other dogs, and just spending time with a best friend like you. Gal celebrates the joys of perambulating the neighborhood in simple sentences and mixed-media collage illustrations featuring wonderfully expressive canines and humans, as well as inventive details, such as the doggy leash that extends out of each scene. Reminiscent in setting of the authors Night Lights (2009) and her multicultural hometown of Berkeley, California, the pages convey a sense of contentment in the well-designed details that will give this universal appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
Charcoal on paper and digital collage illustrations ably reflect this energetic puppy's titular plea. The pup describes what he plans to do on his walk, from cat and squirrel chasing, to visiting local shops, to meeting other dogs. But most important is showing off his best friend: the person on the other end of the leash. Dog-lovers will find both dog and book irresistible.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)