Monday, August 10, 2009

Review #39: Max Spaniel


Lily (age 6):  This book is about Max Spaniel.  And it is called "Dinosaur Hunt."  And it is made by David Catrow.
Dad:  It's the first book in a series.  David Catrow has illustrated lots of stories, but this is the first one he's written.  Gracie, he did the pictures in that book you just got for your birthday, "I'm Still Here in the Bathtub."
Gracie (age 9): (singing)  "I'm still here in the baaaath-tub."  Yeah, I can tell.  The dogs in that book look like Max.
Lily:  Max looks funny.
Isaac (age 10):  He looks awesome.  He's a crazy dog.
Gracie:  He is awesome.
Isaac:  Awesome!
Dad:  Why?
Gracie:  Because.  He's hairy.  And he's got a pink spot where his bum should be -- he's got a pink belly.
Dad:  Alright, tell me about the book...
Gracie:  The book is about a dog that is black and white, and his name is Max Spaniel.  And he is a spaniel.
Isaac:  He's going hunting for dinosaurs.  First he hunts in the house.
Gracie:  He can't find any dinosaurs there.  So before moving outside, he packs everything he has.
Isaac:  Like golf clubs.
Gracie:  And he's got a bowling ball.
Isaac:  And Bologna.  Bologna?!
Lily:  And a hat.
Isaac:  Why does he need a bowling ball and a golf club to go hunting?  And bologna?  He packs everything except for the kitchen sink.
Dad:  I don't know... that's a pretty big bag.  Maybe the kitchen sink IS in there.
Isaac:  I didn't mean it literally.  I meant the saying.
Gracie:  He packs everything he has.
Isaac:  He had a little too much stuff, including the bologna.
Gracie:  He packs bologna, but then doesn't use the bologna.
Isaac:  He had too much stuff, so instead he just takes the triple-large net.  He may have gotten it from a garage sale.
Elijah (age 3):  A gi-normous net.
Gracie:  So he goes outside to hunt for a dinosaur, and he still can't find any.
Isaac:  Then he started finding all these "dinosaur bones" which was really just stuff around the yard.
Elijah:  He found a branch.  And a ball!  And a shovel!  And a skateboard!  And a freaky glove.
Gracie:  And a hose and a flower and a bottle cap and Lincoln Logs.
Isaac:  I still don't get why there are Lincoln Logs outside.
Lily:  He finds the yard stuff and makes a dinosaur by hooking them together.  He built a dinosaur.  The dog.  Max Spaniel!
Gracie:  He uses bikes for hips.
Lily:  And a hose, which is the tail.  He makes up a rib and toenails.
Elijah:  What's a rib?
Lily:  A football is for the head.  Flowers for lips - which look more like a tongue.
Gracie:  He said those were lips, but it's not.  That's a tongue.
Dad:  Does Max really think he's finding dinosaur parts, or is he just using his imagination?
Isaac:  He's using his imagination.  You can't tell at first if he really thinks they are bones or not, but when you finish the book you figure it out.  It's just his imagination.
Gracie:  Does he end up using this rubber ducky?  Oh, yeah.  There's the duck.
Dad:  Did it really look like a dinosaur?
Gracie:  If I try making my eyes fuzzy on purpose, I can tell it's a dinosaur.
Dad:  If you squint?
Elijah:  (grabbing a Fisher-Price dinosaur toy) This is what a dinosaur looks like.  (Then pointing at the book) But NOT this.  This is a dinosaur.  Look.
Isaac:  The cat ran away from the dinosaur terrified.  That cat is running for his life.  Then Max was happy.
Gracie:  He's a little goof-nugget.
Dad:  This type of book is called a "beginning reader."  Did it have easy words?
Isaac:  Uh-huh.  Except for "Spaniel."  That would be a little difficult.
Dad:  But it never says "spaniel" in the story itself.  Probably the biggest word is "dinosaur," but that's a word little kids like anyway.  You guys love to read now, but can you remember back to when reading was hard work?
Isaac:  When you're first learning, you don't like it one bit.  Then -- when you learn how to read, and you're really good at it -- then you start LOVING reading.  But then after a while you go back to normal... like, you don't love-love-love-love-love-love reading, but you still like it.
Dad:  If you gave this to a kid who is just learning to read and needs easy words, is this the kind of book he or she would enjoy?
Gracie:  Yeah.  Because Max is Awesome.  He looks awesome.  He's an awesome character.  He's the coolest dog ever.
Lily:  He looks weird and funny.  He looks like he would BE funny.
Isaac:  If someone is learning to read, Max Spaniel is one of the best books to read.

Max Spaniel and a big bag of bologna, by Gracie

Max adding a golf club, er, "dinosaur bone" to his creation, by Lily

Max Spaniel, by Elijah

Max and a dino creation, by Isaac -- pieces cut from magazines

(you can click these for a larger view...)


Author/Illustrator: David Catrow
Published, 2009: Scholastic
Like it? Find it



Time for another giveaway!  Scholastic is offering 5 prizes:

• Four runner-up winners will receive a copy of the new book.

• And one Grand Prize Winner will receive a copy of "Max Spaniel" autographed by David Catrow and a jumbo kids magnifying glass.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.  To make that comment worth two entries, let us know about a book (other than Max Spaniel) that you hadn't previously heard of but want to find (or did find) after having read one of the other 38 Bookie Woogie reviews.

We'll pick the winners randomly.  Be sure your comment has a way for us to contact you.

Contest runs until August 25th.  Good luck!

78 comments:

pambelina said...

I love your site. It always makes my Monday.

And the book Scribble really caught my fancy.

Sarah said...

I love this site. It always gives me such great ideas. And, since I'm a Children's Librarian, it's nice to see what kids think of books!

I really want to read the book about the little panda, since seeing it here. Such wonderful illustrations!

Dolphin Girl said...

I would love to win this book!

Swati said...

As usual your family leaves me speechless - I was going to comment anyway at Elijah's wonderful command of the pen, and Isaac's imagination, but you have given me an added incentive to do so!

Lets see, no doubt about it, I want all the books I ever read about. A-L-L. Since that is sadly not possible, I'd want Joan Holub's Knuckleheads. Or - but stop, you only asked for one!

Alysa Stewart said...

Ha! Goof-nugget! I love it. A book that I simply had to go find after reading the review here was Little Panda by Renata Lewska. I also picked up a copy of Jazzmatazz!

If I win, email me at everead *at* gmail *dot* com

Librarian Mommy said...

Would love to win this book. We love David Catrow illustrations.

Boni Ashburn said...

Lovely review, as always :)

And thanks for mentioning the "what review made you want to read the book" thing- I had wanted to get Black And White after I read your review, but my library had been out of it. Must request it through inter-library loan- I forgot all about it :) So thanks!

I'll look forward to this title too- always looking for good early readers to share!

Carrie said...

Well, I'd love to be entered!

And Isaac - dontchaknow that good little Lincoln Logs can be found anywhere and EVERYwhere? Under couches, in kitchen cabinets and yes, even outside if they are particularly sneaky. Love your magazine cutouts. Very unique and creative!

ElizT said...

Welcome Elijah! Great picture.
I, too, have Black and White on my list since your review.

Cathy said...

Many thanks for your lovely comment on my blog - and what a fantastic place this one is!

xx

Nina Crittenden said...

"Goof-Nugget" is a good one, I'll have to remember that! We used to have a crazy spaniel named Larry who was a fierce squirrel chaser! I went out and purchased Abigail Spells after your last review and my kids loved it!
Nina
nvc@drawnhome.com

Heidi Noel said...

I wasn't going to enter since i won last time, but thought I would give it a shot and see if I am double lucky.

Your Black and White review was interesting, so had a to find a copy. (Actually, I have started to bring a list of books from your reviews to the library to find.) I bought one a couple of weeks ago.

Also, I am so glad that Elijah has joined the fun!

Unknown said...

I know the perfect 3 and 8 year olds who'd LOVE this! :)

Julie said...

I love childrens books. Thanks!

Mozi Esme said...

I think my daughter would love this book!

janemaritz at yahoo dot com

Abby said...

What a super cute book my two little girls would adore this!











ajcmeyer at go dot com

abfantom said...

I'd like to win this book for my daughter.

abfantom (at) yahoo (dot) com

holdenj said...

What a totally fun review! Would love to win a copy of Max Spaniel!

Thanks.

JHolden955 (at) gmail (dot) com

Mysharona said...

looks like a good book.

Anonymous said...

This looks like a really cute book!

And I had to chuckle when I took a peek at Beware the Tickle Monster. :) I often chase my son around the house, claiming to BE the tickle monster before tickling him til he's breathless!

mverno said...

i'm just a girl looking for a good book mverno@roadrunner.com

Andy said...

Okay, so I tried this before and it has disappeared into the black hole of the internet.
This sounds like a great book. My favorite that I found through this site has to be the Babymouse series. I have aspirations for teaching a class on the graphic novel some time once I become a for-real teacher and I'm going to work in some of these for sure.

demmi said...

please enter me in the book giveaway con5459(at)gmail(dot)com

cstironkat said...

This sounds like a great book and it sparks kids imaginations too. That is wonderful.


We got The Dog who Belonged to No One, after your review since Alison is such a dog lover.

mrsshukra said...

Love this, please count me in!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

mrsshukra said...

I am curious about Abigail Spells, great illustrations and educational!

delilah0180(at)yahoo(dot)com

Winning Readings said...

Not an entry; just a note that we've posted about this giveaway at Winning Readings:

http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2009/08/max-spaniel-dinosaur-hunt_8056.html

Unknown said...

Another great review! I'd love to win Max Spaniel for myself!

I've also been looking forward to reading Black and White ever since I read your review.

Megan
mearley@twinlakes.k12.in.us

Michelle AKA blabla3269 said...

I love pandas
can you guess what book I want?

dag888888 said...

The kid loves jazz so Jazzmatazz is perfect!

dag888888[at]yahoo[dot]com

mogrill said...

My daughter would love this. Great review. Thanks for the chance. mogrill@comcast.net

Sunnyvale said...

Fun for the grandkids

krstrpp said...

Thanks for the chance to win a copy of "Max Spaniel." It sounds adorable...just like your previously reviewed book, "The Dog Who Belonged to No One." (krstrpp at hotmail dot com)

mmentor said...

sign me up

Mel said...

Hey guys!

I want to win a copy of the book cause my dog has a pink belly like Max’s, she isn’t a dinosaur hunter though – just a food hunter.

I found your blogs when I was searching for illustrators for a university project, I now have books by Kelly Murphy, Michael Slack and Tony DiTerlizzi, I’m sure I will buy more soon, thanks for the help. I’m an illustration student and hope to illustrate children’s books, so I may have my own review on bookie woogie someday!

Isaac – Have you ever heard of Graham Rawle? He makes a lot of collage work and creates little sets like you do!

- Mel

Honey Mommy said...

This looks like such a fun book! I am sure my little guys would LOVE it.

Kristi Valiant said...

What total fun! I just found your blog and read a whole bunch of your reviews. You kids have great insights into books - way to go Dad! One that I hadn't heard of but would like to find now is Tale of a Tail. The illustrations look amazing! I hadn't heard of Dinosaur Hunt either, but David Catrow always has funny stuff.

Three Turtles and Their Pet Librarian said...

Oooh, David Catrow, a big favorite at our library! I just want to know when he finds the time to watch and sketch my dogs...

janetfaye said...

I love this book!

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Boysnberries' Brambles said...

looks like lots of fun! even my readers who aren't beginners would love to read this.

(you should know that i think it ironic that the word verification word i have to type to enter this comment is cousie. does this computer know about bawbeese blood? love you, cousies!)

Shawna L. said...

Shawna lewis
weloveourdogs@juno.com

Thanks for the chance to win this neat book.

I saw a book at the bookstore it had something to do with a Darling big,fat panda bear and Zen. The pictures in it were Amazing I can't seem to find it now. (it would help if I new the name of it though ;o) )!!!

Winks & Smiles ;o) Shawna Lewis

Linda said...

I would like to find and read A Wrinkle in Time.
lgrieser(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Erica G said...

Thanks for the giveaway. Count me in!

egreca (at) hotmail {dot} com

Carol EL said...

Looks like a good book, please enter me into this drawing.
jelly15301@gmail.com

Carol EL said...

Abigail Spells is one from the reviews I would be interested in. jelly15301@gmail.com

Molly C. said...

This looks like such a great book!
I also want to read the Little Panda.

Unknown said...

Beware the Tickle Monster looks really cute.

hafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com

AEKZ2 said...

We'd love to read this. Thanks!

erma said...

I'd love to win this. "Goof-Nugget" sounds so cute.
erma.hurtt@sbcglobal.net

Anonymous said...

This looks like a fun book. Have you reviewed,If you give a Pig a Pancake?
Diane Baum
esldiane@gmail.com

Molly K said...

I would love to win this book for my boys. It looks really cute.

Marie said...

This is so cute, my kids would love to read it!

marielay@gmail.com

Karrie said...

sounds like a cute read for the kids

Anonymous said...

Happy Summer!

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

Amy delong said...

this would be great,my kids are really getting into books

ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com

Kimmie said...

My boys would love this book.


fooks213@yahoo.com

Hotsnotty2 said...

My son would love this, thanks for the chance!

Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

My niece would love this book! I am always looking for fun, new entertaining reads for her. Thanks!

sherri419 at gmail dot com

Sheila Hickmon said...

It looks so cute! My daughter would love it!
hawkgirl_16{at}hotmail{dot}com

Pamela S said...

This looks like a really fun children's book. Thanks so much!
pamelashockley(AT)netscape(DOT)net

blogggggg said...

This book sounds cute!

wordsmoveme at gmail dot com

mchavez718 said...

Love this site. I know my children would love this book. Great giveaway.

Amanda S. said...

I'd love to win this book for my son!

Amanda S. said...

The Lunch Lady books look really funny...I think all of my kids would get a kick out of them! I haven't seen them in our local bookstores yet though.

susansmoaks said...

i would love to win this book, we love max spaniel

susansmoaks said...

your review for A Book sent us to Borders to get it!

susan1215 said...

My daughter would love this book

Gloria's Bits and Pieces said...

Looks real good! Max Spaniel is cool!
kngmckellar@hotmail.com

Stitchin in the Sip said...

I have just discovered your blog. Love reading the children's views on the book.

ryspenc@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

This sounds like a great children's book. I would love to win it. garrettsambo@aol.com

Bridget3496 said...

My grandson would really enjoy this! Thanks for the giveaway!

dvice12 said...

My kids would like this

Jinxy and Me said...

This looks cute! Thanks!

Rajee said...

I love this site. It always gives me such great ideas.

rajikarthik@hotmail.com

07violet said...

I know someone who would like this

alterna7 at hotmail dot com

lilyk said...

Scribble sounds very interesting!

lilyk@mail2world.com

balqees said...

Please count me in for this week's giveaway :)

As for some books I've discovered (and awaiting delivery from amazon!) thanks to bookie-woogie are The Arrival, Flip, Flap, Fly, and the Hiccupotamus to name a few.

And one book I haven't been able to get my hands on but am keeping an eye out for is Black and White.

balqis (=^-^=)

Z-Kids said...

Hello --

We've randomly chosen some winners and will be contacting them shortly!

The winners of Max Spaniel are:
Megan
Paula H
Andy
Booklover1212

And the grand prize winner of the Autographed Max Spaniel + jumbo magnifying glass is:

Librarian Mommy

Thanks for entering, thanks for reading Bookie Woogie, and congrats!