Dad: We just read "The Dog Who Belonged to No One." It's written by Amy Hest, and the pictures are by Amy Bates...
Gracie (age 8): Amy... Amy... hello Amy and other Amy!
Dad: So tell me about this book.
Lily (age 5): I think it's great!
Isaac (age 10): It's about a dog and a girl...
Gracie: A "wisp" of a girl!
Isaac: ...who were both lonely and wished they had someone to be their friend...
Gracie: (dramatically) that makes me cry.
Isaac: ...then they met each other, so their wishes were fulfilled. The dog's story and the girl's story were kind of the exact same.
Dad: In what ways?
Isaac: They both needed a friend.
Gracie: And she lived in a crooked house - a VERY crooked house - and he had crooked ears!
Isaac: Also, they both tried to outrun the storm. They were both soaked to the bone. They both went to the same house. They both had the exact same dream.
Gracie: They both "tucked themselves inside themselves."
Isaac: Yeah, I think there are nice words in this book. They are different than other words. Like, "a wisp of a girl" and "they tucked themselves inside themselves."
Dad: Yes, very creative descriptions.
Isaac: I just realized something about this book - I don't know if it's a coincidence or not. But in the story the dog and the girl are alike in a lot of ways, and look at this: (flipping to the cover) Amy Hest and Amy Bates. They have the exact same name!
Dad: That is cool... And what about the pictures? This illustrator is one of my new favorite-favorites. She's the same lady that did the pictures for --
Gracie: Babymouse?
Dad: No - not Babymouse. She did the pictures for that thanksgiving book we have, "Give Thanks to the Lord." Do you remember that one? We just got it.
Gracie: No. But I remember Babymouse.
Dad: Do you have a favorite picture from this book?
Lily: The picture on the back.
Gracie: Yes, that's my favorite too.
Dad: Tell me about it...
Lily: There's a girl and a dog with cooked ears...
Gracie: The girl doesn't have crooked ears.
Dad: Why is this one your favorite?
Lily: Because he's happy, and he's cute, and he has his tongue sticking out, and his tongue is dark red, and I like dark red.
Gracie: And I love her hat! It looks like something from France.
Lily: (Opening up the book) That's a sad picture, isn't it.
Isaac: Isn't there a thing you can do with colors - to make you feel happy or sad...
Dad: Yep... What do you notice about the colors when the dog is sad?
Isaac: Purple, dark blue...
Dad: What about this happy page?
Isaac: Yellows and whites and bright colors. The only blue here is like... aqua.
Dad: Do you remember what that's called?
Gracie: Warm colors and Dark colors.
Dad: Not dark... what's the opposite of warm?
Gracie: Cold.
Dad: Almost. "Cool" colors. So when things are happy...
Gracie: They are yellow and red.
Dad: And when things are sad...
Gracie: They are blue and purple.
Dad: You know what Dad thought was fun about this book? They could have put a picture on this page and just plain words on the other side. But look what they did. There are all these neat borders around the words.
Isaac: Oh yeah! And they made the border into a... wagon?
Dad: I think it's her bicycle wheels. And what's on the pages with the dog...
Gracie: Aww! Dog prints!
Dad: It's how they both move - paw prints because he walks...
Gracie: And bicycle wheels because she rides!
Dad: That dog in the book never got a name did he? What do you think his name will be now that they belong to each other? If you saw a little cutie-dog like that, what would you name him?
Lily: I have an idea, but I don't know if it's going to be a good name...
Dad: What?
Lily: "Sweetie Pie" ...hee hee
Dad: Sweetie Pie! I think that is a good name!
Gracie: He's an adorable dog.
Lia and the dog, by Gracie
the dog who belonged to no one, by Isaac
"Sweetie Pie," by LilyAuthor: Amy Hest
Illustrator: Amy Bates
Published, 2008: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Like it? Find it
