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Odd Dog
Meet an odd dog, and watch him learn how to make friends.
Helmut is an odd dog. He doesn't like bones, he likes apples. In fact, he loves apples, and he can't bear the thought that his next-door neighbour Igor might be stealing them from his tree. Helmut lies awake at night, thinking of how he can protect his favourite food, but he has a big lesson to learn about Igor, and about himself.
Helmut is an odd dog. He doesn't like bones, he likes apples. In fact, he loves apples, and he can't bear the thought that his next-door neighbour Igor might be stealing them from his tree. Helmut lies awake at night, thinking of how he can protect his favourite food, but he has a big lesson to learn about Igor, and about himself.
32 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
July 5, 2018
The illustrations are lovely, nice colours, humouress and will appeal to dog loving children. The storyline is about sharing and friendship, nothing new or particularly interesting. One to get from the library rather than buy.
July 13, 2019
Great book about sharing - great art!
July 19, 2012
I think this book suffers from something I call "title snag". It is a really sweet story about a worry-wart dog who thinks his beloved apples are going to be gobbled up by the neighbor dog. But the neighbor dog doesn't even like apples so he is worrying for naught. The apples and the worry take center stage as does the resolution at the end where the dogs become best friends over a picnic of apples and bones. The title snag comes in after having read the book and realizing Peanut isn't that odd of a dog - he just loves apples. I would have titled it simply 'Peanut' or something having to do with apples. Nevertheless, I loved it - the illustrations are great and the text is sweet and relatable.
February 14, 2015
A funny little dog named Peanut does not care for bones. But he loves apples and the apple tree in his yard is his pride and joy. He loves apples so much that he worries incessantly that Milo, his neighbor on the other side of the fence, is secretly plotting to steal his apples. One day, when the biggest, juiciest apple hanging over the fence, drops into Milo’s yard, Peanut is distraught. But Milo, hands the apple over the fence to Peanut and says “Here you go, Peanut! This apple looks very ripe and juicy, and I know how much you love them.” Peanut is surprised: “Oh. Thank you. Um…would you like a bite?” “No, thank you very much,” said Milo. "I don’t really like apples. I love bones.” Wow! A story of sharing and kindness. Great find.
August 26, 2012
The dog is a little odd, but that isn't really what the story is about, so I think it is misnamed, unless the author goes on to have a series about the odd dog. This is a story about misjudging people and making friends.
The illustrations do not add enough to the story, in my opinion. They are too muted in color, and the dog needs more expression and more of a sense of action/motion. I do think preschool-age kids will enjoy this story.
The illustrations do not add enough to the story, in my opinion. They are too muted in color, and the dog needs more expression and more of a sense of action/motion. I do think preschool-age kids will enjoy this story.
July 26, 2016
Peanut is a dog that loves apples but not bones. An apple tree grows between Peanut's and Milo's yard. Peanut is afraid Milo will get an apple that belongs to him! When an apple does fall in Milo's dish, Peanut learns that Milo will share and, in any case, prefers bones.
This is a humorous book about sharing that young children will like because of the simple story told in a few words and the easy-to-understand drawings. The drawings add details to the story.
This is a humorous book about sharing that young children will like because of the simple story told in a few words and the easy-to-understand drawings. The drawings add details to the story.
June 24, 2012
The Goodreads description says the dogs' names are Helmut and Igor but the book itself uses the names Peanut and Milo. Hmmmm.... Interesting.
Cute story about an odd dog that loves apples more than bones and worries that the neighbor dog is going to steal the apples off his beloved backyard apple tree.
May 14, 2012
Funny read aloud picture book. Just reviewed in the NYTBR this past weekend--they called it hilarious and subversive. Peanut the dog loves the apples on his apple tree, and hates his next door neighbor dog, Max. Peanut is a seriously weird little pooch, but Max makes a friend of him eventually. The art is fab.
July 7, 2012
Peanut is obsessive-compulsive about his apple tree, simultaneously admiring its crop and worried that his neighbor will steal some of his precious apples. In a classic "grass is always greener" twist, it turns out he has nothing to worry about. The limited color palette and block print style gives this a retro feel.
December 10, 2014
So this dog Peanut lives under an apple tree because he LOVES APPLES. But he's afraid that his neighbor (some other dog) is going to get the best apple which is hanging over his dog house. But you know what? His neighbor doesn't even LIKE apples!! So when the apple falls, he gives it to Peanut and just eats a bone instead. And that's when they become best friends. So that just goes to show you.
June 23, 2012
Peanut is an odd dog - he loves apples, not bones. He's worried that his neighbor, Milo, will steal all the apples from the tree between their yards. But then Milo does something to make Peanut very happy. This would be a fun read aloud and great for a discussion about making new friends.
July 20, 2012
Claudia Boldt has a very unique style to her illustrations and a new take on freindship found when least expected. I am going to be seeking out her earlier titles.
My full review at:
http://bit.ly/Qg09vV
My full review at:
http://bit.ly/Qg09vV
October 5, 2015
This is a change for me: I did not like the cover art, and I really did not like the title, but I did really like the story within the poorly titled book. If I were that author, I would look into re-titling that book and re-releasing it with more compelling cover art.
May 11, 2017
So cute! I love when authors write dog voices just as I imagine my own dogs talk. Poor Helmut and I are kindred spirits. This would be a good story for kids experiencing anxiety. Or for a lesson in sharing!
August 8, 2012
Peanut has some anxiety issues. I love him, and his wobbly body, and the print-block type illustration.
August 15, 2012
As my co-worker put it, "boring". The turn for the better is nice, but overall it's just not that interesting.
September 22, 2017
I'm a sucker for a book with a dachshund in it ;-)
September 8, 2018
This is one of the few children's books I've read that deals explicitly with the idea that wealth is not a zero-sum game.
October 2, 2018
There once was an apple obsessed dog named Peanut. Peanut was odd because instead of bones he loved to eat apples from his apple tree.
A cute story about friendship and sharing.
A cute story about friendship and sharing.
February 17, 2021
This was a cute story about friendship and sharing. The illustrations are simple and sweet! It’s a good book to grab from the library for the dog loving littles.
January 31, 2025
Cute and easy to read!
January 9, 2020
This is about a dog called Helmut who doesn’t eat bones but apples! The dog fears about losing his apples so he counts them every morning when he wakes up. One day the best apple was about to fall into another dog’s garden so Helmut did everything he could to try and stop it. Unfortunately, it didn’t work and it landed in Igor's bowl (the dog next door). Igor shared it and Helmut showed his gratefulness by inviting Igor for a picnic where they became friends. A lovely end to the story. This can teach children the theme of sharing.
July 18, 2012
Peanut the dog (I think he's a dachsund) really likes apples. Maybe a little too much. He becomes obsessed with the apple tree in his yard, keeping a daily count of the apples because he's afraid that the neighbor dog - Milo - is plotting to steal them. When the best apple on the tree is about to fall, Peanut's anxiety goes into overdrive as he tries to find a way to keep it from falling into the wrong yard (Milo always gets the best of everything!). Peanut's efforts come to no avail, but he gets a surprise anyway, when the apple finally makes its descent.
I don't think it's particularly odd for a dog to like apples, though, so the title "Odd Dog" didn't really work for me. A more accurate/descriptive title would be "Neurotic Dog," but I'm guessing that wouldn't have as much appeal for the book's intended audience. I found it kind of disturbing how much Peanut *worried* about the apples and how suspicious he was of Milo. Is this just going to make kids think that they have to worry about/protect the stuff that they love, too? Because someone might take it away?
I don't think it's particularly odd for a dog to like apples, though, so the title "Odd Dog" didn't really work for me. A more accurate/descriptive title would be "Neurotic Dog," but I'm guessing that wouldn't have as much appeal for the book's intended audience. I found it kind of disturbing how much Peanut *worried* about the apples and how suspicious he was of Milo. Is this just going to make kids think that they have to worry about/protect the stuff that they love, too? Because someone might take it away?
February 9, 2017
A sweet story about sharing...featuring a cute dachshund.
October 20, 2012
Peanut the dog is obsessed with apples. So obsessed, in fact, that he imagines his neighbor Milo is going to end up with his big, juicy apple. When the apple falls in Milo's bowl, he offers it to Peanut and the two become friends. A nice friendship story that shows a character with a kind and generous heart.
July 30, 2012
Unlike most dogs, Peanut doesn't love bones. His passion is apples! Convenient, since he has a large beautiful apple tree in his back yard filled with tasty goodness. A few of the apple tree's branches hang over the neighbors yard. Peanut constantly worries that his neighbor will steal some his precious apples. Fun story and read aloud. A lesson in sharing can be fun as well.
May 25, 2012
Peanut, an odd dog who doesn't like bones, but apples, worries that his next-door neighbor, Milo, might steal all the apples from his tree, but Peanut discovers something about Milo (and himself) that changes everything.
April 3, 2013
This is a strange tale about a dog who loves apples to the point of obsession. The narrative is short and the illustrations are colorful and cartoonish, so it would likely appeal to younger children. The ending is quite predictable, but nice. We enjoyed reading this book together.
February 17, 2013
Kind of cute, kind of quirky, kind of funny... I enjoyed the art, too. Odd is convinced his neighbor is out to get his apples, but eventually discovers that his neighbor may not care about the same things he does, and that maybe they can actually be friends.
May 15, 2021
Helmut (schon dieser Name!) steht nicht so auf Knochen, seine Leidenschaft sind Äpfel. Wenn nur sein geliebter Apfelbaum nicht in Nachbars Garten ragen würde, wo Hund Igor haust. Und bestimmt schon seinen Raubzug auf Helmuts Äpfel plant! Eine niedliche Geschichte über Toleranz und Freundschaft.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews