Dream Dog

by Lou Berger, David Catrow (Illustrator)

Written by a ten-time Emmy Award winner and former head writer for  Sesame Street,  here's a story that will resonate with every dog-loving child out there. Harry wants wants wants a dog, and, instead of getting one, his parents try to placate him with a pet that's decidedly less interesting—a lizard. So Harry takes matters into his own hands and places his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet on his head, and soon something—with paws! a tail! a wet nose!—pops into the world. Sure, nobody else can see the dog named Waffle, but that doesn't matter to Harry. But what happens when a real dog comes into his life? Catrow's signature loose drawings and Berger's humorous text bring the bond between a boy and his dog exuberantly to life.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Childrens, Pets, Animals, Humor, Storytime

40 pages, Library Binding

First published September 10, 2013

Reviews

[Kelly]

Working in a library on weekends many children's books catch my eye. This one was one. It is beautifully illustrated and the story is very touching. I would recommend this as a gift for any little one who loves dogs whether they have one or not.

[Luna]

This was good but our dog didn't seem too interested (:

[Margaret]

As soon as I saw the cover of Dream Dog written by Lou Berger with illustrations by David Catrow, I knew it was going to become a favorite. It's about wishing your dreams into existence. It's about the bonds between a father and his son. It's about love. I love this book, I really do. Share it now with as many people as you can.

My full review: http://bit.ly/1fuePPg

[Jenny]

Harry really wants a dog, but they make his dad sneeze. So he uses his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet to create an imaginary dog. Only Harry can see Waffle. They run up and down stairs, play hide-and-seek, chase clouds. One day, Harry's dad decides to get him a real, live dog. Harry introduces his two dogs to each other and Harry and the two dogs joyfully go outside to play and chase clouds.

[Tasha]

Harry wants a dog, but his father works at a pepper factory and sneezes all the time, so he won’t let Harry have a dog. Instead they get Harry a chameleon who turns colors, but Harry doesn’t love the chameleon. Luckily a friend of his does, so he gives her the chameleon. Harry decides that he will try to imagine up a dog with his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet. Suddenly there is a dog in his room. Harry names the dog Waffle and the two of them do everything together. No one else can see Waffle, but that doesn’t bother Harry in the least. After all, no one could really see the chameleon either. Then Harry’s father is let go from the pepper factory and goes into ping-pong balls instead. He brings home a real dog for Harry, but what about Waffle?

Berger was the head writer of Sesame Street for over a decade and my does his expertise shine here. His tone is playful and filled with joy. He creates humor out of what could have been a sad story. The ending is heartfelt and beautiful, dancing the perfect balance of loss and cheer. This book reads aloud wonderfully, actually begging to be shared.

Catrow’s illustrations are much calmer than many of his previous books. They still have a great energy to them but they also have a distinct sweetness that mellows them as well as a focus of a tale that is all about love of a dog.

Even in the crowded shelves of dog books, this is something special. It is a picture book that speaks to the power of imagination and dreams. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

[Mary]

This is a great book for children who love dogs and who may not be able to have one of their own. A little boy dreams up his own dog, and even though others can't see it, it is incredibly special and important to him. The illustrations are highly entertaining and the story is full of love. Longer text precludes this to an older child with a higher attention span.

[Lisa]

This story is wonderfully imaginative and makes me think of other titles that demonstrate such imagination. What do you do when you want something so much but adults tell you "No"? Well, Harry just puts on his X35 helmet and gets himself a dog.

It was a wonderful romp with great illustrations and a poignant ending. I can't wait to develop a storytime around this title for my students.

[Mary Ann]

David Catrow's illustrations are as wackily charming as ever. This reminds me of one of our favorites, I Wanna Iguana. But here, the overall effect is much sweeter as it celebrates a kid's imagination. I especially like the ending.

[Fjóla]

I'm very partial to illustrator David Catrow, but this is one of his cuter ones. I would have framed and hung some of the picture spreads. And a sweet story.

[Jen]

So cute. Imagination comes to life... then it's no longer needed, so gently drifts away.

[Ramon Requena]

This story of an imaginary pet dog is an imaginative idea of how an imaginary friend can fill the void a child has. Here, a boy imagines a pet dog that he plays with and loves. Later on a real dog is introduced and thus the boy matures and accepts his real pet, saying goodbye to his old friend. This book is as creative as a boy can be in this situation.
The media used in this book is soft colored pencils that cramp the art in each page but does not make the pages uncomfortable. The amount of detail in each page is great as the eye is constantly caught by all the activity in the art.
This story of the boy and his dog is a creative idea of how a child can imaginatively mature while still being creatively young. In a class, this book serves as a story break within a lesson of this subject.

[Lila Diller]

This was a cute story about a boy who wants a dog really bad but his dad works at a pepper factory and sneezes around dogs. So he makes up his own imaginary dog. I'm not sure I liked the ending where he had to say goodbye to his "dream dog," but because he got a real dog, he no longer needed his imaginary one. It almost gave the idea that we can disregard friendships and relationships if someone better comes along. However, that's probably reading too much into it. My 8-yr-old kept saying he wasn't interested in it (the cover didn't catch his interest), but I had chosen it from the library for him, so I made him just listen to the first couple of pages to see if he liked it. He was enthralled and didn't want to stop! ;) He really liked it after all. So I give it 4 stars.

[Aolund]

Harry can't have a dog due to his father's job-induced nose sensitivity (he works at the "Pepper Mill"), so he puts on his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet and imagines his dream dog into being. Waffle, as he names his dog, is a wonderful companion. But then, Harry is able to get a real live flesh-and-blood dog. What will happen now that he has a real friend and an imaginary one?

I loved this whimsical, playfully illustrated book about dreaming your desires into being. Funny, well-paced, and all-around delightful.

[Erin *BookDragon_Library*]

Cute illustrations. Nice story about a kid wanting a pet dog. His dad sneezes when around dogs because he works at a pepper factory. He tries to get a lizard but gives it to a neighbor and then has an imaginary dog made out of clouds. In the end he gets a dog and the dream dog eventually returns to the clouds.

[BiblioBeruthiel]

This book is so sweet and resonates with anyone who ever wanted a dog and was told they couldn't get one. I love the art and the story is so sweet. A bit long for storytime, but could be workable if I ever have an older group.

[Cara Young]

Love and imagination are boundless
Join Harry and Waffle in their wonderful adventure!
bonus: Galileo who has quite a sense of fashion

[Kelly]

Loved the illustrations. The story is filled with imagination and silliness.

[정진 장]

Nice book .You can see that he naming imaginary firends are something very creative activities.

[Michelle]

A bit long for young readers.

[Sparrow]

Not for me.

[Jeimy]

I was liking this one, but then Harry is perfectly content letting Waffles (who, granted, is an imaginary dog) to run away just because he looks happy. Nope. You don't let a beloved pet go.

[daestoevsky]

A great children's book! The illustrations are so vibrant too!

[Ms. B]

Cute dog story about a boy who ends up with two dogs despite his father's allergies. David Catrow's illustrations are delightful.

[Hope]

Checked out from Benbrook Library

[Diane]

Harry wants a dog, but his father's job at the pepper factory makes having a pet dog impossible. So Harry takes his "X-35 InfraRocket Imagination Helmet" and creates a dog. Of course, no one else can see the dog, but Harry and Waffle are inseparable. Until Dad loses his job, gets a new one and is able to buy his son a dog. What will Harry do? This new dog, Bumper, doesn't seem to see Waffle. Until he gives Bumper the imagination helmet. Or did he really just see a squirrel outside the window? A satisfying ending in which Waffle chases a cloud and goes back up into the sky and Harry is happy that Waffle is happy.

A celebration of the power of a child's imagination. The story is charming and students will relate to Harry's desire for a pet and his imaginative solution. As always, David Catrow's illustrations are hilarious in their details. A definite addition to my library.

[Paula]

Dream Dog is a sweet tribute to the power of imagination and the special bond between a boy and his pet. Catrow's trademark, offbeat illustrations and Berger's humorous text combine to tell the dynamic story of young Harry's quest for a pet. From the wacky, color-changing lizard to the cloud-like fluffiness of Waffle the dog, Harry's world is brought to exuberant, fanciful life. Lou Berger, a head writer for Sesame Street for 11 years, expertly handles the fine line between reality and imagination, as Harry struggles between his beloved imaginary dog and his new real-life one. The book ends with Waffle, having served his purpose, racing after a cloud and floating away, while Harry and his new best friend snuggle up to read a book. A buoyant, yet thoughtful examination of a common childhood experience - imaginary friends.

[Becky]

Harry wants a dog, but his father' nose is very sensitive, and he sneezes with just the thought of a dog. So Harry uses his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet to "create a dog from deep within his own brain." The dog comes alive, at least to Harry, and is named Waffle.

I loved the imagination in this story! The X-35 helmet is "made out of an old football helmet, with lots of silvery aluminum foil that stuck up..." Waffle is real to Harry, even when his imaginary status is pointed out by the girl down the street.

The one hesitation I had with the book was that in the end Harry gets a real dog. Most of the time a child is told "no" about something as important as a pet the answer does not change. This is probably not a good story to be reading to those kids.

[Dolly]

We are big fans of David Catrow's illustrations, so whenever I see a picture book cover with his inimitable illustrative style, I know I have to borrow it from our library.

This is a wonderful book about children and their pets and the joys of an active imagination. The story is entertaining and shows how even a family allergy cannot stop a young boy from having the dog of his dreams. I loved the ending and overall, it was a very touching story. We really enjoyed reading this book together.

[Sara Grochowski]

Harry's father is allergic to dogs, which means Harry can never have one, no matter how much he asks. His dad gets him a chameleon, hoping it will satisfy Harry... and he does like it, but it's not a dog. So one day puts on his X-35 Infra-Rocket Imagination Helmet and dreams up a dog who won't trouble his father's allergies. Waffle is wonderful and it doesn't matter in the least that no one else can see her! Humorous and colorful illustrations complement this wonderful tale about creativity and the incomparable love between a boy and his dog! I adore DREAM DOG!

[The Brothers]

Harry is a little boy who desperately wants a dog, unfortunately he father is allergic because of his job in a pepper factory (makes his nose super sensitive). So Harry uses an imagination helmet of his own design to imagine a dog into existence (think Calvin with Hobbes). Harry and Waffle (his imagined dog) have the kind of fun only a boy and his dog can have. But then, through a series of circumstance, Harry is presented with a REAL dog. What will happen to Waffle now? Story ends well and poignantly.

Great illustrations (as always when David Catrow does the artwork).