Mrs. Donald's Dog Bun and His Home Away from Home

by William Maxwell, James Stevenson (Illustrator)

Dr. and Mrs. Donald's dog Bun dreams of living in his own little house instead of the Donalds' house, but when his wish comes true it is not as nice as he expected.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1995

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

William Keepers Maxwell Jr. was an American novelist, and fiction editor at the New Yorker. He studied at the University of Illinois and Harvard University. Maxwell wrote six highly acclaimed novels, a number of short stories and essays, children's stories, and a memoir, Ancestors (1972). His award-winning fiction, which is increasingly seen as some of the most important of the 20th Century, has recurring themes of childhood, family, loss and lives changed quietly and irreparably. Much of his work is autobiographical, particularly concerning the loss of his mother when he was 10 years old growing up in the rural Midwest of America and the house where he lived at the time, which he referred to as the "Wunderkammer" or "Chamber of Wonders". He wrote of his loss "It happened too suddenly, with no warning, and we none of us could believe it or bear it... the beautiful, imaginative, protected world of my childhood swept away." Since his death in 2000 several works of biography have appeared, including A William Maxwell Portrait: Memories and Appreciations (W. W. Norton & Co., 2004), My Mentor: A Young Man's Friendship with William Maxwell by Alec Wilkinson (Houghton-Mifflin, 2002), and William Maxwell: A Literary Life by Barbara Burkhardt (University of Illinois Press, 2005). In 2008 the Library of America published the first of two collections of William Maxwell, Early Novels and Stories, Christopher Carduff editor. His collected edition of William Maxwell's fiction, published to mark the writer's centenary, was completed by a second volume, Later Novels and Stories in the fall of 2008.'

Reviews

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

In addition to his excellent works for adults, William Maxwell wrote two children’s books. I didn’t find his much earlier The Heavenly Tenants satisfying, but this tale of “the grass isn’t always greener on the other side” is.

The illustrations by the prolific James Stevenson are charming and elevate the story. Seeing his work here reminded me of the several books I read to my children (oh so many years ago) that were illustrated by him.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the adult William Maxwell completist. I enjoyed this more than his other children's book - and liked the illustrations more as well.
Cute story and illustrations.

[Tuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

kids and picture books for adult/grownup literature. story of a dog who thought he wanted a home of his own, where he could do what he wants and not be treated lesser than he thought he deserved. spoiler, he ends up moving back with his family,
i like kids picture books for adult literature We Need a Horse etc

[Sandybear76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute book. Bun the dog feels that he needs his own home and fixes up a little shed out back of Mrs. Donald's home. Bun shows off his new home to the neighborhood dogs and soon has a houseful of dogs.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Poor Bun! Will he always be underfoot and in the way? Will anyone ever appreciate him? Forget the dead-beat Donalds! He knows when he isn’t wanted. Bun takes his fate into his own paws, making his own home, creating his own circle of friends, and reimagining his life to his own liking until his dream falls apart and his so-called friends turn on him. Bun realizes that the Donald’s crumbs of affection and the stinky scrap of carpet are all he deserves. Detailed watercolor illustrations show Bun’s descent into the doldrums of domestication.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story. Gaby liked the illustrations, which appeared to be done with watercolors.