Le Chien que Nino n'avait pas

by Edward van de Vendel, Anton Van Hertbruggen (Illustrations)

Le chien que Nino n avait pas faisait semblant d etre un ecureuil dans les bois, aimait plonger dans le lac et osait meme sauter sur les genoux de la grand-mere. Bien sur, maman ne voyait pas le chien que Nino n avait pas. Seul Nino le voyait. Jusqu au jour ou Nino recut un chien. Un chien que tout le monde pouvait voir Un album entre reve et realite, magnifiquement illustre.

"

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Dogs, Animals, Fiction, Pets, Family

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 2013

Reviews

[Danielle]

Inventive and original. Beautifully written. Unusual visuals. I like it when I've never seen it (read it) before. Wow.

[Yalonda]

I don't often review the picture books I read since I move through so many. I've only just started adding them to Goodreads. The Dog That Nino Didn't Have is pretty peculiar. It's oddly moving and leaves--for me--a lingering melancholy. I'm not actually sure how I feel about this book, other than...moved. I don't know to what audience I would read TDTNDH, what demographic of child, if any. But I know that it's left me buzzing and contemplative and that's a wonderful thing.

[Ivenka]

Prachtig prentenboek met super mooie tekeningen. Het gaat over Nino en zijn fantasiehondje. Dit hondje durft en begrijpt alles. Dan krijgt Nino een echt hondje dat niet alles durft en begrijpt. En dus verzint Nino andere dieren zoals de zebra, de beer, giraffe. Nino is duidelijk erg eenzaam (zijn ouders hebben geen tijd voor hem) en heeft zijn fantasiedieren nodig als vriendjes. Ook de sfeervolle tekeningen ademen deze eenzaamheid. Zo mooi dit boek!

[Edward Sullivan]

Nothing beats having an imaginary dog for a constant companion except for a real one. A charming, sensitive example how imagination can provide comfort.

[Inger]

Het verhaal is mooi. Erg bijzonder hoe de fantasie van kinderen omschreven wordt. De platen vind ik echter wat hysterisch.

[Deb]

I love the style of the illustrations in this book. I really like how they show the imaginary animals. It's easy to join in with Nino's imagination. I'd like to see more books by this illustrator. It's interesting how Nino seems to enjoy the imaginary animals more than his eventual real dog. The sad "salty tears" and the dad who is far away show why Nino might want to use his imagination. This is a really good book.

[Edmundo Mantilla]

Extraño. No recordaba que había leído este libro antes. Aquello no debería hablar mal del libro, sino de mi memoria, porque es un cuento emotivo, bellamente ilustrado, triste y al que quizá he llegado de nuevo para aceptar que tras la pérdida de un perro también pueden habitar con nosotros los perros que nunca tuvimos... y los rinocerontes... y los perros que todavía tenemos.

[Tasha]

Nino has a dog, but it’s a dog he never had. It’s invisible to everyone else, but Nino can see it clearly. It’s a dog that climbs trees like a squirrel, loves deep water, and likes salty tears. But one day, that dog disappeared and a new dog took his place. It was a dog that everyone could see, one that had it’s own personality that is completely different from Nino’s other dog. Soon though, Nino is enjoying the new dog. But that doesn’t stop him from thinking up lots more animals that he’s also never had.

Just opening this book, you know you are in for a strange and beautiful treat. Originally published in Belgium, the book carries that elusive European flavor about it. The concept of an invisible friend or pet is not a new one, but as it is done here it takes on extra weight and meaning. Here, the pretend dog is a companion for a lonely boy, a comfort when he needs one, and someone who understands that he misses his father desperately. His real dog can’t quite do all of that at first, but he steadily does take over those duties just in a different way. This is a book about change, resilience and the imagination.

The art here is part of weaving that odd world. It is done in 70s angles and styles with the A-frame houses and long, low station wagons as vehicles. Even the colors hearken back to that time. The book is filled with night skies and bright hot days. Some pages are busy with details while others are open and wide white. Beautiful, strange and wondrous.

This is a strikingly unique book that will speak to anyone who is missing a parent and needs a dog of their own to help. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

[Vera Godley]

The author and illustrator capture the essence of a boy. Of a boy's imagination and how he lives and acts out on his imagination. Of a boy's sadness over the distance or lack of involvement of his father in the boy's life.

Nino wants a dog so his imagination conjures up the dog and he has adventures with chasing squirrels, swimming, and daring to jump in grandma's lap. Finally, this imaginary dog is no more and the reason is that Nino now has a real dog. At the end of the book, Nino is imagining zebras, giraffes, and a plethora of animals not destined to be pets.

The illustrations are not cutsey or in pastels or bold primary colors. No, they are bold strokes of browns, greens, blacks and splashed and splayed all over the pages. This speaks to the vivid imagination and dreams of a young boy - ideas that are bold, ideas that varied, ideas that literally can reach for the stars.

An interesting book and parents or teaches can evoke many conversations and thoughts out of the young charges with whom they read this book.

DISLOSURE: I won a "galley copy" of this book

[David Rachel]

This fun book is about a child named Nino who has an active imagination. He has strong feelings of loneliness and to combat those feelings Nino creates an imaginary dog. His imaginary friend comforts, plays, and takes Nino on adventures. Nino's ideas and adventures begin to change when a new member enters his circle. Nino gets a real dog and at first Nino does not know how to feel about this. Eventually Nino learns to love the real dog but that does not stop Nino from creating other animal friends.

This book falls into the genre of realistic fiction as it set into an everyday real world setting. Nino struggles with the feelings of loneliness as do many people. Although, he is creating imaginary characters this is something that many children around the world do. In reality more children should create and live just as Nino does. Even though Nino is sad at some points in the story he motivates himself to be better. This book would be good for young children ages 3-7 in my opinion.

[Paula]

Ok, I'm giving this five stars, because *I* thought it was amazing, and *I* really loved the art, and *I* am now wondering how hard it would be to build an A-frame cabin on my parents' property in the mountains. But I am fifty years old. I think this book has limited kid appeal. Which, I've said before, I think is fine. Picture books for kids twelve and up, yes, that should totally be a thing. Many picture book masterpieces fit that market.

But just in case someone's looking at this and thinking 'Five stars! I'll get that for my 6-year-old niece!' I would say, not so much.

[Sigrid]

'Wat een bijzondere zin is dat!' zei mijn zoon van 10, toen hij het boek 'Het hondje dat Nino niet had' zag liggen op tafel. Dat vond ik eigenlijk ook. De voorkant van het prentenboek sprak mij niet meteen aan. Ik denk, dat ik het boek niet meteen zelf had uitgekozen, maar toen ik ging lezen was ik aangenaam verrast. Wat een prachtige zinnen en bijzondere platen. Een beetje filosofisch. Ik kan niet wachten om het boek in mijn groep voor te lezen. Ik ben heel benieuwd of ze het net zo mooi vinden...

(4e boek Boekenbingo 2016)

[Kristi]

Story of a boy who deal with loneliness and missing his father by imagining a perfect dog as a companion. But then he gets a dog that everyone can see and that dog acts differently than his imaginary one did. It's still a good dog, though, and Nino enjoys spending time with the dog, even if he misses the dog he didn't have. Then he realizes that his imagination is flexible and expansive. He gets a deer he didn't have, and a zebra and a giraffe and lots and lots of dogs he doesn't have. Illustrations are gorgeous!

[Rozemarijn]

Prachtig prentenboek, al lijkt het de doelgroep te ontstijgen. Het verhaal is namelijk niet enorm toegankelijk vanwege de poëtische aard. De illustraties zijn mijn favoriete deel van het werk en daar ben ik niet de enige in: de internationale pers spreekt lovend over het werk, maar voornamelijk de illustraties. Het beeld dat wordt geschetst doet bijna Amerikaans/Canadees aan: avonturen in donkere uitgestrekte dennenbossen, donkere sterrenhemels en auto's uit de 60s. That, I like .

[Nadine]

#loss #imaginary vivid illustrations of a young boy and his environment including an imaginary dog, references to an absent father, and a feared grandmother, a lot of yearning hidden in the images and text.

[Daphne]

Zeer gestyleerde mixed media illustraties - die doen denken aan vroege zestiger jaren minimalistische films met grote auto's en het bos. Een wat treurig verhaal over fantasievriendjes/diertjes. Geschikt om voor te lezen vanaf 5 jaar staat op de flap - ik weet het niet...

[serenity]

The story about Nino and the dog he didn't have was a short, but adorable read. The illustrations were AMAZING. I absolutely loved them. I went page to page just to admire the artwork after I finished reading the story.


*Received a copy in exchange for a review*

[Kimberly]

A strange, strange book. Where does Nino live? It looks like he lives in the backwoods of Louisiana. I was not at all a fan of the illustration style, but to each their own! A heavy overtone of sadness in this book that the dog can't quite make all better.

[Carrie Gelson]

Oh my, my, my. These illustrations are beyond amazing. And I love the thoughtful, philosophical aspect of the storyline.

[Meghan Hunt]

I loved the artwork and the visual composition of this book and the general idea of the story, but it's really clunky to read. It's almost a tongue twister.

[Robin]

The Dog Nino Didn't Have by Edward van de Vendel is a story about Nino and his imaginary friend. They go on adventures through the woods together and area always together. The imaginary dog and Nino play in the lake together, and Nino imagines the dog giving him affection, such as licking his face. The imaginary dog also makes Nino feel better whenever his dad has to travel for work. Nino eventually gets a real dog. The real dog is not what Nino was expecting because it acts differently from what he imagined a real dog would be. At first he was disappointed, but learns to appreciate that he has a new friend.

This is a good example of a modern children's picturebook. The plot deals with a main character who is lonely because his father is always working, which is a common thing in today's society. The illustrations are colorful, often showing towns of deep red and various hues of blue or brown. The dogs (both imaginary and real) are interesting companions to Nino. His initial dissatisfaction is also something that young readers may relate to. They may desire for something to act like they thought, but they overcome the initial dissatisfaction once they learn to understand the needs anything from a new pet, to a new toy. It was a good read and the illustrations were beautiful, I recommend it for younger readers.

[Christie Kaaland]

A young boy's imaginative chimeric occurrence with his wished-for dog. In words by Van de Venel and in dynamic illustrations by Van Heribruggen, this Dutch team make a wonderful collaboration.

Nino enacts all the activities and adventures that he and his wished-for dog experience. Perhaps, the imaginary dog also enacts that which Nino wishes he had the courage to do: chasing squirrels, diving deep into the water, and jumping on his grandma's lap. His imaginary dog is also his consolate when he misses his dad who is away. One day, he comes home from playing in the woods to find a box with his name on it. Inside is a REAL dog. A real dog is different in many ways, but with a real dog to love, Nino dreams broaden to include giraffes, zebras, and deer. Or just maybe it's because he's less lonely that his dreams expand. The interpretive nature of both the art and storyline are pure beauty.

Van Heribruggen's woodsy palette range, terracotta to espresso, warms the outdoor setting as Nino scampers with (both his imaginary and real) dog near his home which sometimes seems almost tent-like and other times has the feel of modern A-frame home.

This universal story walks the fine line between the real world and a fantasy, creative, imaginative world that lies in the realm of the imagination of children.

[Ramon Requena]

This story focuses on a boy that has an imaginary dog who plays with him at all times. This comes about the fact that boy does not see his father and is lonely for the most part. Once he gets a real dog, he starts playing with this dog and also starts to imagine more animals to fill the void within him. The story has a very bland pace to it but the points are interesting enough to follow.
The media of the book is colored pencil and it gives the pages a rough feeling to them. Even though there are many colors in the art, they all appear to be stripped down in brightness. However the art also has bland effect to it that connects to the writing and thus not creating an exciting story.
This book presents the idea of a child missing their parents and foiling this void with imagination. That is an emotional theme that can connect to almost anyone; thus, this book can work well as a way to reach to students who may be experiencing things like this. This can be a good tool for teachers to use with individual students.

[Meester Geert]

Dit boek heb ik in de klas gelegd voor de zwakke lezer met een grote fantasie.

Thema’s zoals gescheiden ouders en eenzaamheid spelen een grote rol. De tekening in het midden van het boek met een grote groep flamingo’s die plotseling opvliegt steekt qua kleur en beweging heel erg af met de rest van het boek en komt daardoor heftig binnen!

Leuk verhaal is dat ik én de bibliothecaresse ontzettend lang hebben gezocht naar het boek!🥵
Wat bleek? Een kind had het boek verstopt onder een kast, precies wat ik ook altijd deed wanneer ik een boek met niemand wilde delen!!

Het boek is inmiddels weer ingeleverd bij de bieb en mocht je het niet vinden weet je waar je kijken moet 😏.

[John]

I like this book because WOOF WOOF the dog was imaginary; he thought he had a dog but he really did not because it was imaginary. And whenever people saw him, they didn't see him because he was imaginary. My opinion was mostly about: I didn't really like the illustrations; this was more or a grownup book, or maybe a teenager book. And because I didn't like the words. It was not super imaginary, the only imaginary thing was the dog; the part that I mostly liked was the end.

[Ricki]

My son picked up The Dog that Nino Didn't Have by Edward van de Vendel. It's a quiet book that feels very ethereal. I was enthralled with the lyrical language, and I enjoyed it. The book is odd, and it is quite philosophical. I suspect folks either love or hate this one, which always offers space for great conversations!

[Phobean]

A unique, playful examination of the difference between imagination and reality, and how fantasy doesn't necessarily get displaced when what's imagined comes true. Fascinating, unusual illustrations with a deep, limited color pallet and layered with complexity and quirk that compliments the text.

[WaterLeafa_]

Bought this on a book fair and have read it about 4 to 5 times since then. The illustrations are beautifully done with immaculate colors and the story has various interpretations it almost seems like it can be what you need it to be! Truthfully a lovely picture book.

[Helene]

3.5

[Cynthia]

Beautiful illustrations, but the story was kind of sad and even a wee bit forgettable for me. . .