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Hairy Maclary #1
Hairy Maclary From Donaldson's Dairy
Hairy Maclary goes off for a walk with a few of his friends - and comes up against a nasty surprise, in the shape of the cat Scarface Claw, who chases the dogs away. This bestselling story is now available as an adorable mini paperback in a brand new series of Pocket Puffins.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
44 people are currently reading
2394 people want to read
About the author
Lynley Dodd
124 books155 followersDame Lynley Dodd is an internationally celebrated writer for children whose titles are highly regarded and much loved by her readers in New Zealand and around the world. Her stories are known for their lively sound qualities, curious animal characters, and the memorable illustrations that accompany the text. Lynley has received numerous awards, both for her writing and illustration, and in 2002 she was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to children’s literature.
Lynley was a founding member of Bookrapt in 1983.
Lynley was a founding member of Bookrapt in 1983.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews
December 30, 2014
Rhyming book for kids. Well done but ca be a bit of a tongue twister after a while. No real plot just lots of dogs. If you want a good laugh from your kids, read this to them, faster each page!
July 13, 2018
My children and now my grandchildren absolutely love this book of rhyme. One of the children's all time favourites and mine too.
July 4, 2013
Following the resounding success of my Locus Quest, I faced a dilemma: which reading list to follow it up with? Variety is the spice of life, so I’ve decided to diversify and pursue six different lists simultaneously. This book falls into my BEDTIME STORIES list.
I have a little boy and love reading to him, so this reading list will cover the classic (and new) children’s stories we’re enjoying together.
It was my son's first birthday last week and the boy got so many presents we're struggling to find space for them in our little house!
Amongst the loot we hauled home was half a dozen books - and Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's dairy is my pick of the lot.
The funny thing about reviewing toddler books is that you could easily use more words in the review than there are in the book itself!
It's a lovely little poem about a dog (Hairy Maclary) who takes himself for a walk and gets joined, one at a time, by his pack. Each dog has it's own rhyming couplet (eg, Hairy Maclary, from Donaldson's Dairy - Hercules Morse, as big as a horse) and as each extra dog joins we start the cumulative list again from the top, in the same way as There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly .
The pics are very cute and reading the rhymes aloud made me smile. Finley (my kiddo) is still too young to really appreciate it, but we've made the bedtime story a sacrosanct part of our routine since he was born, so at the moment it's more about which books we like more.
My wife and I both like dogs - which probably helps us enjoy this one! We don't have a dog at the moment (we have three cats) but we're currently planning to get a puppy for Fin's 5th birthday. If anyone's interested, we're hoping to get a Toller retriever.
They're cute, huh?
After this I read: When the World Is Ready for Bed
December 27, 2022
My all-time favourite kids book to buy as a present. Last week was the birth of our first great niece, and I had to get her a copy - of course, had to read it again myself. The rhythm is so addictive and calming, the story builds up gradually. Each new dog is introduced, with its own rhyme (ie. Schnitzel von Krumm with a very low tum) and picture - then the preceding dogs are all named again: dada dididah dada dididah .... all going out for a nice quiet walk. But then - suddenly - a cat: SCARFACE CLAW!!!!!! And they all race home to bed.
This time I got a heavy card hardback - but I've also bought normal hardbacks and paperbacks. A wonderful book for children - and adults - that just begs to be read aloud.
previous review:
This book sadly wasn't around when I was a child, but I have read it so many times as an adult - sometimes to real children, but just as often to myself. I just love the rhymes and the rhythm of the book. Every child should be exposed to this book (repeatedly!)
This time I got a heavy card hardback - but I've also bought normal hardbacks and paperbacks. A wonderful book for children - and adults - that just begs to be read aloud.
previous review:
This book sadly wasn't around when I was a child, but I have read it so many times as an adult - sometimes to real children, but just as often to myself. I just love the rhymes and the rhythm of the book. Every child should be exposed to this book (repeatedly!)
October 5, 2018
Repetitive rhyming book for kids, originally published in the 1980's - but, the book seems to have a nostalgic feel to it - I honestly thought it was from the forties or fifties. There isn't much of a story, but the illustrations are beyond adorable!
A real treat for dog-lovers of all ages!
A real treat for dog-lovers of all ages!
June 9, 2021
Hairy Maclary, who lived at Donaldson's Dairy, is joined by his friends, Hercules Morse, a dog who was 'as big as a horse', Bottomley Potts, a Dalmatian who was, not surprisingly, 'covered in spots', Muffin McLay, a cute little dog who was 'like a bundle of hay', Blitzer Malone, a Greyhound 'all skinny and bony', Schnizel von Krumm, a Dachshund with 'a very low tum', went together for a walk past the shops and the park into town.
Everything was fine until the toughest Tom in town, Scarface Claw, approached them with a mighty 'OWWWFFTZ!' and they all scarped back home and went to bed!
Quite a character is Hairy and beautifully drawn, as are all his pals, by the author.
Note: I bought this along with five other Hairy MacLary books at a car boot sale this last weekend. What attracted me was they were in a delightfully designed, perfectly fitting, canvas bag by Lynley Dodd with the Puffin Logo on it and as a collector of everything related to Penguin and Puffin books, I just had to have it!
Everything was fine until the toughest Tom in town, Scarface Claw, approached them with a mighty 'OWWWFFTZ!' and they all scarped back home and went to bed!
Quite a character is Hairy and beautifully drawn, as are all his pals, by the author.
Note: I bought this along with five other Hairy MacLary books at a car boot sale this last weekend. What attracted me was they were in a delightfully designed, perfectly fitting, canvas bag by Lynley Dodd with the Puffin Logo on it and as a collector of everything related to Penguin and Puffin books, I just had to have it!
October 18, 2023
Truly a harrowing tale with a twist you could never see coming but I learnt something.
…
Cats are still superior though - F.A.N.G and C.F.N.G
…
Cats are still superior though - F.A.N.G and C.F.N.G
November 18, 2018
A great story, with a colourful cast of dogs ranging from Hercules Morse (‘as big as a horse’) to Muffin McClay (‘a bundle of hay’) and the eponymous Hairy Maclary, from Donaldson’s Dairy. The gang go for a doggy strut downtown – only to be sent packing by Scarface Claw, the toughest tom in town.
April 22, 2013
A classic Kiwi story which my kids loved when they were little.
July 6, 2016
I named my two turtles after characters from this book when I was a kid.
September 14, 2020
A very Pleasant family read time.
September 26, 2025
Got this on inter-library loan to show my partner since he didn’t grow up in NZ, thank you to the BC libraries staff ❤️ a bit more repetitive than I remember but all good!
September 2, 2013
Hairy Maclary by Lynley Dodd
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy is a fabulous book full of rhyme, repetition and rhythm – and funny animals! The book tells the story of scruffy dog Hairy Maclary meeting up with different dog friends who are all out for a walk. The dogs are all fantastically described, being all different shapes and sizes and are given fun, imaginative names. Each dog is happy to be outside, sniffing the air and snooping at every door, when suddenly they encounter Scarface Claw, the toughest Tom in town. This causes all of the dogs to run home in a scatter, a wail and a howl.
This book is excellent for introducing rhyming words, and repetition. All of the dogs have rhyming names, and a phrase describing them. As Hairy Maclary meets another dog, they are all added to a long list, which encourages children to repeat the names and remember the rhymes and alliteration. The fun names are silly and purposefully long, which is more enjoyable for children to hear and repeat.
I feel this book would be good for a range of ages. It can be read to younger children, as it has such bright and fun pictures, and then followed by a discussion about the characters and the names. Older children would enjoy reading this as well and it is a great way to inspire poetry and rhythm in their own writing. I think it could inspire very creative writing, with children making up their own animals out for a walk and then giving them imaginative names.
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy is a fabulous book full of rhyme, repetition and rhythm – and funny animals! The book tells the story of scruffy dog Hairy Maclary meeting up with different dog friends who are all out for a walk. The dogs are all fantastically described, being all different shapes and sizes and are given fun, imaginative names. Each dog is happy to be outside, sniffing the air and snooping at every door, when suddenly they encounter Scarface Claw, the toughest Tom in town. This causes all of the dogs to run home in a scatter, a wail and a howl.
This book is excellent for introducing rhyming words, and repetition. All of the dogs have rhyming names, and a phrase describing them. As Hairy Maclary meets another dog, they are all added to a long list, which encourages children to repeat the names and remember the rhymes and alliteration. The fun names are silly and purposefully long, which is more enjoyable for children to hear and repeat.
I feel this book would be good for a range of ages. It can be read to younger children, as it has such bright and fun pictures, and then followed by a discussion about the characters and the names. Older children would enjoy reading this as well and it is a great way to inspire poetry and rhythm in their own writing. I think it could inspire very creative writing, with children making up their own animals out for a walk and then giving them imaginative names.
June 27, 2020
If you haven't encountered Hairy Maclary and his doggy friends then you and your children are missing a treat. He's great and the rhymes in this rhyming book are easy to read and never feel like hard work to read again and again. For the more cat minded reader Lynley Dodd has written several excellent stories about Slinky Malinki which are equally brilliant and the various cat and dog characters meet each other in some of the books. The animals are well drawn but as I explored the series I noticed that Lynley Dodd is most reluctant to draw human faces and goes to great lengths to plan out the illustrations so that humans are viewed without their faces showing, just showing their feet seems her usual trick, it's interesting to see how she tackles this challenge in each book in the series. Most UK libraries stock a good range of Lynley Dodd's books as they have proved popular among young booklovers.
April 20, 2017
We all love the Hairy Maclary books. Especially my 20 month old. Of course, there's the slight issue that all the female dogs seem to have gone missing from this part of the world and most of the cats are male too. Makes you wonder if there's some sort of weird genetic manipulation going on in Miss Plum's town and who's behind it. Hasn't anyone noticed that Cassie the Cockatoo seems to be one of the few female animals around?
Dear Picture Book writers - please, please stop writing most animals and most protagonists as male and start reflecting the real world, where female animals and girls are as present and important as their male counterparts. This mum to one precocious and talented little girl is tired of changing half the pronouns in your books.
Dear Picture Book writers - please, please stop writing most animals and most protagonists as male and start reflecting the real world, where female animals and girls are as present and important as their male counterparts. This mum to one precocious and talented little girl is tired of changing half the pronouns in your books.
November 16, 2014
I love this book. I discovered it when I was younger, and had no idea that not only was it still in print, but that there were a whole string of books that came after it! My sister just got my daughter all of them, and they are all charming. But there's just something about this little dog, nothing but a pile of hair, marching down the street, collecting all his friends, like Hercules Morse, as big as a horse, only to be chased away by the vicious Slinky Malinki! Beginning readers love the rhymes and the rhythm of the story.
October 8, 2022
Absolute family favourite. I loooved reading this to my children and they giggle in delight every time.
July 18, 2019
You just can't go wrong with anything written by Lynley Dodd. Truly, the humour, the joy, the rhythm, rhyme and pattern all help to make the dogs heading for Donaldson's Dairy memorable, engaging and hugely entertaining.
This books helps children identify rhyme and create their own. It provides them with an opportunity to learn a poem, a chance to make sound effects for Scarface Claw and create a change in tempo when they all run home to bed!
I think this poem invites musical accompaniment, it could be performed by dividing the class into groups of children responsible for being 'Bottomley Potts' or 'Bitzer Maloney' etc.
We glimpse the house each dog comes from and so these could be drawn or painted and then described. Children could draw or model a map of the town. Scarface Claw requires attention! How has he gained such a reputation? What are his skills, his attributes and his characteristics? I remember asking my reception class to carefully observe his features and we discussed the way Lynley Dodd had drawn him; with straight, short pencil lines, creating his circular body and head. We used a range of soft and hard drawing pencils and the resulting pictures were stunning.
This books helps children identify rhyme and create their own. It provides them with an opportunity to learn a poem, a chance to make sound effects for Scarface Claw and create a change in tempo when they all run home to bed!
I think this poem invites musical accompaniment, it could be performed by dividing the class into groups of children responsible for being 'Bottomley Potts' or 'Bitzer Maloney' etc.
We glimpse the house each dog comes from and so these could be drawn or painted and then described. Children could draw or model a map of the town. Scarface Claw requires attention! How has he gained such a reputation? What are his skills, his attributes and his characteristics? I remember asking my reception class to carefully observe his features and we discussed the way Lynley Dodd had drawn him; with straight, short pencil lines, creating his circular body and head. We used a range of soft and hard drawing pencils and the resulting pictures were stunning.
October 4, 2017
A lovely book with lots of rhyming!
March 28, 2018
I LOVE this book. It makes me feel awesome. Read it, you have to it is great and my favorite childhood book.
I highly recommend this book
I highly recommend this book
December 25, 2018
Hairy Maclary sets off for a walk and his joined by his doggie pals with rhyming names. They come across Scarface Claw and run away. Great memories from my childhood here.
April 20, 2020
🐶
Out of the gate
and off for a walk
went Hairy Maclary
from Donaldson’s Dairy.
🐶
Out of the gate
and off for a walk
went Hairy Maclary
from Donaldson’s Dairy.
🐶
December 31, 2021
Another grandson fave, so a weekly read. The rollicking rhythms are fun, and we love Scarface Claw who sends the gang of dogs skeltering home.
December 31, 2022
Classic prose.
June 4, 2024
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy, by Lynley Dodd. c. 1983.
What a tongue-tangling, rhyming, fun read-aloud picture book for kids! Hairy Maclary and all of his doggy friends go out on the town. They are having great fun UNTIL...they meet Scarface Claw, the toughest tom cat in town! What happens then? Well you just have to read and find out.
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is the first in a series of 19 books, starring Hairy and all his friends (and his enemies!) Here are the ones that feature Hairy Maclary:
Hairy Maclary's Bone, Hairy Maclary Scattercat, Hairy Maclary's Caterwaul Caper, Hairy Maclary's Rumpus at the Vet, Hairy Maclary's Showbusiness, Hairy Maclary Sit, Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack, Hairy Maclary's Hat Tricks, and Hairy Maclary Shoo. There are also some board and activity books associated with Hairy Maclary: Lift the Flap, Sticker Fun, Hairy Maclary and Friends, Harry Maclary Buggy Book, Colour with Hairy Maclary and others.
Little ones will love the cumulative rhyming and the hilarious illustrations. This would be a good series to check out at the library for your toddlers and early readers.
What a tongue-tangling, rhyming, fun read-aloud picture book for kids! Hairy Maclary and all of his doggy friends go out on the town. They are having great fun UNTIL...they meet Scarface Claw, the toughest tom cat in town! What happens then? Well you just have to read and find out.
Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is the first in a series of 19 books, starring Hairy and all his friends (and his enemies!) Here are the ones that feature Hairy Maclary:
Hairy Maclary's Bone, Hairy Maclary Scattercat, Hairy Maclary's Caterwaul Caper, Hairy Maclary's Rumpus at the Vet, Hairy Maclary's Showbusiness, Hairy Maclary Sit, Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack, Hairy Maclary's Hat Tricks, and Hairy Maclary Shoo. There are also some board and activity books associated with Hairy Maclary: Lift the Flap, Sticker Fun, Hairy Maclary and Friends, Harry Maclary Buggy Book, Colour with Hairy Maclary and others.
Little ones will love the cumulative rhyming and the hilarious illustrations. This would be a good series to check out at the library for your toddlers and early readers.
December 31, 2016
Seems kinda cheap to use children's books on my Goodreads book challenge, but quickly frankly I've read these books so many times I think its counts the same as a novel!
The other thing about reading these books many many times is the mind starts to get a bit 'beautiful' about it. I've started to make inferences about the owners of each pup involved in this story based on the dog and the brief snippet of front gate we get for each introduction. Worse I've started asking more questions, why are there so few people in this town? Why is Ms Plum always the hero, is she the local busybody, or town hero, maybe she's the only non-pet owner in town?
But the real burning question is how the heck is Scarface so OP? Hercules is at least 3x his size and yet he seems to hold sway more than Horse from Footrot flats. Clearly someone has been hitting the cat steroids, or perhaps he has some form of gangsta influence scaring all the others despite his diminutive size (that makes sense because of the Al Pacino movie right?)
The other thing about reading these books many many times is the mind starts to get a bit 'beautiful' about it. I've started to make inferences about the owners of each pup involved in this story based on the dog and the brief snippet of front gate we get for each introduction. Worse I've started asking more questions, why are there so few people in this town? Why is Ms Plum always the hero, is she the local busybody, or town hero, maybe she's the only non-pet owner in town?
But the real burning question is how the heck is Scarface so OP? Hercules is at least 3x his size and yet he seems to hold sway more than Horse from Footrot flats. Clearly someone has been hitting the cat steroids, or perhaps he has some form of gangsta influence scaring all the others despite his diminutive size (that makes sense because of the Al Pacino movie right?)
July 6, 2022
I read this because it is the center of a ridiculous kerfuffle about diverse books in New Zealand. Here's a news story: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/lifest...
The book itself is a cute rhyming book about a bunch of dogs. I don't see what makes it particularly special, other than there are probably not a lot of kids' books published in NZ.
I am usually a strong proponent of diversity in kids' lit, but I think if we're arguing about the gender of cartoon dogs, then we're probably having the wrong conversation.
My favorite part of this kerfuffle is that Lynley Dodd herself chimed in by saying, "one has to remember that lady dogs have certain times when they're not supposed to be out gallivanting anyway." Ridiculous!
The book itself is a cute rhyming book about a bunch of dogs. I don't see what makes it particularly special, other than there are probably not a lot of kids' books published in NZ.
I am usually a strong proponent of diversity in kids' lit, but I think if we're arguing about the gender of cartoon dogs, then we're probably having the wrong conversation.
My favorite part of this kerfuffle is that Lynley Dodd herself chimed in by saying, "one has to remember that lady dogs have certain times when they're not supposed to be out gallivanting anyway." Ridiculous!
November 19, 2015
3* art
5* story/rhyme
Fun in so many ways. Squirt, the anarchist, instead of saying the expected "..AND...Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy.." would yell "POOPY!!" Which was just as good, although it didn't rhyme.
5* story/rhyme
Fun in so many ways. Squirt, the anarchist, instead of saying the expected "..AND...Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy.." would yell "POOPY!!" Which was just as good, although it didn't rhyme.
December 27, 2019
The Hairy Maclary stories were some of my favourite stories growing up and I still love them. It gives great adjectives and similes to each dog within the book and it's so much fun going on different adventures with Hairy Maclary and his friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews