The Dog Insisted He Wasn't: 2

by Marilyn Singer

Konrad meets up with Abigail, who understands his yearning to live like a human, and temporarily enjoys the noncanine life

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

Published September 21, 1976

About the author

Marilyn Singer was born in the Bronx (New York City) on October 3, 1948 and lived most of her early life in N. Massapequa (Long Island), NY. She attended Queens College, City University of New York, and for her junior year, Reading University, England. She holds a B.A. in English from Queens and an M.A. in Communications from New York University.

In 1974, after teaching English in New York City high schools for several years, she began to write - initially film notes, catalogues, teacher's guides and film strips. Then, one day, when she was sitting in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, she penned a story featuring talking insect characters she'd made up when she was eight. Encouraged by the responses she got, she wrote more stories and in 1976 her first book, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn't, was published by E.P.Dutton & Co.

Since then, Marilyn has published over seventy books for children and young adults. Her genres are many and varied, including realistic novels, fantasies, non-fiction, fairy tales, picture books, mysteries and poetry. She likes writing many different kinds of books because it's challenging and it keeps her from getting bored. She has won several Children's Choice and Parents' Choice Awards, as well as the following: the Creature Carnival, Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Honor Book, 2005; I Believe in Water: Twelve Brushes with Religion, New York Public Library's "Best Books for the Teen Age," 2001; Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls, Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults, 2000 (YALSA); On the Same Day in March, Booklist's Top Ten Science Books of 2000; NCSS-CBC Notable Book, 2000; Deal with a Ghost, finalist, YA category, Edgar Award, 1998; It Can't Hurt Forever, Maud Hart Lovelace Award, 1983; The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 1983; Turtle in July, NCTE Notable, N.Y.Times Best Illustrated and Time Magazine Best Children's Books of 1989; Turtle in July was also a Reading Rainbow review book.

Marilyn currently lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband Steve; their standard poodle Oggi, a cousin of their beloved and recently departed poodle Easy, seen in the home page photo; a cat named August ; two collared doves named Jubilee and Holiday; and a starling named Darling. Her interests include dog training, reading, hiking, bird-watching, gardening, meditation, playing computer adventure games and going to the movies and the theatre. She's also a major Star Trek fan.

Reviews

[Chris Browning]

As my brain zips around children’s picture books more and more, I thought it probably time to go back to the source and read my favourite as a kid, The Dog Who Insisted He Wasn’t by Marilyn Singer and Kelly Oechsli. It’s interesting to note that Oechsli favours black and slightly scratchy ink pen like I always have done too, but what’s really telling about it is that the book clearly appealed because it’s about someone who doesn’t fit in and wants everything to change for him, and then has to choose a compromise where he can be himself but also not demand everyone bow to him and his whims. But crucially we do get a whole patch where we see Konrad’s fantasy of not being treated as a dog fulfilled for a good long time. And I suspect as a kid who didn’t fit in and knew he had to compromise to do so enjoyed seeing that brief moment where the world bows to his weirdness, just for a moment. I’d have been happier now if the dog didn’t have to compromise but such is the world, alas

[Leslie]

I was reading this book to a dog at the shelter where I volunteer but it got too noisy. I decided to finish it anyway, out where it was more quiet. It tickled me so much! I've been trying to find a copy to buy, but apparently it's out of print, cause the only "new" copy was over $80....guess I won't have a copy of my own to share with the young children in my neighborhood. Too bad!!

[Lea Ann]

Very cute book that I swear was written about my dog!