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Dominic

William Steig

4.23 · Rating details · 1,465 ratings · 206 reviews

Dominic is a talented dog, and when he encounters the notorious Doomsday Gang up to their old tricks, it becomes obvious they have met their match!

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Paperback, 146 pages

Published August 1st 1984 by Farrar Straus Giroux (first published 1972)

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Lists with This Book

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Average rating 4.23 ·

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· 1,465 ratings · 206 reviews

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Jun 02, 2018 Julie rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorite-books-for-elementary-age, year-of-the-dog, you-ll-need-a-hankie

My kids have been raised on a steady diet of William Steig; books like Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and Brave Irene have been a regular part of their childhoods.

And, naturally, most of us have been at least a little influenced by Shrek (also Steig's creation).

But, my family didn't know Dominic until I picked it up last month at a library sale.

Dominic is a chapter book for older kids (and apparently their mothers, because I was fully involved in the story and crying by page 33).

Sigh. I miss the ...more

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May 16, 2016 Kevin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Maybe every five years or so I have flashed back on some book I read when I was a kid which I think I only read once, and the details aren't clear. I just remember it being a melancholy - or straight-up sad even - book about a dog. He had a strange name and carried a bindle stick. Couldn't remember what the book was or anything more than that, though.

A week or two ago I thought, "Man, I should just use AskMetaFilter because this is the kind of thing at which it excels" and so I did and so the na Maybe every five years or so I have flashed back on some book I read when I was a kid which I think I only read once, and the details aren't clear. I just remember it being a melancholy - or straight-up sad even - book about a dog. He had a strange name and carried a bindle stick. Couldn't remember what the book was or anything more than that, though.

A week or two ago I thought, "Man, I should just use AskMetaFilter because this is the kind of thing at which it excels" and so I did and so the name of the book was revealed to me within minutes. Only a few minutes after that I had it on reserve from the library and then I devoured it over two lunch breaks and here we are.

This is a fantastic book. If I had kids I would read them this book all the time because it's clear that Steig and I agree on many many things. An excess of wealth is a burden. Helping others brings more satisfaction than helping yourself. Your own agency and enjoyment of the world is paramount, assuming you don't hurt anyone to get what you want. You have the power to stop others from hurting people. Some people out there have (religious) views that don't align with yours and that's a normal part of life and their views are no less important or 'right'. All of that sounds really really preachy when I say it condensed in that way but I promise it comes across very organically in the book.

Something that caught my attention this time was that around 30 pages in a character dies. I mean not like "is killed violently" or "passes away off-camera" but straight up is an old old person (okay, old old pig) and who is described as being old, and who says he's going to die soon, and who does eventually do just that. Dominic has no one else to turn to. He just stays with his friend, and then does what he has to do in terms of a burial, and he mourns to himself, and he accepts that this is what life does. I mean, damn. I don't remember a single other kids' book that does this so effectively and without pulling any punches. If this isn't a succinct encapsulation of what it means to deal positively with grief, I don't know what is.

"Then he leaned on the shovel to rest, the wooden handle warm with his work. The moment he stopped being busy, he felt his heart quake. He had to cry. Life was suddenly too sad. And yet it was beautiful. The beauty was dimmed when the sadness welled up. And the beauty would be there again when the sadness went. So the beauty and the sadness belonged together somehow, though they were not the same at all."

Another thing that struck me as wonderful was that Dominic enjoys everything. He enjoys the smell of the earth and the feel of the wind and helping people and washing dishes and eating wonderful food and the stars and moon above. He is crackling with vitality, and every part of his being is receptive to new things and taking them all in and loving them. This line caught my eye, when he meets a mouse:

"They shook paws and Dominic enjoyed the delicacy of Manfred Lyon's touch."

He's straight-up shown as instantly appreciating someone for who they are and how they're different from him without judging or even running any commentary.

One last thing that pleased me greatly was the vocabulary used. This may technically be a kids' book but Steig pulled no punches. In the very second paragraph of the book, Adult Me encountered a word (martial, not followed by 'arts') that Childhood Me would absolutely not have known. I'd say there was a word or phrase like this every page or two. Maybe that's what helped hammer home the idea that Steig really did believe the messages in the writing, because he was clearly writing for writing's sake, for the love of the words and the language and the power therein.

I guess as a kid I was too young to grasp just how simple yet how incredibly difficult it is to do as Dominic does.

"Finally he was moved to look to the heavens and declare: "Oh, Life, I am yours. Whatever it is you want of me, I am ready to give.""

No wonder this book left me with a lifelong memory of a strange dog and his bittersweet journey. I only wish I had somehow come across it again over the years to re-read and absorb as I grew older. It was still a treat to read today as an adult. ...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Emily rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-aloud, my-happy-childhood

I can't remember a time when this book wasn't on my shelves. Not sure how old I was when I actually read it for the first time, maybe eight. I thought that this tale of a noble joyous dog on a journey who has adventures involving being kind to strangers while routing a group of baddies (the Doomsday gang) was just great and I reread it lots. It was, consequently, one of the first books I tried reading aloud to my older son who was four at the time, and it was a failure. I was shocked to find it ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 Josiah rated it it was ok

Like the great Robert Lawson, William Steig impacted children's literature as much by his novels as by his picture books. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Shrek!, Doctor De Soto, and Amos & Boris are only a few of his picture books that touched generations of readers; Abel's Island, The Real Thief, and Dominic were novels that had similar effect. What other children's author surpasses William Steig's advanced vocabulary and treatment of serious themes, trusting that his young readers are capable Like the great Robert Lawson, William Steig impacted children's literature as much by his novels as by his picture books. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Shrek!, Doctor De Soto, and Amos & Boris are only a few of his picture books that touched generations of readers; Abel's Island, The Real Thief, and Dominic were novels that had similar effect. What other children's author surpasses William Steig's advanced vocabulary and treatment of serious themes, trusting that his young readers are capable not only of keeping up, but enjoying the experience? When we meet Dominic, he's preparing to leave home indefinitely for an adventure on the road. There's an exciting, mysterious world out there, and Dominic isn't the kind of dog who's content to be a homebody. He packs his favorite belongings in a bindle on the end of a stick and heads off to greet his destiny.

It isn't long before Dominic meets an old witch-alligator. The piccolo-playing dog declines her offer to tell his fortune; he'd rather be surprised by the future as it comes, but he accepts the witch's advice about which fork in the road to take. A short while later Dominic falls into a pit dug by the Doomsday Gang, a coalition of foxes, weasels, and other vermin that rob and do violence to good-natured animals. They wait overnight for Dominic to fall asleep in the pit so he'll be easier to apprehend, but our hero has a quick mind and quicker paws, and turns the tables on the gang. Proceeding along the trail, Dominic stops at the home of Bartholomew Badger, an elderly pig near the end of his life. Dominic stays a few days to tidy the gentle pig's home and keep him company, but Mr. Badger isn't long for this world. He bequeaths his treasure of jewels and rare metals to Dominic, who tearfully buries his new friend before packing the treasure chests on his back and once more hitting the road. The Doomsday Gang attempts to steal Mr. Badger's fortune, but Dominic fights them off with help from a friend he met earlier. Random acts of kindness are often repaid in ways we couldn't have foreseen.

Dominic hitches a ride on Elijah Hogg, a jackass, but the pack animal tires of lugging the treasure chests, even for premium pay. So does Lemuel Wallaby, a turtle who doesn't move fast enough for Dominic's liking anyway. Our hero will have to carry the chests himself if he wishes to keep Mr. Badger's fortune. Dominic crosses paths with a distraught warthog named Barney Swain, whose life savings was just stolen by the Doomsday Gang. Barney meant to use his money to build a life with his betrothed, but what right does he have to marry her now? Never fear, Dominic has the solution. He gives all of Mr. Badger's treasure to Barney, happy to unload the burden and reverse the damage done by the Doomsday Gang. After parting ways with Barney and accepting an invitation to his wedding, Dominic rescues a goose named Matilda Fox who is caught in a trap set by the Doomsday Gang, and he spends a few entertaining, illuminating evenings with her and her five children. Bandying words with one as passionate about life as Matilda expands one's own worldview.

Along the road, Dominic has further encounters with the Doomsday Gang, who by now are ready for his unique talents and work hard to get the jump on him. Dominic always keeps the upper hand one way or another, and his legend grows as he repeatedly confounds the vermin. Dominic upgraded his old piccolo to a gold one he found among the pieces of Mr. Badger's treasure, and it plays more sweetly than Dominic ever thought he might. The blessings of his brief friendship with Mr. Badger enrich him throughout his journey. Dominic makes the acquaintance of a mouse named Manfred Lyon, a landscape artist of such marvelous ability that his paintings fool even Dominic into thinking they're natural scenery. Dominic suggests the mouse get together with the locals and implement a plan to put the Doomsday Gang in their place, and the results are spectacular. After Dominic awakens a sleepwalking goat named Phineas Matterhorn and comes upon a pygmy elephant from Africa named Mwana Bhomba, he learns the time has arrived for Barney Swain's wedding, and Dominic makes a beeline for the big event beside his two latest companions. There will be a final encounter with the Doomsday Gang, bent on revenge against Dominic for making them a laughingstock, and then our hero will find a fitting end to his wanderings, though he didn't know he desired an end. A life spent searching is bound to meet with small joys, but there is a contentment that can only be found in giving all of yourself to one person, and that is an experience Dominic has yet to try. May this leg of the journey satisfy the yearning of your heart, brave wanderer.

With a light heart and a light bindle Dominic begins his travels, yet both take on weight as he goes along. That can't be avoided when one meets the world on its terms. Dominic leaves Mr. Badger's home hefting huge chests stuffed with jewels, enough that he needn't worry about money ever again, but over time the chests hamper his enjoyment of life. Is material wealth worth being crushed under its weight? Dominic loved life more when he could go wherever he wished without the responsibility of managing substantial financial assets. There is value in money, but it becomes a net negative if we hoard it rather than using those resources to do good. Let money preoccupy you, and the years of your life rapidly slip away, leaving no reward for your financial prudence. The wise view their wealth as a tool, not a spouse. Life is a wild ride that feels at times like more than we can handle, but the highs and lows should be embraced by a true adventurer, painful as some moments are. Dominic feels the melancholy side of life when he buries his friend, Mr. Badger, in the cold ground. "Life was...sad. And yet it was beautiful. The beauty was dimmed when the sadness welled up. And the beauty would be there again when the sadness went. So the beauty and the sadness belonged together somehow, though they were not the same at all." Dominic left his ordinary life in search of adventure, and finds the twists and turns of friendship, adversity, communion with nature, and love. None would doubt that Dominic found what he was looking for, and the same prize is out there for us should we choose to go after it.

William Steig wrote and illustrated numerous award-winning books, but Dominic is special to me because it's the first serious novel I read in school. My teacher in third grade read it aloud to my class, and I never forgot Dominic's story. Kids identify with him because he never grows jaded or bored with life. The earth is an endless progression of wonders, and Dominic looks forward to being dazzled by them all. Would that every one of us pursued life with such exuberance, for we could live ten thousand years and not want it to end. I rate Dominic two and a half stars; the ending isn't fully satisfying, but I nearly rounded to three anyway. This novel is a fine introduction to a favorite author, and I recommend both. ...more

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May 22, 2009 John rated it it was amazing

I think I read this as a kid, or it was read to me. It seemed vaguely familiar. This is a great children's book, and it does the thing that I think all children's literature should do. It doesn't treat kids like they are stupid, it talks to them as if they were adults and can handle things like life and death, and it uses words and sentence structures that are challenging. A kid reading this book would have to think about sentences and figure out some words from their contexts. I love that the a ...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Eric rated it it was amazing

This is simply one of the finest books I've ever read. No joke! It was written by the great William Steig of "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" fame, but there was no way that brilliant picture book could prepare me for the majesty of Dominic. Basically, it's about a dog who leaves his home to go out and seek his fortune in the world. He is a benevolent soul and meets all kinds of other unique animals that add to Dominic's story like the layers of a classic oil painting. They add rich colors to hi ...more

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Apr 14, 2012 Dominick rated it really liked it

Shelves: children-s-lit, anthropomorphic

Interesting book. A dog named Dominic (spelled wrong, but you still might see why this book appealed to me) decides he needs adventure so sets out to explore the world. He has a series of loosely-linked adventures, including several encounters with the Doomsday Gang, a band of ruffians he ultimately manages to defeat, when all of nature turns against them. He has several amusing encounters with odd animals, finds treasure, generally proves himself the best of all possible dogs, plays the piccolo ...more

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Jun 29, 2007 Kim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: childrens

This was recommended reading for a PTA Children's Classic Book Group List I used to lead when my kids were in elementary school. Most the books on the list were a bit depressing. I don't know why adults write depressing books for kids. Also I don't know why they recommend them for Newberry Awards. This is one of the few books the kids voted as one of their favorites year after year. It's a delightful fun book inducing wonderful topics of discussion. I loved it too. Our discussions were always li ...more

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Sep 15, 2013 Jennifer Newsom rated it it was amazing

This was one of the first chapter books I read, and I fell in love with it. Dominic was my role model; he was noble, brave, kind, and polite. I looked up to him as if he was real, and wanted to have adventures like his.

I re-discovered this book my twenties at a used book store and read it again, fearing that time would change my perceptions for the worst. I found that as an adult, this story was just as exciting and vivid as it was when I was young. It was like meeting a friend I had lost touch ...more

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Mar 02, 2018 Susie rated it really liked it

I picked up this book because of John Green (sort of). He posed a question on Facebook and Twitter: what is the most underrated book you have read? Author Jonathan Auxier mentioned this book; I had never heard of it.

It's very interesting to read a children's book written over 45 years ago; just seeing how language has changed is fascinating. How many books today would use 'reconnoitered'? I found myself looking up many of the words; are books today "dumbed down?" Dominic's desire for adventure, ...more

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Feb 03, 2012 Adam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-to-my-daughter, great-hearted-literature

Second read, September 2019.

What a beautiful, wise, fierce, life-loving book! An undiscovered classic. Like the Pooh books, there's an astonishing amount of wisdom here.
-=-=-=-=-
Concerning the times and travels of a canine gentleman adventurer and transcendentalist. Delightful.

There is some challenging vocabulary here, but it’s a great book for 4th to 5th grade readers--and even advanced 3rd graders. Would be an excellent prelude to the Narnia books. ...more

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Jun 20, 2007 Tyler McGaughey rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-for-young-people, favorites

This is an absolutely wonderful book, a picaresque story for kids that somehow maintains a tone of transcendentalist wonder most would consider beyond the grasp of young readers. Every individual episode is a small, self-contained gem that adds up to a great journey. The conclusion to this book is stunning for both its lushness and pitch-perfect ambiguity. Magic from beginning to end.

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Mar 29, 2010 Sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-fiction

A wise dog in a contemplative story. Dominic sets off for an adventure, and his friendly encounters with each new animal he meets are intertwined with his escalating confrontations with the Doomsday Gang villains. What is notable is the philosophical approach Dominic takes to life, expressed in such eloquent, simple language. He lives in the moment, appreciating each small, new thing while musing on the larger mysteries of life.

Dominic is a fascinating character -- a fearless hero who is rather ...more

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Jun 18, 2017 Laura (Book Scrounger) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3rd-grade, owned, blues

This was an enjoyable tale of an anthropomorphized dog who sets off on a quest to see the world, or at least as much of it as he can get to. He meets several eccentric characters (all different kinds of animals) along the way, makes some friends, and does battle with the Doomsday Gang. There are quite a few illustrations throughout, which is nice for kids.

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Apr 29, 2009 Jane rated it it was amazing

Steig's philosophy of life - "take the road to the left, the road to adventure." And then give it everything you've got: "Oh life! I am yours. Whatever you ask of me, I will give it."
A gem.
And it stands up to a re-read - still a profound and brilliant piece of writing. ...more

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Dec 09, 2020 Sewfii Cameron rated it it was amazing

This book is a masterpiece. Everyone should read Dominic.

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Mar 02, 2021 Lemmy rated it really liked it

I really enjoyed this book ,the characters are amazing. I love their personality's.

...more

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Mar 07, 2020 Mark rated it it was amazing

One of my all time favorite s from childhood.

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Jul 29, 2012 Diana Welsch rated it it was amazing

This was one of my favorites when I was in 5th grade and I'd like to read it again. I remember having dreams about it.

10/31/2018: I read it again.
I read this in grade school and it moved me deeply. It was a book that made me feel like I'd lived a thousand lifetimes. As an adult, I have dreams like that sometimes. I'm not a spiritual person, but the dreams are deeply spiritual, in which I experience having all human knowledge and being utterly at peace.

This book was a similar "lite" approximation ...more

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Feb 27, 2015 Liesel rated it really liked it

Dom and I read this book simultaneously. I knew it was a bit more difficult so I wanted to make sure I could answer any questions he had. He enjoyed 'racing' me. And despite the harder vocabularly, he comprehended the book quite well. It is a nice story about a dog and his adventures through a wood plagued by a group of hooligans known as The Doomsday Gang. I'm trying to get Dom to start introducing himself to people with this line from the book:

'With you in the world, the world is a better plac ...more

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Feb 09, 2009 Leslie rated it it was amazing

This is a great read-aloud book. It's a bit dated in its themes if you're sensitive to episodes involving sword-fighting and traditional gender roles, but those issues aren't glaring. What I love that Steig doesn't simplify his prose for children; there are big words throughout. It has charming pencil sketches too that, at this point, make a read-aloud, chapter book more appealing to my 5-year-old. But she was swept up in the story regardless. I loved it. ...more

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Sep 29, 2014 Susan rated it really liked it

Dominic is my hero. If only I could be as thoughtful, adventurous, generous, brave, and happy-go-lucky as he is.

Dominic heads out one day, out of the blue, deciding to seek an adventure. He befriends all kinds of interesting characters along the way. Steig writes in a wonderful, descriptive, straightforward manner. A charming little book.

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Jun 16, 2016 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-reader

If only we all had as much confidence (and spare time) as Dominic the dog! Meandering along, head first into whatever situation presents itself, always coming out on top. There is a hint of humility, but he does wonder about 3/4 way through the book how anyone got along without him? A sweet little children's book. ...more

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Apr 07, 2010 Noah Sebastian rated it it was amazing

I think William Steig is the first grader version of Bill Peet, great stories about animals having life lessons, coming of age (first grade age) stories, learning about and respecting others, all while having an adventure that most first graders would have.

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Apr 12, 2011 Erin rated it did not like it

I read this with the boys for their school book club. I did NOT enjoy it. A bit much for 8 year olds IMHO.

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Mar 29, 2014 Nevada Libert rated it really liked it

this is a good book, it is full of passion and bravery and adventure. i like the kindness in this story, and how thoughtfull the people were.

and dominic was my favorit actor.

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Sep 23, 2014 Meredith Henning rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-aloud-to-gabriel

We Loved this book by William Steig!!

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Apr 10, 2019 Sophie rated it it was amazing

Ppl r complaining about this being 2 hard for little kids to understand but I read it when I was like 8 so maybe the problem is U

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Jul 14, 2020 May Selby rated it it was amazing

Remy loved this book about Dominic and his adventures, and did not like the evil Doomsday Gang.

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Oct 09, 2018 Jenny rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-to-the-kids

Do you like kind and overly confident dogs that win at everything? This book's for you! Dominic goes out into the world to find what is out there. He isn't afraid, but determined. He doesn't pout or dissolve into self-pity. He takes each experience, the bad, the dangerous and the good as chances to prove himself and help others. The message is one that I wish were touted more: there is much to be enjoyed in this world, but you can't sit back and enjoy the good things of life very well unless you ...more

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About William Steig

William Steig

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William Steig was born in New York City in 1907. In a family where every member was involved in the arts, it was not surprising that Steig became an artist.

He published his first children's book, Roland the Minstrel Pig, in 1968, embarking on a new and very different career.

Steig's books reflect his conviction that children want the security of a devoted family and friends. When Sylvester, Farmer ...more