Two Dogs

by Ian Falconer

From Ian Falconer, Caldecott Honor winner and #1 New York Times bestselling creator of the Olivia series, comes a dashingly delightful picture book about two unforgettable dachshunds and their search for fun!

Dachshund brothers Perry and Augie are home alone and desperately want to get outside and have a good time. Augie is the cautious one, the worrier; Perry is pure joy and excitement. When they finally manage to open the back door, mischievous adventures begin! Soon they’re diving into the swimming pool, digging an enormous hole, and more! Will all return to normal before their owners come home?

This witty and utterly heartwarming story plays perfectly off the exquisite illustrations. These are Ian Falconer’s first all-new characters since Olivia, and Two Dogs is sure to equally capture the hearts of readers everywhere.

Perfect for fans of imaginative dog books like Bark, George and A Ball for Daisy!

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Childrens, Humor, Animals, Fiction, Friendship

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 28, 2022

About the author

Ian Falconer is the author and illustrator of all the titles in the bestselling Olivia series: Olivia, Olivia Saves the Circus,Olivia...and the Missing Toy, and Olivia Forms a Band. His illustrations have also graced many covers of the New Yorker. In addition, he has designed sets and costumes for the New York City Ballet, the San Francisco Opera, and the Royal Opera House (Covent Garden), among others. Mr. Falconer lives in New York City. (Simon & Schuster)

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two dachshunds manage to turn a boring time into the BEST DAY EVER when they manage to figure out how the door's lock works. A fun read for dog lovers of all ages.

With AWESOME illustrations by the author.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was vaguely aware of this book coming out, but when Falconer passed away recently (such a huge loss!), I noticed several people talking about how this book was their new favorite, that it was his best, and I realized that I hadn't read it! I picked up a copy a couple of weeks ago, and I have now read it aloud to everyone in my house several times. My dog-loving sister loves it. My 11yo son loves it. My other two older kids love it. It's sweet and hysterically funny, especially if you know anything about dogs. But also the style of how he draws them is so fabulous. Two paws way, way up!

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pair of Dachshunds, left home alone, bicker and get up to some mischief. The story is mostly okay, but the art was off-putting for me, especially when the dogs stand on their hind legs and start to resemble naked middle-aged men complete with their intimation of genitals. Ewww.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: TWO DOGS by Ian Falconer, HarperCollins/Michael Di Capua, June 2022, 40p., ISBN: 978-0-06-295447-3

“‘How can we open the door?!’
Perry started barking at the lock.
That didn’t work.
‘Stop jumping, Perry. I’ll do it.
Augie neatly flipped the lock.
First thing they did was water the mother’s new flowers.
They found some raccoon poop and happily rolled around in it.“

Can you believe it’s now 22 years since OLIVIA–Ian Falconer’s pig character that grew into a TV show–burst onto the publishing scene? Falconer’s latest out-of-this-world picture book is a blast!

TWO DOGS brings to life a pair of fun-loving dachshunds named Perry and Augie. One day, the pair figure out how to escape the house in which they are always stuck while the humans are all off at work and school. (Augie stands up on his hind legs, atop Perry’s back, and unlocks the back door.) They proceed to use the swings, the seesaw, and–yes–the pool. Then they have themselves a grand dig. Eventually, when they hear the car arriving home, they lock themselves back inside and fool the mother with an award-winning act that actually earns them treats!

You’ve got to see the expressions on the faces of these two canine jokesters. Falconer captures the doggedness of the pair while portraying Augie as the generally-more-apprehensive mutt while Perry is the all over the place one.

I can’t wait for more adventures featuring this dog-namic duo.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
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richiepartington@gmail.com

[Amity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gosh I love dachshunds. The story could have flowed better, but the pups were cute and I liked the outside backgrounds. 3 doggo duos out of 5.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny, raucous picture book about two bored dachsund brothers, Perry and Augie, who can't help but get into mischief after the kids are grown and their parents are away at work all day. I love the illustrations - the angles and positions that Falconer (author of Olivia) manages to contort their little dog bodies into are hilarious! Fun for young elementary-age readers.

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun book and I thought I was going to love it. I should have loved it. I adore dogs! I adore dachshunds! I freaking can’t get enough of books about dogs. For the most part I did really like it. But for some reason I found the illustrations not so adorable. More on the side of cringy. It was the shapes and texture of the dogs bodies and fur that was so off putting. The way they were drawn gave them this wrinkled, striped or ridged effect. It really gave me the chills every time I looked at them. I just couldn’t get past it. I’m sure kids won’t have the same problem with it as I do but honestly there could have been a better design choice made being that dachshunds aren’t super wrinkled like shar-peis, striped or ridged in reality. I felt like it was just a really odd color and pattern choice. I just wasn’t into it. 2 stars

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dachshund brothers Augie and Perry become restless when their adult human goes to work, and the children leave for school. After performing favorite activities such as barking at squirrels, and torturing Perry to the point of howling, as Augie bangs on the piano with his paws, these bored dogs require a real adventure. Naughty Perry comes up with a plan of escape. Their sophisticated language and abandonment of the family rules is brilliantly plotted, beginning with watering mother's flowers with a tinkle. The colorful digital art is so effective that the saucy energetic dauchshunds pop right out of the page. The brothers have opposite personalities, but that doesn't keep them from performing wild escapades. Two Dogs makes a hilarious read aloud because of the wondrous illustrations and the clever antics the dogs devise for their splendid unsupervised day outdoors. The author of the Olivia books, Ian Falconer, has come up with two more precious characters that are down right loveable.

[Jennie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, I really hated this! I didn't think it was possible to create a book about blonde dachshunds that would put me off so completely, but here we are. The story (if one could call it that) is pointless and unsatisfying but the illustrations are truly grotesque. The book opens with two doxie busts that read visually like severed heads and, surprisingly, it goes downhill from there. I didn't understand the angles, the wobbly lines all over their bodies, or the color palette - why are their tongues the same color as their fur?! I was less observant than other readers, apparently (I did not notice the wieners on these wieners - I was too busy wondering why they have no teeth?!). But the whole thing was serving me queasy doxie uncanniness and I was not here for it.

[Colleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just didn't like this. First of all, the text starts on the title page which is just annoying. Photos are used inconsistently throughout the books as background or fill to the illustrations. Why did they not use the photos throughout? The story is a fine tale of siblings home alone but nothing spectacular. I was very disappointed.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dachshund brothers Augie and Perry are left alone every day and they find themselves bored. Their solution? They escape from the house and do everything they are not supposed to do.

The dog brothers seem to be exactly like children. And the dog mother accepts whatever the dogs do with love. Charming.

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though an accurate description of dachshund personalities and behaviors (especially the digging), this is a rather dull story, even with all the doxie shenanigans while “the mother” was out of the house. Odd illustrations depict the dogs standing on their hind legs—a cringeworthy position to put them in, especially for a breed known for their back problems.

[Adele · Rating 3 out of 5]

I kind of liked the story. Two sibling dogs grate on each other's nerves due to their confinement and boredom so they escape to the backyard. They totally get away with it too.. The pictures are definitely odd, but they didn't bother me as much as some other reviewers.

[ryan wilkey · Rating 3 out of 5]

read this to a few kiddos. very cute. very doggy-dog. they seemed to like it. the story needed some work, it was very simplistic though, so it’s great for kids. especially ones that love dogs!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable

[Susan Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to read his latest after Falconer suddenly died recently. Cute story, though his Olivia books remain my favorites. I’m sorry we’ve lost his talent.

[Anna Wooliver Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love dachshunds so so much.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was full of cuteness factor. Anyone who has a little dog can just see that mischief in their eyes. I can see this would have LOTS of appeal to children.

[Stacie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dogs. Cute but sneaky. Watch out!

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is absolutely disgusting, and I'm tired of every major review pretending it isn't. Am I being trolled here? A "delightful tour de force"--NYT, are you fucking kidding me? The fact that the dogs were given tiny little penises (and occasionally, visible scrota) should be enough to put a bad taste in anyone's mouth, and the impressively boring story doesn't even come close to justifying the sickening artwork. The single star I was forced to give goes to the semi-realistic backdrops, which are (I'll admit) pretty cool. Ian Falconer is obviously a talented artist, but perhaps in the future he could extend a little consideration to those of us (booksellers, librarians, parents of children with terrible taste) who will be forced to stare at his nightmare fodder every day.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story of how two dachshunds solve their boredom.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Awesome illustrations but so-so text.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will leave you smiling and recommending it to others. That's no surprise, since Caldecott winner Falconer is acclaimed for his talent as a visual storyteller/illustrator. In this case such praise proves itself merited, and not just because of the of the appeal of these two dachshund-brother characters, surprisingly upright and outrageous. He has captured their personalities with semi-realistic situations, poses, and personalities accompanied by minimal but clever text.
This seemingly simple work, an account of a day's adventure and its consequences, is a treasury of mentor content on ways to express and convey humor. The juxtaposition of what is expected versus simple surprises begins on that cover and is an effective device throughout. The tug/hug contrast of emotions among siblings adds another rich layer, as are curiosity, teamwork success and foibles, and more.

Wouldn't everyone love to get a laugh, to tell or write humor in memorable ways? Check out this little masterpiece! And to learn more about dachsunds, click to see more, including their characteristic description: curious, friendly, spunky. Exactly like these TWO DOGS.

[thefourthvine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because my librarian wife told me there was controversy over it and wondered if I could figure out what that controversy was about. I couldn't. Apparently, people are mad at this cute book about bored, mischievous dogs because A) the dogs don't get punished and B) in some of the drawings you can see a sort of suggestion that the dogs have penises. I thought I'd address both of those issues real quick.

A) If you want to read a picture book about dogs getting punished, there is something wrong with you. Put the book down and get therapy.

B) Some dogs have penises. If this bothers you, put the book down and get therapy. (Also, I had to go back through the book and really stare at the dogs' bellies to see even a vague suggestion of a penis. If you are that obsessed with dog genitals and you're not a vet or a dog breeder, again, this might be a topic best brought up in therapy, not a review.)

In short: a cute picture book that reveals some unfortunate things about humans.

[Union County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you wonder what your pets do when you are away from home? Augie and Perry, two dachshund brothers, fill their days with mischief and fun. Augie, the cautious one, and Perry, the adventurous one, complement each other’s personalities in a way that only “siblings” can. In his final book, Olivia author and illustrator Ian Falconer celebrates pets, friendship, and family. With bold illustrations digitally layered with photography and simple text, these pups prove to be the ultimate hot dogs. Augie and Perry’s shenanigans will keep you in stitches, even if you’re not a dog lover. But dog lovers will definitely relate to these wieners. Appropriate for ages 3-8, but fun for all.

- Reviewed by Vanessa M.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first read it I really struggled with Falconer's stylist choices for the dogs. Were they supposed to be wood blocks, or lithographs, what was going on here? Why were they shown as busts? Was this surrealism? What the what?

I read the story. It was silly. The dogs did shenanigans. I laughed a few times but I was still puzzled. Overall this wasn't up to the same level as his Olivia books. Maybe it was just me, I thought. Maybe I need a more child-like perspective? I read it to Mister. Mister was confused. "What is wrong with the puppies? Why do they look like that? Why are they being bad?" The questions went on and on.

All in all, not our favorite book.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Auggie and Perry are two dachshunds who got lots of attention as puppies, but now that they are older and the kids are older, get left at home alone a lot. They are bored. And bored dogs find ways to escape into the backyard and have fun their owners know absolutely nothing about.

Oh my. This may give dog owners nightmares. Kids will probably find it delightful to think of the kinds of things their dog at home may be getting up to if it knew how to open doors. One thing's for sure, Auggie and Perry are very believable dogs. I can totally imagine our former dog doing exactly what they did (and worse) if he could open doors.

[Elizabeth Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute book and I think it will be good for kids who are just getting a grasp on reading full words. There’s a lot of open space on the pages and the artwork isn’t too distracting. It’s quite simple. Speaking of the artwork, I’m really intrigued by the outside scenes in this book as they almost look like photographs. When inside scenes obviously look like drawings and the dogs themselves look like drawings. I would love to know the creative process of the art in this book. I like ‘Two Dogs’ and I think it will be great for those of you who are dog lovers.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of two dachshund brothers. Augie and Perry, one curious and one fearless. Both attributed to numerous adventures they get into. One is not always right or wrong. Life for the two being able to live together makes it one adventure after another. What a way to stay entertained. They are lucky indeed. The traits expressed about the dog breed are true as far as my Sasha was a dachshund and a good breed to have with kids too.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two Dogs is a cute story about two dachsund brothers who turn a boring day into a fun day! What do dogs do when their grown-ups are gone and they are left home alone? They get into mischief is what they do! Both brothers are complete opposites but balance each other out. Augie is reserved and cautious and Perry is wild and fun! We read this book as a family and got some good laughs out of it.