Be Gentle with the Dog, Dear! by Matthew J. Baek

From the Publisher

A wonderfully witty take on playing nice, from a fresh and funny new talent.

Baby Elisa loves Tag, the family dog. She loves to squeeze him, and pull his tail, and tackle him. Tag loves Elisa too-especially when she's sleeping. Elisa's parents tell her, "You must be gentle with the dog, dear." But this is easier said than done. What's a good dog to do?

With spare, pithy text and laugh-out-loud illustrations, debut author/illustrator Matthew J. Baek brilliantly captures the warmth, frustration, and rampant comedy of life with a toddler and the object of her delight. Whether the pursued or the pursuer, any kid with a pet or sibling will love this tale of two characters who share a true regard, and learn- with much hilarity along the way-the right way to show it.

School Library Journal

PreS

Tag is a good and gentle dog, but baby Elisa likes him more as a handy object to squeeze, tackle, and pull on his tale. Despite the constant monitoring and cautions by her parents, babe and pup are continually at odds-and Tag is miserable. When Elisa confiscates his special bone-shaped toy, the conflict results in a howling crisis. Then, just as the two finally make peace, Elisa spots a new target: a brown-striped cat that, up until now, has successfully escaped her attention. Elisa, it seems, still has much to learn. Baek uses pale backgrounds, devoid of detail, focusing the simple action front and center. He captures the nuances of both dog and baby with expressive faces and postures, expanding on the humor in the situations. His chosen colors of mostly blues, reds, grays, and tans harmonize with the story. Audience, however, is in question: too complicated for babies, too basic for those a bit older, this title may find its best home as a cautionary tale for parents coping with both pets and babies in the same household.-Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA

Kirkus Reviews

Based on the author's own family's experiences, this is sure to strike a chord with anyone who has both small children and a furry pet. Matt and Jin love Tag, and he loves them back. "Then there's Elisa, their daughter. She's a precious baby...when she's sleeping." When she's not, poor Tag endures squeezing, tail-pulling and tackling. Wonderful dog that he is, he puts up with it all until she takes his favorite toy. But even when he growls at her, it's Elisa that gets the titular lecture from Matt. And maybe at last it has sunk in-her first word is "gentle." Here's hoping that libraries can keep the endpapers showing-there may be a sequel in the works about the family cat. Baek's illustrations perfectly capture life between a toddler and a dog. Plain-colored backgrounds and simple details keep the focus on their interactions, while visible paint strokes provide texture. Tag's facial expressions are priceless and leave no doubt as to his inner thoughts. Empathy well taught. (Picture book. 2-5)

Product Details

• ISBN: 0803732503
  
• ISBN-13: 9780803732506
• Format: Hardcover, 32pp
• Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
• Pub. Date: May 2008
• Sales Rank: 79,271
• Age Range: For infants or children in preschool