Who Wants To Be A Poodle? I Don't by Lauren Child
| Who Wants To Be A Poodle? I Don't by Lauren Child | |
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| Category: For Sharing | |
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Reviewer: Keith Dudhnath
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| Summary: An amusing tale of a poodle who simply wants to be scruffy and messy. It's told with Lauren Child's great ear for a story, and has a collage illustrative style that really draws you in. Highly recommended. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 40 | Date: September 2009 |
| Publisher: Puffin | |
| ISBN: 978-0141384900 | |
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Trixie Twinkle Toes Trot-a-lot Delight hates being a pampered pooch. This primped and preened poodle can think of nothing she'd rather do that get messy, splash in a muddy puddle, and tear about the park like all the other dogs. Mademoiselle Verity Brulee may take good care of Trixie Twinkle Toes, but she's just not in tune with her needs as a scruffy mutt in the body of a poodle.
Who Wants To Be A Poodle? is great fun. There's something particularly amusing about a poodle that wants to break free of her stuffy, uptight existence. Children will love the idea of the dog who disapproves of her snooty way of life. Lauren Child has achieved great success with her Charlie and Lola books and fans of her work will be pleased to hear that the quality is just as high when she's dealing with other characters too.
Her illustrations are wonderful, with a collage style that makes every page thrilling and engaging. There's something quirky about the characters she's drawn, which gives them so much life. The text is dotted around the page, following the lines of bannisters, representing fountains, and going step by step down a flight of stairs. It's a marvel of design and really draws the reader (and readee) in to the story. Every page looks gorgeous, but it never steps on the toes of the story itself.
It's a slightly deeper story than most picture books, making it best-suited for those children on the cusp of reading themselves. However, there's nothing that will exclude any younger children who are listening along with their older brothers and sisters. Despite the pink cover, it's not a book for one gender over another. Lauren Child is in tune with the sorts of stories children want to hear, which makes this and all her other work a real joy. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the publishers for sending it to Bookbag.
Mr Pusskins - Best In Show by Sam Lloyd flips Who Wants To Be A Poodle? on its head - it's about a scruffy cat who decides to smarten up. Kave-Tina Rox by Jill Marshall and Sam Childs has a similar collage style, which is equally enjoyable.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Who Wants To Be A Poodle? I Don't by Lauren Child at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Who Wants To Be A Poodle? I Don't by Lauren Child at Amazon.com.
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