sniff
whuffa
snoof
sniff
snuff
Good-natured and ever-hungry, Farley goes wherever his nose leads him. But as one delicious smell follows another, soon Farley is meeting new friends and exploring parts of town he's never seen before. Just how far has he wandered? Will he find a familiar smell to lead him back home?
Young dog lovers will delight in the irresistible picture-book debut of Farley—an endearing pooch with a big appetite and an even bigger heart!
March 23, 2009
The affable, always-up-for-a-meal sheepdog from Johnston’s long-running comic strip “For Better or for Worse” takes a star turn. Smelling hot dogs grilling at a nearby house, Farley bolts from home without his collar. More smells—nicely conveyed through a rush of words in wavy typography (“pineneedleswetdirttomatoesmint and... toasted marshmallows
!”)—beckon him further afield, although Johnston and Cruikshank (who is also a vet) are careful to portray the wider world as benevolent and responsible (teenagers refuse to give Farley their marshmallows because “Dogs’ stomachs aren’t made for such sweet stuff”). Dog lovers of all ages will appreciate how the authors resist overanthropomorphizing their hero: when Farley reunites a lost boy with his family, it’s because the dog smells hot dogs, lemon cake, apple juice and popcorn on him and figures there’s more of the same at the boy’s house. The warmhearted comic energy and Johnston’s genial, knowing cartooning make the pages fly by; readers are sure to root for Farley getting his own series—or better yet, his own animated cartoon. Ages 4–8.
July 1, 2009
Farley, the lovable sheepdog from the comic strip For Better or For Worse, gets a bath in the morning, then spends the rest of the day sniffing the breeze and following the smells. Every other spread ends with a string of words arranged in small waves (each word or phrase in a different color) in the order they reach Farley's nose, for example, "rosesfreshcutgrasssweatypeoplethecatnextdoor and..." The page turn reveals the smell that sets him off running: ."..HOT DOGS!" As Farley chases after these delicious smells, he ends up all around the town, from a birthday party to a garden full of scents. Finally, he winds up back home (in need of another bath), but not before rescuing a little boy lost. All in all, a pleasant enough outing, and the onomatopoeia on each page ("whiffa sniffa snerfah snuffah snifff snuff SNIFF"), the exuberant and funny cartoon illustrations, and the large size will make this a good book to use with groups.
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2009
After a morningtime bath, Farley, lovable sheepdog from For Better or For Worse comics, spends his day sniffing the breeze and following its smells. Finally, he winds up back home (in need of another bath), but not before rescuing a little boy lost. Onomatopoeia on most pages and exuberant and funny cartoon illustrations make this a good book to use with groups.
(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
August 1, 2009
Preschool-G Farley, the shaggy dog from Johnstons long-running comic strip For Better or for Worse, takes the lead in this odoriferous picture book. Fresh from a bath, Farley picks up the scent of rosesfreshcutgrasssweatypeoplethecatnextdoor, and, turning the page, Hot Dogs! Tongue wagging, with visions of the perfect hot dog in mind, Farley sets off in pursuit. His keen nose takes him to a cookout, unfamiliar parts of town, a pool, and the park, where he discovers a lost boy, whom he leads home with the aid of his powerful sniffer. Reminiscent of Gene Zions classic dog adventure Harry the Dirty Dog, this tale ends where it began, with Farley in need of another bath. Fonts in varied sizes and colors, and spreads full of movement, create a briskly paced story. The bounding big dog Farley and his expressive face are sure to capture the interest of a new generation of readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)
May 1, 2009
PreS-Gr 2-Johnston and Cruikshank spin a slightly overlong tale of a freshly shampooed, hungry dog that runs off when he is irresistibly drawn to the smell of hot dogs. Gallivanting from place to place as he follows the scent of food, Farley mooches tidbits and affection wherever he can, including from a little boy at a party. As darkness falls, the now-scruffy canine encounters the sobbing boy, who is lost. Following his nose and retracing his steps, Farley leads the child back home and is himself found by his family, who have been out looking for him. The busy ink and watercolor illustrations contain some good action but little change in perspective. While children may be attracted to the goofy and lovable pooch, the episodic story line is thin. Libraries with a plethora of books featuring dogs, including Gene Zion's "Harry the Dirty Dog" (HarperCollins, 1956) or Cynthia Rylant's "The Great Gracie Chase" (Scholastic, 2001), may want to pass on this puppy."Marge Loch-Wouters, La Crosse Public Library, WI"
Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.