Book Review: Goodnight, Good Dog

Good Night, Good Dog, by Mary Lyn Ray* (New York Times best selling author), illustrated by Rebecca Malone* (HMH Books, 2015, 32 pages, $16.99, 4-7 years, pre-school to grade 3)

Have you ever wondered what your dog does at night if he’s not sleepy?

Does he start out on one child’s bed and end up on another? What does he do in between? Does he make his rounds of the bedrooms and the downstairs only to end up napping on the landing to be ready to thump his tail as if to say, “G’morning!” when the first person finally gets up to greet the day?

Good Night, Good Dog tells the story of one such good dog and what he surprisingly does at night.

Good Night, Good Dog is a Good Book!

More than just a good book, Good Night, Good Dog is one fantastic book.

A children’s book is excellent if the story is wondrous or if the illustrations are lovely but a truly exceptional keeper-of-a-book has both a marvelous plot plus amazing illustrations. This book has both.

The simple line drawings could be found in an already-colored coloring book but look closely to see the humor depicted therein. The good dog in the book looks like a golden retriever-adorable pittie-teddy bear all rolled up into one snuggly pup. Illustrator Rebecca Malone certainly knows dogs and precisely depicts their personality and mannerisms. Rumor has it that her own good dog, Martha, posed for the pictures in Goodnight, Good Dog. Thank you, Martha.

A unique, creative, simply lovely story that is unforgettable.

The sound a fridge makes at night in the moon quiet, the cat shadow of an easy chair, the curl of words – like a dog’s moon-round bed, how houses sleep, how the dog tucks himself in and tells himself “Goodnight, good dog,” and his little girl’s drawing that appears every so often.

Why?

A good dog, yours, who deserves a good book of his own, now has one.

Those of you who follow DogEvals know that we encourage adults to read more, even children’s books and even especially children’s books, even as adult bedtime stories. Start with Goodnight, Good Dog!

·      Also by Mary Lyn Ray: A Lucky Author has a Dog and Boom!

·      Also illustrated by Rebecca Malone: Hug Hug!