Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann

 Bone Dog by Eric Rohmann

Rating: 4.5 stars

It's rare that a book makes me tear up and also chuckle a bit.  So Bone Dog deserves a few minutes in the spotlight, not just for the absolutely fabulous illustrations, but for the story itself.

The story starts off with a little boy riding a big dog within a pack of running dogs.  "Ella and Gus had been friends for a long, long time."  The dog promises--under a full moon so his promise can't be broken--to always be with Gus.

On the next page, we see Gus without Ella, forcing himself to go about his days when Ella is gone.

Sniff, sniff.

Part of the going-about-his-day includes going trick or treating, and Gus dresses as a skeleton and heads home through a cemetery.  He soon finds himself surrounded by real skeletons who, when they realize he's a "real, live boy," they move to grab him.

(Kinda spooky...was surprised Lorelei and Ben didn't balk at it.)

But then, "the wind calmed and the moon broke shimmering from the clouds."  A bone dog--old Ella, now just bones--flies in with a smile (she must have been a Golden Retriever).  The skeletons laugh when Gus wants to fight them with a bone dog, but they quickly stop laughing when Gus and Ella whistle and howl for that large pack of dogs from the first page.

And then I chuckled, realizing that the dogs were going to chase the skeletons.  For their bones!  Three huge, wordless illustrations follow.  First, this one to the right, and then the pack of dogs, and then a small Dauchsund proudly trotting off with a single bone.

"Will I see you again?" asks Gus.  Ella wags her tail to respond under the full moon.

The pictures in here are some of the best.  Rohmann has won a Caldecott for his My Friend Rabbit, but I think this one is better than that one.  This is a very beautiful, slightly spooky, slightly funny, super touching book--wrapped in a simple tale of a boy and his dog.

My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohmann

Rating: 5 trouble-making stars

When I started this whole let's-read-every-library-book-known-to-mankind thing, I thought that Caldecott books were It.  I was sure that those Wise Ones who sat on this committee knew all there was to know about children's books.  Of course, it was my mother who pointed out that the award wasn't even for the best book, just the best illustrations.  That's a very different thing.  I'm currently on the hunt for other awards out there to help me find really good and interesting books for our little family to read and evaluate...let me know if you know an award like this.

Anyway, I was pretty much down on Caldecott, especially after checking out the absolutely stunning The Lion and the Mouse last week.  The cover was so captivating and all of the pictures quieted even chatty Lorelei...we were smitten with the illustrations.  But we didn't love it.  It's just not a book for us, though plenty of people have purchased it and Jerry Pinkney is loving the publicity his book is getting from adults.  But as for my kids, they did love My Friend Rabbit despite the slightly sordid fact that it is a Caldecott winner as well. 

The book starts out with "My friend rabbit means well..." and a picture of a little Mouse flying through the air in his little airplane until Whump! he gets stuck in a tree.  Rabbit says, "Don't worry, Mouse, I've got an idea!" and runs out of the picture.  Mouse looks worried.  And we soon find out why.  Rabbit drags in an elephant.  Then a rhino.  Then an alligator with a squirrel on top.  Then he carries in with super-rabbit strength a hippo.  He stacks up all these animals one on top of the other in a hilarious long picture that requires the reader to turn the book sideways (always a hit in our house) to see.  Of course, the animals lose their balance and fall into one giant heap, which caused a giggle-fest everytime in our kitchen when we read it.  All the animals look like they're going to jump poor Rabbit, but Mouse flies his airplane to rescue his friend.  When Rabbit hugs him in appreciation, he puts his paws over Mouse's eyes and Mouse squeals "Rabbit!  I can't see!  Stop hugging me!"  And BAM! the airplane gets stuck in a tree.  Again. 

This is a delightful book with incredible pictures.  With minimal words, the animals are strong and clear and full of personality.  And I love, love, love the message of the book: That we should love our friends despite their shortcomings.  At least that's what our family took from this winner of a book.