The Stray Dog

This is a cute beginning story. It’s simple and straight forward. A family goes for a picnic one weekend and they see a scruffy dog. They feed it and play with it and leave it thinking it belonged to someone else. All of them are thinking about the dog all week long. The next weekend they are back l......more

In this delightful picture-book, based upon a story told him by a friend (Reiko Sassa, credited on the cover and title page), Marc Simont unfolds a simple but heartwarming tale of a family, their picnic in the park, and the stray dog who wins their hearts. Naming this new canine friend Willy, the ch......more

Charming illustrations! In particular, the many dogs are great, including the main dog, Willy, who’s adorable. I felt joy while viewing each illustration, and it’s fun to search and find Willy on the second to last page. The story might feel a bit suspenseful for young children or others who won’t re......more

I like this book. It’s based on a true story, and it does have less fantastical quality than some children’s books, but the plot and the illustrations are good. It’s about how one family unexpectedly got a new pet. A really sweet little story.......more

The Stray Dog at first glance is unusually simplistic for a Caldecott Honor recipient, but it's one of those books that contain an intangible element which makes it worth reading. Perhaps it's Marc Simont's charming illustrations. I would put The Stray Dog in the small group of books I find myself d......more