Thursday, January 31, 2008

Good Boy, Fergus!


Title: Good Boy, Fergus!
Author: David Shannon
Illustrator: David Shannon
Publisher: The Blue Sky Press, 2006
Genre: Humor/ Picture Book
Age range: K-1

Summary: This book is about a cute, spoiled and very happy white West Highland Terrier dog named Fergus. Fergus starts his day with chasing cats, belly rubs, and not doing amazing tricks but always ends up with a "Good Boy, Fergus!" He gets in trouble and makes messes throughout his day but once agian always ends up with a "Good Boy, Fergus!" He gets to chase motercyles and pee on anything in sight. He ends his day with a heaping bowl of dog food, and of course whip creme too! and finally drifts off to sleep when night comes.


Response: This is one of David's newest books, and probably my favorite. The illistrations are really what gets me. They are so bright and colorful, with simpy techniques but so much charecter. Fergus is not very detailed but he has so much expression on his face in each picture, you can tell excatly what hes thinking! This book reminded me of a picture book version of my favorite book in the world, Marley and Me. Another thing I really liked is his writing font, it's very simple and fun looking. As the words get bigger you can just hear the tone getting louder. I especially like the page were the words are large and very close together as if he is just pleading with Fergus to come in. I actually really like in some of the pictures how there was very little background behind Fergus, it was just one color, to really keep your attention on him. The story line was as cute as it could be. A cute and very happy pup gets into EVERYTHING. I have a little terrier of my own, althouh she is not as bad as Fergus, I definiatly see her in him! She always has that happy grin and chases cats and beggs for food, and of course the sweet little face ends up eventually with what she wants. She is always a "Good Girl, Zoie!" All in all I love this book!

Teaching Ideas: This book would definiatly keep the attention of a small children because of the hallerious story line and amazing picuters.It could be easily intergrated into a kindergarten or first grade classroom. In kindergarten the standard course of study states observe the similarities of humans to other animals, using basic needs, growth, and movement. With this book we can definiatly see that dogs and people need similar basic needs such as food, water, love, and shelter.(ok, some people would say love isn't a "need" but I think it is so I threw it in there.) Also you can use this book to show the animals movement jump, walk, run, and lay (which people can do too, you can even ask your children to do these movements.) Then maybe point out that dogs can scratch their head with their foot, not all people can do that. That would somrhting silly to try! A real activty you could have your studnets do (in first grade or up) is bring in a stuft animal and tell them that this is their live pet and they have to make a journal of everything they have done and given their pet. This will enhance writing, responsibilty, show basic needs, and compassion. Another quick idea is you could do a small lesson on nutrition, and mention how dogs arn't supose to eat whip creme!

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