Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The dog that dumped on my doona by Barry Jonsberg

The Dog that dumped on my Doona if this book is published in America or UK what will they call it?

Here is a winner for boys (and girls) who love to laugh. This is such a clever and funny book I just want to rush out and read it to all Year 5 classes. The cover and illustrations are totally perfect too.

The opening sentence hooks you in straight away “I was woken up by a dog taking a dump on my doona.” Marcus does not know what to do. The doona is not the problem, the poo is not the problem, the dog is the problem. Should he try to escape from his room “I could edge my way to the door, slip out and scream blue murder. Dad could come in and deal with the dog. That’s what parents are paid for, after all”.

This is another book with all those ingredients a mean bully sister, special best friend, toilets, dog farts, cola, an interesting pygmy bearded dragon called God and a Dog called ‘Blacky’ obviously this is not his real name. Your mission, should you agree to participate, involves releasing God from his pet shop prison so he can return to the desert and warn his family of the poisons being spread by humans.

Why is this lizard called God? I don’t know “But what if, hey? What if? What if the dog can talk to you and it really is from God who does live in a pet shop because, after all, they say God is everywhere they why can’t He be in a pet shop as well as a church or in a meat pie or something and the big guy must be pretty busy all the time what with having, like the whole universe to deal with so it might be right that He needs a bit of help from time to time…”

This book could have laboured the environmental message, but it doesn’t, instead we are rewarded with a very funny story about families, friendship and loyality oh and the Environment. Get your hands on this one fast – it is terrific.

Readers who enjoy this book might also enjoy 35 Kilos of Hope and Dog 37 we have both in our school library.

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