"In the beginning life was perfect ... a warm, comfy bed, yummy food, long walks, frolics along the sand and, best of all, anywhere, anytime LOVE. Life was perfect but then came Lionel."
Maverick, a large golden shaggy dog, loves his family but then a new pup arrives. Lional is a pup - small, young, and adorable. At first things don't change for Maverick but then, as the pup grows, the family seem to have lost interest in their old friend. They became 'Lionel-busy'.
"I put up with it as long as I could. Then one day, I'd had enough!"
Oh no - poor Maverick is banished to the doghouse in the back garden and it is raining and cold and so so so lonely. But pups will be pups and one day, finally, little Lionel does something slightly naughty and he is banished to the back garden. Is there now a way Maverick and make friends with Lionel?
This book was short listed for our Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) award - Early Childhood.
The Judges said: The theme of the younger/new addition to the family is highly relatable to the age level of this audience, adding the themes of an animal protagonist/antagonist and animal angst. The title and imprint pages cleverly set up the conflict and tension before the narrative begins. Narrated by the dog Maverick, the language is simple and clear, with lovely pauses and bold words for directed emphasis and expression. Many young children may be able to identify with Maverick’s emotions, allowing them tor self-reflect and connect. Whilst this book is about a pet dog learning to accept a new puppy into the household, it would also provide a very useful tool in supporting discussions about a new family member, and the mixed feelings that come with this. The narrative arch is well-sustained and draws the reader in, leading to a perfectly pitched and delightfully surprising resolution. The pencil and watercolour illustrations are beautiful, full of movement, and perfectly convey the mood and emotions.
You can see inside this book here on Tracie Grimwood's webpage. Tracie did the cover of a book I really enjoyed - Eloise and the Bucket of Stars. Read about the real Lionel and Maverick in this post on Paperbark Words with Joy Lawn. Here are the teachers notes from the publisher. If you want to extend your ideas about this book to include any new arrival in a family such as a new baby brother or sister take a look at my Pinterest collection. Take a look here to see other books by Corinne Fenton. I recently talked about Subbie and his mate. I also love an older book Queenie: One Elephant’s Story illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe.
This is a book that is perfect for your preschool reading companion and for all preschool library/book collections.
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