Published posthumously, Dashing Dog is Margaret Mahy’s last work. It is accompanied by a CD of her reading the tale, which follows the amusing antics of a poodle who is the pride of his family… however, as time goes on, his canine antics see him dashing his finery.
I’m liking
There is clever wordplay in this book, and it’s quite fun to read. Any wordsmith will probably appreciate the degree to which language is played with throughout the tale.
Donovan Bixley is fast becoming a hero of New Zealand children’s literature and his illustrations in this book make it truly magical. Small people will love following the prim and proper pooch turned messy and less-manicured by each page turn – and they will enjoy the heroic ending too, where the importance of finery is put in into perspective. I think the story is in some ways, carried along by the pictures. Bixley always manages to incorporate a number of talking points for adults and children in his illustrations and this book is no disappointment in that respect.
Things that made me go hmmmm
Though there is not a huge number of words per page, the language play probably rides above the heads of some of this book’s audience – being primarily a picture book. It’s not the sort of text that your children will learn easily and chime in on.
The conclusion
Best considered as clever poetry, with wonderful pictures that even young children will enjoy following, this is a book for a certain type of audience. If you’re wanting your child to read it for themselves, it would best suit a child fascinated by turns of phrase and wanting to increase their vocabulary. If you have this type of child, the book will probably give them enjoyment for many years (from around ages 5-10+). It will also provide a talking point about how very clever Mahy was, and how much she contributed to the world of New Zealand’s literature.
Published by HarperCollins, Dashing Dog (in hardcover with CD) retails for approximately $30.
