This One's for the Dogs

Once I Ate a Pie

by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest

illustrated by Katy Schneider

Today ... a book of poems! A first for Up Past Bedtime! It's kind of hard to describe a book of short poems without just giving away the actual poems, but I'll give it a whirl ...

Sumamry

Once I Ate a Pie is a collection of poems about dogs, all written from their own unique perspectives. Each poem is named after or describes the dog telling the story: there's Mr. Beefy, a rotund pug who admits to stealing (and eating!) tubs of butter off the table; Lucy, a shelter dog who now has things that are all her own; Louis, a fluffy pomeranian who BARKS! all the time; and Pocket, a tiny, hand-sized pup who doesn't understand why all of his things are so small when he feels so big.

Each poem is accompanied by a drawing of the canine narrator in action, and there is a subtle flow in the ages of the dogs, from new puppy, to wise old beast.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

I loved this book so much I bought two copies of it for Christmas gifts, and plan on giving more out in the future! So yes, it's definitely worth it! Any animal lover, especially one who understands dogs and the distinct personalities that come with each breed, will adore these poems, and will likely find one that he or she can relate to. The poems almost read like short stories, and the illustrations give a real personality to each pup. As a girl who has grown up with shelter and rescue pets all my life, I will admit that the poem about Lucy, the shelter dog, makes me tear up almost everytime I read it.

Recommended for any age.

Hippie Librarian Seeks Reluctant Reader

Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t)
by Barbara Bottner
illustrated by Michael Emberley

Miss Brooks came to my library and was immediately passed around amongst the youth center staff. I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed this book before now!

Summary
The title pretty much sums up the main plot. Miss Brooks, the school librarian, loves books, while our young protagonist narrator does not. Our narrator doesn’t understand why Miss Brooks gets so excited about books. Miss Brooks dresses up for reading circle, reads books for every season, even asks the class to bring in their favorite poems to read on Halloween.

When Book Week is announced, our narrator doesn’t know what to do. Miss Brooks asks everyone to share their favorite book with the class. Obviously,our narrator doesn’t have a favorite book, and even asks her mother if they can move to a new town so she won’t have to find one. (“My mother says there’s a librarian in every town.”) But Miss Brooks is not discouraged. She sends her fickle young reader home with stacks of books, hoping to find just the right fit. While many get dismissed for reasons ranging from “too kissy” to “too silly,” a comment from mom plants an idea about a book that might be just the right fit ...

Worth staying up past bedtime?
Wooooo! Yes! This book is awesome for so many reasons. Picky reader plus diligent librarian makes a great combination, and shows that it’s not bad if you don’t like the books that everyone else enjoys. It just means you have to find what works for you. Also, the illustrations are fantastic, and really give a sense of each character’s personality. Parents and kids will enjoy this story, and will most likely find some aspect of it relatable to a personal experience with books and school library time.

Recommended for any age.