The uproarious story of a good dog who unleashes his inner party animal when his folks go away.
July 1, 2003
PreS-Gr. 2. In Hoe Baek Lee's " While We Were "Out [BKL Ap 15 03], a pet rabbit explores the house while her owners are out. This book has the same premise, but the pet is a dog, and his adventures turn raucous. The first night Stanley's people are gone, he timidly jumps on the couch. When he realizes that his owners haven't noticed, he begins taking larger liberties--playing music, eating leftovers from the fridge. Then, like so many teenagers, Stanley gets a bright idea: he'll have a party! He invites dogs from all over the neighborhood, and they tear the house apart. Then his owners return. The downside of Stanley's merrymaking is having to clean the house; the upside is being taken along whenever his people go out. A clever ending is a twist on the idea of a dog's tale. The artwork, executed in acrylics, is bursting with life, especially the last several scenes in which dogs of every shape and stripe cavort around the house. A well-plotted delight.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)
July 1, 2003
PreS-Gr 3-With chuckles on nearly every page, this humorous story makes an ideal read-aloud. One night when his owners are out, a scruffy brown dog carefully climbs onto the forbidden soft sofa and discovers how comfortable it is. His "people" are rarely home before midnight, so he begins experimenting with other taboo activities: he turns on the stereo, dances up a storm, and raids the refrigerator. Wanting to spread the joy, he invites his canine friends over for some fun. The word spreads and soon Stanley's house is overrun with partying pooches. Unfortunately, his owners come home early and discover the revelry. Having learned their lesson, Stanley's people now take their pet with them whenever they go out for the evening. The breezy text brims with Stanley's inner thoughts and dialogue. Painted in acrylics over gessoed paper, the illustrations have a scratchy, terrier-furlike texture. Observant readers will find plenty to laugh about in the mostly full-page spreads, which are awash with cool, muted tones. Slavin captures the frivolity of Stanley's bash by portraying a pooch wearing a lampshade and a budding romance between a diminutive Yorkie and a brown-and-white bulldog. Dog lovers and party animals alike will howl with delight.-Shawn Brommer, South Central Library System, Madison, WI
Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from February 3, 2003
It is truly a dog's life for the barrel-chested pooch Stanley, once he discovers that he can loll on the forbidden couch, crank up the stereo and raid the fridge with impunity—as long as he covers his tracks before " people" return from their frequent late nights out. Knowing that readers will find parallels in their own covert episodes, Bailey and Slavin (previously teamed for the Good Times Travel Agency series) extol the heady liberation that comes from Stanley's pushing the bad behavior envelope. "The couch was more comfortable than he'd ever dreamed.... He put his paws up on the cushions. He sprawled and squirmed and sniffed the leather trim. The couch was wonderful!" Working in nubby and almost iridescent acrylics, Slavin captures Stanley in a state of illicit, legs-in-the-air ecstasy. His portrayals of dogs throughout offer a hilarious, knowing perspective. The lush life comes crashing down, however, when Stanley decides to share the fun with his canine friends (including the memorably named Gassy Jack), and word hits the doggie grapevine, bringing out "Drooling dogs. Dainty dogs. Dogs that needed a bath." Yet readers will cheer that the lesson of the resulting canine melée is directed not at Stanley, but rather his mildly neglectful owners. This is first-class entertainment all the way, with a last line—"If you don't believe me, ask your dog"—that's cheekiness itself. Ages 3-7.
July 1, 2003
When Stanley's people go out, he learns how to open the refrigerator and turn on the stereo, just the right ingredients for a dog party. He invites all the dogs in the neighborhood, and they have a jiving, boogying bash--until Stanley's people come home early. The amusing full-page acrylic illustrations enhance Stanley's personality as he figures out how to get what he wants.
(Copyright 2003 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)