Media Reviews
Booklist Shannon, David. Good Boy, Fergus! Mar. 2006. 40p. illus. Scholastic/Blue Sky, $15.99 (0-439-49027-8).
KGr. 2. Fergus is a West Highland terrier, sort of an antihero to Rosemary Well's doggie, McDuff. He goes wild when he sees a cat, won't come when he's called, eats the daisies, and puddles in the wrong places. Of course, he's not entirely to blame; his unseen master is the sort who tells him not to beg then slips him a tidbit, and puts whipped cream in his food bowl after the original offering gets only a disdainful sniff. This book is all about the impressive, oversize visualspictures that show the adorable doggie in full canine-caper mode: leaping, chasing, digging, not rolling over on command. And the expressions on Fergus' face perfectly mirror those of many pets who have the innocent look down pat: Who me? However, the best audience for this will be children old enough (or experienced enough with dogs) to catch the humor. Fergus has made cameo appearances in other Shannon books. Come to think of it, maybe he's not so much a counterpoint to McDuff as he is Shannon's David in fur. Ilene Cooper
Kirkus
GOOD BOY, FERGUS!
Author: Shannon, David
Fergus is a West Highland terrier, an irrepressibly charming canine based on the real-life pet of the author, who clearly knows a thing or two about mischievous main characters. In this offering, the unnamed narrator (an adult male) attempts to discipline his dog, Fergus, who could be a shaggy version of No, David! (1998), but the little pup clearly has the upper hand in the household. The owner tells Fergus what to do, but each time the dog does just as he pleases until the owner caves in, rewarding Fergus with the refrain, Good boy, Fergus! Readers see Fergus right at his level as he goes through his day and at each activity finds a new sort of mischief or a new way to be pampered by his adoring owner. Preschoolers will enjoy the large-format full of over-sized text and hysterical pictures of the disobedient dog who gets his way every time, right down to holding out for whipped cream on top of his dog food. Yes, Fergus! (Picture book. 3-6)
SLJ
SHANNON, David. Good Boy, Fergus! illus. by author. unpaged. Scholastic/Blue Sky. Mar. 2006. RTE $15.99. ISBN 0-439-49027-8. LC 2005008541.
PreS-Gr 2Reading this story is like having a romp with the funniest dog in town. As the book opens, two lines of text ( Good morning, Fergus!/Want to go out? ) frame the irrepressible face of a furry white terrier, black button eyes glistening with excitement. Subsequent pages feature the pup's adventures chasing cats and motorbikes, scratching and being scratched, playing in the dirt, begging for meatballs, and riding in the car. No matter what the animal does, his master's refrain isyou guessed it. Readers see everything from a terrier-sized perspective, and they rarely see anyone but Fergus. When he is trampling his owner to request a walk, they catch just a glimpse of a human face. The motorcyclist's face is so covered with gear as to be generic. The more intimate portraits here are of things of interest to Fergusspaghetti and meatballs, for example, or the whipped cream that he likes on his kibble. Shannon's artwork is like an overstuffed sofa: colorful, homey, and bouncy. A riotous book to unleash on all readerseven those who own cats.Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
Deborah Stevenson, Editor (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, March 2006 (Vol. 59, No. 7))
Just about everybody in the children s book world now knows David Shannon s David, who first leapt (sometimes bare-butted) to our attention in No, David (BCCB 9/98) and who has tried adult patience in several subsequent titles. Having chronicled such a willful young human s obstreperous antics, Shannon now turns to an irrepressible West Highland White terrier, Fergu
Paws down, Fergus is one memorable pooch. Publishers Weekly (starred review)
An irrepressibly charming canine. Kirkus Reviews
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