Bailey

by Harry Bliss

Overview

Meet Bailey, a dog who surprises and charms his fellow human classmates with his irrepressible antics.

Follow Bailey the dog as he gets ready and goes to school. Should he wear the red or blue collar? Both are so fashionable! Will he be late? That squirrel is a distraction! And what about Bailey's homework? Would you believe he ate it? That is what dogs do, after all.

In this funny new book from the best selling children's illustrator Harry Bliss, school proves to be an unexpected place for Bailey to do all sorts of things he loves: reading, fetching, painting, digging, singing - and making friends!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545233446
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/01/2011
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.20(w) x 10.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD220L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

HARRY BLISS is a cartoonist and cover artist for The New Yorker magazine. His first book, A FINE, FINE SCHOOL by Newbery-award winning author, Sharon Creech, was a New York Times bestseller. He went on to illustrate many other books, including WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER BE, by William Steig; COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN by Alison McGhee, and DIARY OF A WORM by Doreen Cronin, a #1 New York Times bestseller as well as ADVENTURES OF A CHICKEN by Kate DiCamillo. Harry lives in South Burlington, Vermont.

Editorial Reviews

Bliss's engaging vignettes follow Bailey the flop-eared hound as he trundles through a day at school. He's not like Mary's little lamb—he's a regular attendee. Rather than giving Bailey human characteristics, Bliss (Luke on the Loose) finds laughs in Bailey's irrepressibly doggy nature. Bailey can't speak, so his thoughts appear in balloons, just like those of his human classmates; when he rides the school bus, he sticks his snout out the window and thinks, "Faster! Faster!" Naturally, he's eaten his own homework ("Next time, try a banana," the school's male nurse advises when Bailey shows up with a stomachache). His school report is on FDR's dog Fala (Bliss prompts those who don't recognize the name with a student's thought bubble, "Oh! He's that man on the dime!"), and he howls through chorus practice. There's no tension to the story; Bailey transgresses, but the kids tolerate canine faults like digging through the cafeteria garbage, and the teacher wakes him when he naps. It's fine low-key entertainment, and Bailey's trials will elicit empathy and giggles from school-aged readers. Ages 3–6. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

A dog is going to school. Bailey seems to have no trouble being accepted by the kids and the teachers. He goes through the usual routine of waking up and getting ready (his big decision is what color dog collar to wear) and almost misses the bus. While he is eager to get to school not all the students feel the same way. He puts things in his cubby and presents his teacher with a bone in celebration of her birthday. The old canard about the dog having eaten my homework is reprised in a most amusing way and while this may go over the heads of young readers, parents and caregivers will get the joke. Bailey is after all a dog so some of his favorite things are unique to canines. He gives a great report about a former first dog, is a big success at the school garden and really shakes his booty at dance class. At reading time he discovers a variety of books including one that makes him sleepy and almost causes a big problem (be sure to look at the titles on the books). It is a great day at school and Bailey eagerly awaits another one. The illustrations are as amusing as the text and Bliss works them both to great advantage. Bailey is one dog that many kids will wish attended their school. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

PreS-Gr 2—Bailey is the most enthusiastic student in his class. No matter what the task, he is completely involved. After he races to catch the school bus, he has math and reading, recess and lunch, just like all the kids. But hold on. Bailey is not a kid—he's a spirited, spotted dog with floppy ears. Deceptively simple cartoon illustrations belie the brilliance of the story. How the pup manages the everyday classroom occurrences makes this picture book perfect. When the teacher asks about Bailey's homework, his thought bubble shows him chomping on it (next page, he visits the nurse). Bailey wows his classmates with a report on FDR's dog, Fala, and makes short work of digging holes for plants in the school garden. From the facial expressions to the titles of the books Bailey reads, no opportunity is lost for fleshing out this character; and laughs abound on every page. This one will be a favorite of adults and kids alike. A great way to start off the school year, Bailey is pure Bliss.—Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA—

School Library Journal