Bow-Wow's Nightmare Neighbors

by Mark Newgarden (Illustrator), Megan Montague Cash

Overview

As Bow-Wow naps, his neighbors creep in and steal his cozy green bed. When the expressive pup tries to get it back, colorful chaos ensues as the house next door might not be exactly what he thought. From authors Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash comes Bow-Wow's Nightmare Neighbors.

"This is a mysterious and perfectly-crafted little book, full of surprises and profundities and infused throughout with an uncanny sensitivity to the current state of canine-feline relations." —Dan Clowes

"Bow-Wow is like Bee-Bop; you can read it quick or spend your time with it. Either way, it swings." —Mo Willems

A Neal Porter Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596436404
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	11/11/2014
Pages:	64
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mark Newgarden and Megan Montague Cash created Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug (Harcourt), which won the Gold Award in the Society of Illustrators' Original Art Show in 2007, and other honors. Mark has been a creator of novelties (Garbage Pail Kids), cartoonist (from Raw magazine to the New York Times), writer for TV, film, and multimedia projects (from Microsoft to Cartoon Network), among various and sundry careers. Megan is an illustrator, author, and designer who specializes in work for children. Her clients have ranged from the Museum of Modern Art to Nickelodeon and projects have included award-winning toys, games, paper-engineered products, corporate identities, and exhibit designs.

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/12/2014
Newgarden and Cash’s terrier Bow-Wow returns in his first full-length adventure since his debut in 2007’s Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug. Some of the sequential panels can take a moment or two to decode, but readers’ patience will be rewarded as they follow Bow-Wow into the haunted mansion across the street as he searches for his stolen doggie bed. Old haunted-house clichés gain new life as the skeptical Bow-Wow encounters a trick floorboard, inspects a painting with moving eyes, and is deceived by things that look remarkably like his beloved bed, but aren’t. Dozens of mischievous ghost cats plague him as he explores, biting his tail when he least expects it. Confident, clear-line drawings in the manner of Hergé or Crockett Johnson give the panels a classic feel, and, in the mostly b&w artwork, color is used to brilliant comic effect. The pacing never flags, and the warm-and-fuzzy ending is as gratifying as it is surreal. Adults and children will enjoy creating a story to accompany the artwork, and they’ll share plenty of laughter as they do. Ages 4–8. Agent: Brenda Bowen, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

In this wordless book, golden little Bow-Wow is peacefully sleeping when a trio of wee ghostly kittens sneaks his cushion out from underneath him . . . an amusing readalone for kids who find words get in the way of their enjoyment.” —BCCB

“*Bow-Wow is back in this fanciful wordless follow-up to Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug . . . A fresh look at things that go bump in the night.” —The Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW

“*Bow-Wow is back, here in pursuit of mischievous ghost cats that reside next door . . . Concept and execution could not be better. Readers of all ages are the winners the moment they open this book.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“*In this wordless, comics-style picture book, Bow-Wow's neighbor cats have bitten his tail and stolen his soft doggie bed . . . This unique book challenges readers to pay attention, all the while working through the realms of the real, the familiar, nonsense, and play.” —SchoolLibrary Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“The pacing never flags, and the warm-and-fuzzy ending is as gratifying as it is surreal. Adults and children will enjoy creating a story to accompany the artwork, and they'll share plenty of laughter as they do.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

From the Publisher

★ 06/01/2014
K-Gr 4—In this wordless, comics-style picture book, Bow-Wow's neighbor cats have bitten his tail and stolen his soft doggie bed. Bow-Wow must travel to the spooky house next door to retrieve his bed, only to find a house full of tail-biting cats, trapdoors, pictures with eyes, shifting shadows, and all kinds of other spooky objects. Just when it seems things couldn't possibly get any stranger, Bow-Wow finds the scariest thing of all: a giant (almost room-sized) cat. Nestled nearby is his missing doggie bed. Will the jumbo kitty and her many dozens of feline minions let Bow-Wow escape with his bed? Digitally designed panel graphics offer a sophisticated visual narrative with subtle and humorous details. This unique book challenges readers to pay attention, all while working through the realms of the real, the familiar, nonsense, and play.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA

School Library Journal

★ 2014-07-16
Bow-Wow is back (Bow-Wow Bugs a Bug, 2007), here in pursuit of mischievous ghost cats that reside next door. The story begins with Bow-Wow sleeping soundly on his cozy teal dog bed, but a trio of bright white felines arrive on the scene. While one bites his tail, the others take his bed, leaving the poor dog to recover from the shock of what happened. Of course, he follows his attackers across the street to a gloomy estate. Here is where the real antics occur. First the pup trips on a loose floorboard that leads to a fall headfirst down a chute. When he lands, he discovers a seemingly haunted picture with moving eyes. Escaping other tail-biting cats, he searches through room after room for his bed. Each time he sees a bit of teal he is disappointed. A dress, a burglar's bag and a toilet seat cover are found—and unexpected silly surprises result. Throughout the quest, readers will glimpse dozens of white cats shape-shifting to better hide from or attack the dog. In this completely wordless picture book, Newgarden and Cash cue readers with various techniques taken from comics. In some scenes, a series of smaller frames builds to a dramatic turn of events, and page turns are never predictable. Concept and execution could not be better. Readers of all ages are the winners the moment they open this book. (Picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews