Chick 'n' Pug

by Jennifer Sattler

Overview

Chick lives for adventures. Pug lives for, well, sleep. In Chick's eyes, however, Pug can do no wrong. In fact, he is WONDERPUG! But with danger around every corner and a hero who's a little low on energy, it may be up to Chick to save the day and earn the prized role of sidechick (er, sidekick . . .) From an exceptional new talent, this is a funny, heartwarming story of misplaced hero worship as well as the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781408813737
Publisher:	Bloomsbury UK
Publication date:	03/28/2011
Series:	Chick 'n' Pug Series
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

JENNIFER SATTLER is also the creator of the picture book Sylvie. A fine artist, she lives in New York.
www.jennifergordonsattler.com

Editorial Reviews

This story about friendship will resonate with children who find their heroes in unlikely places. A small yellow chick sets off to find the kind of excitement seen in his favorite book, The Adventures of Wonder Pug! When he meets a barrel-chested pug who's more interested in sleeping than adventure, Chick still thinks he is "magnificent." Much of the book's humor revolves around Chick's misinterpretations of the dog's actions. When Pug yawns, Chick is "aflutter with excitement. ‘Let the adventure begin!' " And when the pug tears at the striped sweater his owner has saddled him with, Chick is the ultimate cheerleader: "Look at him go! He must have trained vigorously to bear such an opponent!" Sattler (Sylvie) is particularly adept with the characters' facial expressions. Chick is determined, baffled, surprised; Pug is long-suffering, worried, grateful. When a placid cat, Mr. Snuggles, intrudes and Pug continues to sleep ("Clearly Pug's strategy was to play dead"), the bird enters the heroic fantasy he's created, chasing the cat away with a "WOOF!" and crowing, "Mr. Snuggles didn't count on Wonder Pug having a sidekick, did he?" Ages 3–6. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Author/illustrator Sattler has written a delightful, funny picture book on Chick's quest to find excitement, and his hero, Pug, the dog. Poor Chick lives among boring chickens, and he wants adventure like the wonderful pug in the book he has read and re-read 127 times. Chick sets out to find his hero and soon finds him asleep on the ground. Chick is overwhelmed that he has found Pug and waits for Pug to wake up. Chick waits and waits, but Pug needs some help to open his eyes. Chick yells into his hero's ear a big fat HI! Pug is not thrilled that Chick thinks he is a Wonder dog. All he wants to do is sleep. Chick patiently waits for Pug to wake up again so they could have a great adventure. The problem is that Pug isn't interested in playing Frisbee, or doing anything at all except sleeping. Then, something happens that gives Chick hope that maybe Pug will finally come alive. But that opportunity ends and Pug is once again asleep. A reprieve arrives when an uninvited cat comes into Pug's territory. Chick needs to warn Pug about this danger, but Pug is deaf to Chick's pleas to get rid of the kitty that is really no danger to anyone. Chick has to get rid of that cat, and he finally comes up with an answer; something that Pug should have been able to do. Chick is a hero, but in Pug's eyes, did he really need a protector? The illustrations are large, bold, and humorous. The text is slim, but along with the illustrations, tells the story beautifully. Young children will love the tale of Chick and Pug, as well as teachers, librarians, parents, and grandparents. Reviewer: Della A. Yannuzzi

Children's Literature - Della A. Yannuzzi

PreS-Gr 1—Sattler is back with another clever yarn. "Chick had read The Adventures of Wonder Pug! 127 times. Every page was packed with excitement. But there was no excitement in the chicken coop. So Chick set off to find some." What Chick finds is an ordinary, lackadaisical pug whom he idolizes. But when the pup's baby-talking owner brings a cat over, Chick decides something must be done as "clearly, Pug's strategy was to play dead." The chick barks to frighten the feline away and declares himself Pug's sidekick. While some of the tongue-in-cheek story may go over younger children's heads, Chick's comical voice and the book's spare text are still likely to appeal to the book's audience, with the more sophisticated parts speaking to older siblings and parents. Little Chick, with his huge eyes, and Pug, who couldn't possibly be more puglike, are rendered in acrylics and colored pencil. The bright, smeary backgrounds make the two characters stand out even more, and their slightly cartoony look fits the story perfectly. In one priceless spread, Chick opens his mouth so wide that its diamond shape seems to take over his body and he yells, "woof!" In the background, the pug remains nonplussed, while, in the foreground, the terrified cat flees. Preschool fans of dogs, chickens, superheroes, and humor will all find something to like here, as will librarians looking for something to freshen up storytimes. Delightful.—Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT

School Library Journal

A little chicken enjoys his favorite comic book, The Adventures of Wonder Pug! When it's done, he goes looking for his own adventure. There's not much going on in the chicken coop, so he slips out and stumbles upon a real, live, sleeping pug who Chick assumes has all the superpowers his comic hero possesses. But Pug does not see things the same way and would prefer simply to continue with his nap. Finally Chick takes matters in his own wings when a suspicious-looking cat threatens to enter their space and lets out a loud "WOOF," powerful enough to wake even Pug. The concept is stronger than the plot, and the sarcasm that peppers the book, though entertaining, may only be understood by adults. There doesn't seem to be enough of a believable personal struggle for Chick's character, so his triumph at the end reads more random than heroic. Sattler's expressive drawings convey the humor, but the dark colors make Pug's expressions hard to decipher. Funny but forgettable. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews