Good Boy, Fergus!

by David Shannon, David Shannon (Illustrator)

Overview

Follow Fergus as he experiences the perfect doggy day--well, except for his bath, of course! From chasing cats and motorcycles to being scratched on his favorite "tickle spot," David Shannon's newest sweet and silly character will inspire young readers to laugh out loud at his mischievous antics. Fans of Shannon's previous books will love reading all about this naughty but lovable dog!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780545531924
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	08/30/2016
Sold by:	Scholastic, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	313,939
File size:	89 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than thirty picture books, including No, David!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year, and three more David picture books. Shannon's bestsellers include A Bad Case of Stripes, Duck on a Bike, and his recent Bugs in My Hair. He lives in California with his family.

Hometown:

Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth:

October 5, 1960

Place of Birth:

Washington, D. C. (Raised in Spokane, Washington)

Education:

B.A., Art Center College of Design

Editorial Reviews

Although readers have to look closely to find him, David Shannon's family dog, Fergus, puts in an Alfred Hitchcock-styled cameo appearance in all of the author's bestselling picture books. Now the willful little Westie gets star billing in his own story, a charming canine caper that captures the essence of this highly independent terrier breed. It's hard to say what will tickle readers more: Fergus's shenanigans or his pushover owner's enabling behavior. (Parental advisory: Be prepared for kids to ratchet up the "Can we get a dog?" refrain!)

bn.com

Judging from his picture-book repertoire, Shannon (No, David!) knows well how exuberant types tend to get into trouble. His buoyant new work keeps the streak going, this time depicting the spunky, yet ever-so-natural behavior of a family dog (the Shannon family in fact-Fergus the West Highland terrier has appeared somewhere in all of Shannon's books). The morning routine is off to a good start when Fergus's partially seen owner lets him out, but things quickly take a turn: "Ready... set... Cat!" A feline sighting sends Fergus into a frenzy and, once outside, the pepped-up pooch will not come back in. (A hand-lettered page of the owner's verbal entreaties is a hoot.) Digging up a potted plant, getting a bath, taking a fur-fluffing spin in the car and begging for scraps at the table round out Fergus's fun-filled day (and reveal the unseen owner as a true pushover). Through it all, he's commended with "Good boy, Fergus!" Shannon's mixed-media illustrations, in the style of his David books, crackle with personality. Fergus's expressions and poses will be both funny and familiar to dog lovers, and the predominantly close-up perspective offers an immediacy that makes readers feel included in every second of the tail-wagging action. Paws down, Fergus is one memorable pooch. Ages 3-6. (Mar.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Fergus, a white terrier, begins his day when his owner asks him, "Want to go out?" After chasing cats, ignoring his owner's commands, playing in the dirt, and eating flowers, Fergus continues to disobey and yet still receives praise and treats that reward his bad behavior. When Fergus's owner attempts to eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, he tells Fergus not to beg. To discourage Fergus' begging, his naive owner gives him a meatball, which prompts the dog to bark out various commands to his owner. Fergus decides when to ride in a car, when to go on a walk, and when to eat, effectively communicating each of these desires to his owner. Fergus turns his nose up when he gets a bowl of plain dog food and waits until his owner applies a thick, creamy layer of whipped cream to it. This humorous, ironic picture book is nonstop funny because of the way it reverses roles, putting Fergus in the position of training his owner. The big, bold words and colorful illustrations in this picture book make it an easy read. The vibrant illustrations effectively interpret what the words are saying on the page. Readers and pre-readers alike will enjoy this fun, adventurous, picture book as much as Shannon's "David" books. Reviewer: Katie Patrick

Children's Literature - Katie Patrick

PreS-Gr 2-Reading 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 is-you 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 Fergus-spaghetti 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 readers-even those who own cats.-Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

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)

Kirkus Reviews

"Paws down, Fergus is one memorable pooch." – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"An irrepressibly charming canine." – Kirkus Reviews

Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year
Bulletin Blue Ribbons
IRA Children's Choices
CCBC Choices
New York Times Notable Children's Books
ALA Notable Children's Books,
3x3 Children's Book Award
Gryphon Award
Parents' Choice Award

From the Publisher