Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog
by Joy Behar
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Book Summary Information
Author: Joy BeharIllustrator: Gene Barretta
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2006-09-21
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 32
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Book Reviews of Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog
Book Review: Yawn! Not very original.
Summary: 2 Stars
I was lucky enough not to waste money on the book, since the Good Morning America website has the entire story online for free. I decided to read it there first before deciding whether or not to buy it. There are a lot of wonderful childrens books out there with inspiring characters and/or original and humorous stories that adults find just as enjoyable to read as children love to hear them. Sheetzucacapoopoo is not one of those stories. I'm not going to waste a lot of review space lambasting the title like other reviewers have, because frankly it's a minor quibble, and if the story was any good, the title wouldn't be an issue. There are better things to criticize about this book than Ms. Behar's lame attempt at toilet humor.
My biggest gripe is that this story is BORING! Max the mixed breed goes to the park, where he meets a bunch of snobby designer dogs who only like to play with dogs that look like them. Max befriends them anyway. Next day, he meets a bunch of purebred dogs that the designer dogs (kind of hypocritically) call snobs because they only want to play with other purebreds. Max befriends them anyway and every dog learns to love Max. The End.
I haven't read the sequel, but from the synopsis and author's summary in an interview, it sounds like more of the same. Max meets a bunch of snobby big dogs who don't like little dogs, and Max befriends them all. It's like the author only has one idea and is trying to figure out how many different ways she can tell the same story over and over again.
Another issue for me is Ms. Behar's total lack of subtlety or depth. A child's book can both provocative and still simple ("Harold and the Purple Crayon" or "Corduroy" as just two quick examples) without being simplistic. They can still give the characters motives and conflicted feelings. That's the challenge of writing good childrens books that Joy Behar hasn't yet grasped. Maybe it's me, but I just don't like how Ms. Behar keeps portraying every single dog but her own as being prejudiced. Prejudice usually stems from something, for example fear and/or ignorance; It doesn't just pop out of thin air one morning at breakfast. Unfortunately, there's no rhyme or reason for the dogs' dislike of each other in this book other than the author wants to beat her message over the heads of the readers in case they didn't know that "racism is stupid". For goodness sake, a chihuahua mix refused to play with Max because he didn't have triangle ears! And another only liked dogs with long straight hair. So these dogs are highschool cliques now? If Ms. Behar wanted to write a story about prejudice (and it is painfully obvious that is her goal in her two books), there are less ham-fisted ways of going about it that are child-friendly and still manage to treat young readers as intelligent. So far, the only lesson I can see children getting out of Sheetzycacapoopoo is one: "Dogs are jerks! Get a cat."
Two stars only because the artwork is really nice and cute looking. If your child isn't old enough to read, this book might be worth the price because the money goes to a good cause, and your child will like looking at all the pretty pictures. I'm sure most parents out there are imaginative enough to make up a better story to tell their kids if they ask what's actually written on the pages. Better yet, make it a game where the child creates their own story to go along with the pictures. I would read what a creative 4-year old comes up with in a heartbeat instead of Joy Behar's snoozefest.
Summary of Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog
Comedian and talk-show host Joy Behar has teamed up with illustrator Gene Barretta to create a feisty, lovable character in this cheerful, funny picture book. When Max the mixed-breed meets a pack of snobby purebred dogs in the dog run, he can?t understand why they don?t want to play with him and his mongrel friends. Determined to get everyone to play together, brainy Max?who is part poodle, after all?comes up with a way to break the ice between the mixed-breeds and the purebreds. America?s current obsession with designer dogs makes this book as timely as it is lively.Dogs Books
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