Dudley's Day at Home - Renee Andriani

Dudley's Day at Home

By: Renee Andriani (Illustrator), Karen Kaufman Orloff

Hardcover | 3 May 2020

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Hardcover


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What does Dudley do all day while his people-family is out? While shopping for groceries, Mom explains to young Max that Dudley does ordinary dog things: he eats, naps, guards the house, and plays with Buttercup, the cat-next-door. But in Max's mind, Dudley's day at home is anything but ordinary. In comical juxtapositions of art and text, the reader sees Dudley's activities as (mis)interpreted by Max, who imagines Dudley - and his sidekick Buttercup - in human terms. When Mom says "Dudley eats," Max pictures Dudley in a chef's hat, cooking pancakes for himself and Buttercup. When Mom says "he probably practices his tricks," Max imagines Dudley in a magician's cape, pulling the peeved cat out of a top hat. And when Mom says "Dudley goes outside to do his business," Max envisions Dudley hard at work at a desk in the backyard, with his assistant, Buttercup, briskly filing papers. Eventually, Max wonders what Dudley thinks his humans do all day, and the reader is treated to a series of hysterical vignettes of Dudley imagining Max and Mom digging for bones, scratching themselves, chasing squirrels, and sniffing at a tree trunk. Maximal visual storytelling paired with minimal text makes Dudley's Day at Home a slyly funny, refreshing tale with pitch-perfect humor that both kids and adults will love. Youngest listeners will be able to tell the story solely from the pictures, and beginning readers will enjoy reading it on their own. Painted digitally in a bright watercolor-and-pencil style with delightful details sprinkled throughout, kids will connect with inquisitive Max's endless questions, Mom's patient replies, fun-loving Dudley's antics, and capricious Buttercup's cat expressions. As Max and Mom return from their errands, Dudley and Buttercup scramble to hide the mess they've made. Opening the front door, Max discovers Dudley waiting eagerly - and innocently - in the living room surrounded by some curious playthings, while Buttercup sneaks out. Mom is flabbergasted, but Max runs in saying, "Dudley, I was thinking about you all day!" The final image shows Max and Dudley, gazing at each other nose-to-nose, as Max asks, "Were you thinking about me too?" Whether Dudley's activities are real or imagined, Dudley's Day at Home is an amusingly delightful picture book with a loving friendship at its heart, great for reading aloud in groups or one-on-one, whether you have a dog or not.
Industry Reviews
"When Sam asks and Mom answers, a fun picture of what Sam imagines their darling dog does when they're away from home unfolds. And from his innocent question and mom's generic answer come these brilliantly-joyful illustrations that completely capture Sam's incredible imagination that has Dudley doing all sorts of entertaining and crazy-fun people stuff while they are away." Barbara Gruener, Corner on Character
"This book is a wonderful and visually appealing story for young children between 3 and 7 years of age. It is small on words and big on pictures. It is colourful, creative, and full of adventure; with a really sweet ending that highlights the relationship between a child and a dog." Christa McGrath, Edwards Book Club Reviews
"Bright, cheerful cartoons contrast Sam and Dudley's days, in reality and imagination, and offer plenty of scope for extension activities. This makes a delightful storytime read, but teachers and parents will also find it a great choice for a writing or drawing prompt." Jennifer Wharton, Jean Little Library
" Dudley's Day at Home is a funny, fetching picture book by author/storyteller Karen Kaufman Orloff that uses minimal text and maximal visual storytelling to share a day in a dog's life. Very highly recommended..." Midwest Book Review

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