Seadogs : An Epic Ocean Operetta

Rating:
Summary: who let these dogs out?
Review: ...This book is the textbook antonym of "slight." It is so full a picture book experience, the publisher should have charged more for it.

It tells the story of Old Seadog who decides to take one last sail, and invites his friends, Beagle and Dachshund, to join him.

The book opens with a wordless two-page spread that follows a young dog in a dress and a pink bow as she enters the theater and takes her seat. The curtain begins to lift and we see five sets of paws beneath its hem. Let the show begin!

What follows are 30-odd poems (or lyrics) by Wheeler which take the old salt and his canine crew on their high seas adventure. They clash with pirates led by Captain Jacques Fifi, the Terrier of the Sea. They find a treasure map and a stowaway pup. They find and lose buried treasure but escape with not only their lives - but newfound love.

At the end, the entire cast takes a bow(wow) in front of the SRO audience, as well they should.

The illustrations are full of wit, and Wheeler has a talent for wordplay that makes her a perfect poet for the young. But what makes this book so distinguished is that it works on so many levels -- as a rousing adventure story, and as (humorous) poetry. An energetic teacher (or artsy kids) could stage it. Because Siegel's illustrations are done in cartoon panels, you can give Seadogs to a budding artist who wants to work in the comic-strip style or to a kid who you know would like graphic novels but perhaps isn't ready for the violent and sexual content many of them contain.

Anyway, after finishing this book, I thought, Ye Gods, what an imagination! And you know, of course, what my audience said . . .

Read it again!
 

Rating:
Summary: Bravo! Encore!
Review: I love this book! Having grown up in a family of theater-loving members, many of them participants in operas and musicals, this book had us nostalgically laughing and identifying with the ups and downs of Old Sea Dog and his canine crew. Lisa Wheeler's words capture the on-stage feeling perfectly. Bravo, Ms Wheeler! Encore! Encore!

Reader in Wisconsin


Rating:
Summary: An epic treasure
Review: I was so glad to see SEADOGS on amazon's New & Notable list. When I stumbled across this picture book by Lisa Wheeler, I was blown away. The story is uniquely written in a series of clever poems. Woven into the Seadogs daring adventures you will also discover a touching story of friendship and courage. But don't let the word "operetta" fool you. The writing is funny, fresh, and far from stuffy.

Mark Siegel illustrated this book in a series of amazing cartoon panels. I could spend hours just admiring all of the fun, interesting details. Kids and adults will appreciate the unique design of this book and its crew of expressive characters.

SEADOGS is definitely a one-of-a-kind, groundbreaking picture book.
Don't miss the boat by missing out on this book!