Wag!

Mutts

by Patrick McDonnell

It seems that everything gets Earl's tail wagging--a bowl of food, a field of flowers, long walks, and belly rubs. But Mooch, Earl's best friend, knows what all of these things have in common: love is what makes Earl's tail wag. Patrick McDonnell, creator of the nationally syndicated comic strip, Mutts, pays an incredibly sweet tribute to his dog in a tale of wiggling and waggling, fwipping and fwapping...and every dog's secret to the joy of life.

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Childrens, Animals, Love, Cats, Storytime

40 pages, Hardcover

First published September 11, 2009

About the author

Patrick McDonnell’s comic strip, MUTTS, is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having appeared in over 700 newspapers across 20 countries. MUTTS has received numerous awards for its artistry and its animal and environmental themes. These include the NCS Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year, seven Harveys and the Eisner Humanitarian Award. Charles Schulz called MUTTS “One of the best comics strips of all time.”

BREAKING THE CHAIN: THE GUARD DOG STORY, a collection of his newsworthy story centered freeing MUTTS chained dog, Guard Dog, will be published in fall 2024.
McDonnell’s latest book is THE SUPER HERO’S JOURNEY, a graphic novel love letter to Marvel Comics and Jack Kirby. It was on 11 ‘best of’ lists for 2023.

THE ART OF NOTHING, an oeuvre of McDonnell’s work, comprehensively celebrates Patrick’s comic strip career. McDonnell is also the author of New York Times bestselling picture books, including THE GIFT OF NOTHING and the Caldecott Honor winning ME...JANE (a childhood biography of Dr. Jane Goodall). Both have been adapted as musicals for the Kennedy Center stage. In addition, he has collaborated with spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle on GUARDIANS OF BEING and with poet Daniel Ladinsky on DARLING I LOVE YOU. HEART TO HEART: A CONVERSATION ON LOVE AND HOPE FOR OUR PRECIOUS PLANET is a collaboration with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness has said “It is my hope that this book will open the eyes, minds and hearts of all people.”

In 2021, Ohio State University hosted Side Effects, a major exhibition of his large scale canvases. There will be a year-long retrospective of McDonnell’s comic strips, book illustrations and paintings at the San Diego Comic-Con Museum opening in January 2025.

McDonnell was a member of the Board of Directors of The Humane Society of the United States for 18 years as well as The Fund for Animals, and continues to serve as a director for The Charles M. Schulz Museum and D&R Greenway Land Trust.

You can sign up for the MUTTS daily email at mutts.com.

Reviews

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet tale that shows the love between a dog and his owner. The illustrations feature the classic characters from the Mutts cartoon by Patrick McDonnell.

The story is short and filled with dialogue and onomatopoeia. I loved listening to our girls enthusiastically read the book aloud with me - we each had a part. Overall, the message is simple, but nice. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very simple story about Earl, and all the things that make his tail wag. The interjections by Mooch, the cat, should keep the kiddies in hysterics. A must for dog-lovers.

[Tegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a sweet story. Any dog owner knows this is true!

[Katie Winfree · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Wag!" is a fun story about a dog who's tail is constantly wagging, with the author repeatedly asking "Why does earl's tail wag?" The book uses the animations from MUTTS to create a sweet story about the love our animals possess. This is a fun story for young children that involves a dialogue between the narrator and Mooch, which allows for fun voices while reading, about just why Earl's tail wags. As stated, the books central theme is love and how all the things in Earl's life revolve around love, such as getting a new toy, treats, and seeing his owner. The book is an adorable, sweet story that will resonate with those who have a great love for their pets.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long time fan of MUTTS, I was so pleased when Patrick McDonnell started publishing picture book versions of Earl's and Mooch's adventures. The books introduce the younger set to these charming characters and their very Zen view of life. The latest, Wag!, is no exception. A very simple question is pondered: What makes Earl's tail wag? The journey to the answer tells the answer itself.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

McDonnell's books, while fabulous, don't always translate to storytime. Wag! is an exception. I think kids will enjoy helping make the "FWIP" sound throughout the book. It would be fun to ask a storytime group what they think makes a dog's tail wag before reading it aloud.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun art and interactive text. Great for dog lovers.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Earl and Mooch are two of my favorites. This is a sweet, warm book (much like Mutts itself) about all the things that make him wag. Doesn't have the extra Oomph that Art or A Perfectly Messed-Up Story had for those solid 5 stars, but it's still a really good one (4+ I'd say). Simple enough for the kids to enjoy too, it's a good one for any Mutts fan or pet owner of any age.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 2020 Reading Challenge had the entry "The first book you touch on a shelf with your eyes closed." After a few disastrous attempts in Adult Fiction, I figured a picture book or cookbook would be better-- at least if I hated it, it would be short enough to check off the list. (I figure most readers attack this challenge in a bookstore maybe? At least you'd be in a genre you like.)

This is so adorable! I've seen illustrations by this artist online but didn't know there picture books. Cute, simple illustrations and very little text, best for youngest picture-book readers.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture story book is titled Wag! by Patrick McDonnell in which the main character is a spotted dog named Earl and a cat named Mooch. The story follows Earl and Mooch as they figure out when and why Earl’s tail wags. It wags when he sees his owner Ozzie and even sometimes for no reason at all. I really enjoyed the illustrations in this book as the characters were both very cute and relatable for children. I think that this story would be best suited for first grade because it would make for a great lesson on love and friendship.

[Ashlyn Ewert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very cute book about a dog named Earl and what makes his tail wag. I liked how the illustrations in this book were very simple which I think is good for younger children because it allows them to see the illustrations but also allows them to focus on the meaning behind the story. Sometimes there can be a lot going on in illustrations which can cause students to not listen to what is going on in the story. My favorite reason for why Earl wags his tail is the last one. That is why my dogs wag their tails.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not exclusively a children's book by any means - it is an insightful little allegory about love...and not just the love for a pet. I think this is a great book for teachers of upper elementary and even older readers to use for a guided discussion on the concept of love, how it is expressed, and what is perceived as genuine and precious to different people. While that's a deep topic, McDonnell's spare but playful text and energetic illustrations would add a humorous aspect.

[Cassie Veselovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long time fan of MUTTS, I was so pleased when Patrick McDonnell started publishing picture book versions of Earl's and Mooch's adventures. The books introduce the younger set to these charming characters and their very Zen view of life. The latest, Wag!, is no exception. A very simple question is pondered: What makes Earl's tail wag? The journey to the answer tells the answer itself.

[Jordan Mingus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It was super simple with simple yet nice illustrations. I also liked how the cat kept offering the answer the question but not giving it or remembering it until the end of the story. It is very realistic to how kindergarteners act in a classroom environment. I loved the ending of the book and it is very cute.

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a cute picture book about a dog named Earl that asks the question: “Why does Earl’s tail wag?” The book gives many examples of situations where dogs wag their tails, all while other characters try to explain why. The final reason is sweet.

-Miss Emily

[Peyton Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great story about a dog and the things he loves that make his tail wag. This story would be an excellent book for a read-aloud due to the cute pictures, humorous text, and onomatopoeia. This could be a stand-alone story time or used to teach onomatopoeia in the classroom. Super cute!

[Reece Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations in this book are super cute. This book would be a wonderful book to have in a kindergarten and first-grade classroom library for learning to read students. The story follows Mooch as he tries to tell what makes Earl's tail wag.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story by the creator of the Mutts comic strip. It asks and answers the question of what makes Earl's tail wag.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely adorable book about why dogs wag their tails. And the ultimate answer is beautiful.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

fwip fwip fwip

[Madisonlayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this. Super cute, its short but not too short and was attention grabbing which is great for young readers. Mooch was funny and relatable. I need more stories like this for story time.

[Allison Palmgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly explains my dog to my niece. Such a sweet book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story about what makes Earl wag his tail, and the simple joys in life that can make us all happy.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little illustrated book about why dogs wag.

[Kiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so heartwarming - maybe my favorite of Patrick McDonnell's!

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems that Earl's little doggy tail wags all the time. But what makes it wag? Mooch thinks he knows. Cute story and illustrations.

[Kate]

Fwip fwip fwip!

[Villain E · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters from Mutts in a picture book. Why do dogs wag their tails. We get lots of causes of tail wagging before we get to the reason.

[Ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

While if it were up to me I would probably rate this one a little less, it's one of my daughter's favorite books...so 5 stars. I also have to have an appreciation for it, because at two years old it's the first book she had started to memorize, saying "I know! I know! I know!" in her cute little voice. Yes, we read it almost every night for weeks on end, but I still found it impressive. So, if you're looking for a short easy read, that's age appropriate, and pretty cute; this is a pretty worth while book.

[Tara Carlisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend from work, who is a fan of Patrick McDonnell's comic strip Mutts, went and got me a whole stack of his picture books to read as I had told her that I was unfamiliar with his work. I am glad she did! This book is simple but so sweet and would have been something I would have enjoyed reading with my girls. As a future youth services librarian, I will definitely keep it in mind to recommend to patrons. Would recommend for anyone who loves dogs who give us their undying loyalty, constant affection, and unconditional love.