Stick Dog

Stick Dog #1

by Tom Watson, Ethan Long (Illustrator)

Introducing everyone's new best friend: Stick Dog! He'll make you laugh . . . he'll make you cry . . . but above all, he'll make you hungry. Follow Stick Dog as he goes on an epic quest for the perfect burger. With hilarious stick-figure drawings, this book has a unique perspective, as the author speaks directly to the reader throughout the story in an engaging and lively way.

Supports the Common Core State Standards

Genres: Humor, Childrens, Middle Grade, Animals, Fiction, Dogs, Graphic Novels

192 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2012

About the author

Tom is the author and draws the original sketches for all the Stick Dog stories. He lives in Chicago with his wife, daughter and son. They also have a dog named Shadow. Tom did not want to name the dog Shadow. He wanted to name him ‘Put Your Shirt On.’ It’s a long story. Sometimes when Tom is visiting schools, he shares the story.

Tom’s first jobs out of college were in politics. He worked for U.S. Senator John Glenn and as the Chief Speechwriter for the Governor of Ohio. He has also worked in marketing and advertising. He likes writing books for kids a lot more than writing speeches and other things for grown-ups. He thinks kids are way smarter than grown-ups.

He LOVES writing the Stick Dog adventures.

Reviews

[Shai · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this 1st book in the series though it needs to warm up to me first. The camaraderie and the funny exchange of conversation between the pack of Stick Dog is fun to read. I'm looking forward on reading the rest of the succeeding published books in this series.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I wasn't planning on reviewing this right away, but seeing that one star review it got months ago (why???) I had to quickly counter it). (edited to add--the one star review now seems to have gone away. Good).

If you want to get your elementary school reader (age 8ish, say) to read a book, look for Stick Dog when it comes out in early 2013. I pretty much promise they will pick it up, attracted by the very funny cover and premise--dogs (drawn stick dog style)on an epic fantasy quest for...hamburgers.

I received a review copy of this book on Friday, and in the next two days it was pounced on by both my nephew and my son, who both read it in a single sitting with great enjoyment. My son then pressed me to read it--"tell me when you get to the funny bits," he said.

And there were many funny bits, too many to list, and so I give it four stars for a. charm and quirkiness b. young reader appeal.

(I myself don't care for intrusive narrators, so it was not quite a book for me, Charlotte. Also I am not an 8 year old boy. And also, I would have preferred Stick Cat. Stick Hamster would be funny too....)

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is flat out hilarious and will be tempting even for a reluctant reader. It would also be tons of fun to read aloud. But what I really like about this is the message of being kind to your friends, working together, and respecting everything (except squirrels--you'll understand when you read it). I also an impressed at the emphasis (subtle, but clear) on vocabulary. Kids will learn something while they are laughing. Is there any way better to do it?

[Raina · Rating 4 out of 5]

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THIS BOOK!

I avoid books about dogs, as a rule. For some reason, stories about animals in pain affect me very strongly. And it seems like every story featuring a dog includes bad things happening to the dog. I'm sure there are good and/or deep reasons for this, but suffice it to say I do not like them. Dislike.

But THIS.
This is fine. This is a feel-good, goofy story in the vein of an easy Jeff Kinney-style illustra-hybrid book for the elementary set. The dogs work together to get ahold of hamburgers! Scheming, adorable dogs from the brain of a pretend child. The dogs are silly, and do silly things. I found it amusing, which is saying something for a book like this. :)

I have a vague memory that I liked that the kid says his drawings are really bad but HE STILL DOES THEM! Still uses them to make a story. I wouldn't be such a big fan of the negative self-judgement of his work, but I love that it doesn't stop him.

I also like that the dogs debate methods for gaining the hamburgers - the crazy variety of methods demonstrate innovation/invention/problem solving and that is neat.

I've actually had quite a few kids ask for it since I read it quite a few months ago, which is cool.

Warm, fuzzy, cute, silly. I read it in one sitting. Yes, please. :)

[Mama ant dviračio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knyga be išliekamosios vertės :) BET!

Bet, tai puiki knyga vaikams, kurie dar tik mokosi skaityti patys. Didelės raidės, paprasti žodžiai (nors pasitaiko ir sudėtingesnių), eilutės suliniuotos, taigi lengviau išsilaikyti vienoje eilutėje nešokinėjant. Smagios iliustracijos. Pasakojimas nuobodokas, nors buvo ir linksmesnių vietų. Panašu, kad pokštai pasimetė vertime - pvz, pudelis Pu-Pu tokiu vardu ne todėl, kad pupsi, o nuo žodžio "pudelis". Angliškai, spėju, buvo Poo-Poo, nuo "poodle", o ne nuo "poop".

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Stick Dog! It was hilarious. The drawings were so funny.

[Ro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better than ever!

[Chalice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I laughed, and I might have gotten hungry, but I'm a little disappointed because I didn't cry. XD
All in all, this was a very fun story. The narrator was hilarious, and I laughed out loud several times. And I must say I was a little surprised by the ending. It was great.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stick Dog is narrated by Tom,a young student, who sets us straight right from the start about his drawing abilities (his art teacher scrunches up her face) and his writing abilities (barf-a-lucci). However, if we, as readers, agree not to criticize either one, we will be in for a fun story.

Agreed and delivered. Stick Dog is a cute and funny book.

Here’s the plot - Stick Dog is a stray dog who lives in a big, empty pipe under the highway. His friends are Poo Poo (a poodle), Stripes (a dalmatian), Karen (a dachshund) and Mutt (a mutt). Stick Dog and his friends, like all dogs, are constantly in search of food. It’s summer and the wonderful aromas coming from nearby Picasso Park can mean only one thing, hamburgers! – a dog’s favorite food. The rest of the story consists entirely of Stick Dog and his friends’ attempt to steal hamburgers from the unsuspecting humans. Along the way they are side tracked by squirrels, and thwarted by foolish plans, and lack of team work, until Stick Dog comes up with a the winning idea – distract and grab.

Stick Dog is one of those kinds of books that adults won’t like, but kids will devour, just like a big juicy burger. At 200 pages, adults will think the book is too long, and too simple, but kids will think it ended too soon! At 200 pages adults will think the plot is too obvious and too drawn out, but kids will love reading about Stick Dog’s many attempts to get the burgers, just like back in the day, we never tired of watching Wile E. Coyote’s many attempts to get the Roadrunner.

I think the length is perfect for beginning and reluctant readers who will feel very accomplished after whizzing through 200 pages. Chapters are short, paragraphs are double-spaced and there are “stick” drawings on just about every page. The look of the book will also appeal to kids. It looks like Stick Dog is written on lined, notebook paper and even the cover art mimics the notebook idea. The drawings are cute and funny and most readers will probably try drawing stick dogs of their own, and maybe even writing a story of their own!

Overall, I liked this book a lot, and think it will be a kid pleaser, along the likes of Wimpy Kid books. However, the humor and plot are simpler and will appeal to a slightly younger crowd. Best for grades 3- 5. The book has both boy and girl appeal with no bad language or situations unless you consider attempting to steal burgers a crime.

[Meyling]

It was about a stick dog.

[Willemijn jufwillemijnopallstars · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dit boek is op mijn lijf geschreven. Of nouja, mijn tekenkunsten zijn hetzelfde. En dat maakte het al leuk om met het boek te beginnen. Het boek heeft als eerste een hele leuke vormgeving. Door de lijntjes op de bladzijden heb je het idee dat je het verhaal uit een schrift zit te lezen. Daarnaast is op bijna elke pagina een ondersteunende illustratie.

De personages worden op een leuke manier geïntroduceerd. Als eerste leer je de tekenaar kennen, die daarna alle honden een voor een voorstelt. Dat begint het echte verhaal. Stick Dog is samen met zijn hondenvrienden altijd op zoek naar eten. Ze hebben hun zinnen gezet op de hamburgers die vers worden klaargemaakt in het park.

Samen bedenken de honden een plan om de hamburgers te stelen. Maar plan voor plan wordt afgekeurd door Stick Dog. Het is allemaal veel te ingewikkeld. Dan komen ze met een groot plan waarbij alle honden moeten samenwerken.

Het boek zit boordevol grapjes en leest makkelijk weg. Het boek kan gelezen worden door kinderen van 7 jaar en ouder. Voor 7-jarigen die nog maar net kunnen lezen, is het leuker om het voor te lezen. De letters zijn vrij klein voor een boek voor kinderen van deze leeftijd, maar het taalgebruik past prima.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

So flipping weird but funny. Basically Stick Dog and his friends (including Stripes, who has spots) are off on an adventure to obtain some hamburgers. Their suggestions on how to go about getting the burgers are just ridiculous, and Stick Dog politely makes the dogs feel heard but helps lead them towards better ideas. Lots of sarcasm, which I love, and a perfect description of what dogs WOULD think about, say, and do if we could understand them. So dumb, and so darn lovable.

Written like a diary, with sketched illustrations that remind me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

3.5 stars, but I rounded up because of the character named Poo-Poo. I read this aloud to my 3rd graders and even a few days in while reading it I'd bust out laughing.

This is why I teach 8 year olds. Because I totally get their humor.

But you go ahead and say it out loud and NOT laugh. I dare you.

"Poo Poo."


:)

[Jehnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for the 4th Grade Battle of the Books
I'm not a fan of Diary of a Wimpy Kid copies in general, but I found this book poorly written. While I understand the idea of writing from the perspective of a kid, I still think books should be a good model of grammar for the readers.

Edited to add feedback from my boys:
9 yr old: "The book is dumb; it has no plot and bad drawings. I'd give it as close to 0 stars as I could."
8 yr old: "I liked it. Stick Dog encourages his friends, even when they have goofy ideas."

I'll stick with two stars.

[Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS AS GOOD AS A HAMBURGER!!! You should really read this book if you like dogs trying to get hamburgers.

[Ashlee Tominey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 3 year old saw the cover while I was browsing audiobooks and asked to read it. I was unsure how this illustrated book would be on audiobook but my kid thought it was awesome. He laughed a lot. I enjoyed the narrator's goofy voice and the different personalities of the dogs. After we finished it, we downloaded the ebook and looked at the pictures. I then drew all of the dogs, surprisingly well :)

Be prepared to want a hamburger for the majority of the book.

[Robyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

So as it turns out, I am a human and I can read the book... although I might read it to a short person and a funny looking dog... or maybe a cat if one is around.

This was a very funny little book. I think it hits a wide range of ages, and little to big will enjoy it. I love the silly art, hamburgers and all the friends in stick dog land!

4 stars and a happy read!

[Marisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book that I would suggest younger kids read. I read it and thought it was a to easy book for me.

[Clare D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, interesting and a quick read. I think this will appeal to all my grade school students!

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolute silly nonsense. But one dog is named “poo-poo” and my child was hooked from that moment. I have to admit giggling myself.

[Fridey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and entertaining..

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son LOVED THIS and read it on his own first, then he asked for me to read it to him.

My initial impression was lukewarm, a book best saved for the elementary readers... But this actually ended up being a very adorable read. It truly is a really good story with kind of bad drawings.

[Ashley Marx · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolute RIOT! 🤣 This is the most nine-year-old boy book I’ve ever come across: poo jokes, hilarious animals, and plenty of action— and it all came together with a touching ending!

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved as a kid. but im 22 why did I read this?

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one funny book! I love the stick figure dogs! I am sure 2nd -4th graders will find this series amusing! Illustrations were so fun!

[Kayce's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with my son. Such a cute book!

[Татьяна Воронкова · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny and kind. Will definitely read it with my kids.

[Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

it was a great book. I thought it was a page turner.this book is about this dog named stick dog. And his friend and thought the whole book stick dog and his friends try to get food will they succeed or will they walk away empty handed.

[sageypoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

elite book

[Dr. Block]

A goofy book about a stray dog and his friends on a quest to get something to eat. Anyone ages 4+ will probably enjoy the book if an adult reads it to them. Most kids will need to be 7 or 8 to read it on their own. This book is part of a series, so if you like the first one, there are many more.

[Aeicha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tom Watson's Stick Dog is a lot of things: funny, silly, clever, addicting, surprising. This little book, with its child-like illustrations and story, had me laughing out loud and feeling like a kid again!

Stick Dog is all about the adventures of a poorly drawn dog named (yep, you guessed it!), Stick Dog. Stick Dog and his four doggy companions set out on a dangerous but worthy mission: to steal hamburgers from a picnicking family in the park. This mission isn't an easy one and involves ridiculous plans, distractions, a little bit of garbage eating, and a whole lot of luck.

Stick Dog is a wildly entertaining book that younger readers will gobble up quickly. Tom Watson writes with a charming, child-like voice that is both sweet and cleverly witty. Told from the perspective of a child who is “writing” Stick Dog's story and drawing the illustrations, Stick Dog speaks to its intended audience perfectly. And the narrator actually speaks directly to the audience, pulling them in and making them feel like an important part of the story, which I enjoyed very much. Stick Dog's story isn't a complicated or intricate one, but it is completely fun and captivating.

The silly antics of Stick Dog and his four canine friends (Poo-Poo the Poodle, Stripes the Dalmatian, Karen the Dachshund, and Mutt the mutt) will have readers giggling loudly. And these five doggy characters are impossible to not love and root for. The rudimentary illustrations have a special charm all their own and really complete the story.

The whole “look” and formatting of this book is awesome. The pages within are lined and made to look like a child's notebook, and the text is sparse on each page, leaving room for the amusing illustrations. The whole look will definitely appeal to younger readers.

MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Stick Dog and his doggy buds have won me over, and Tom Watson has a new fan! Stick Dog is made for younger readers, and younger readers will have no problems catching on to how awesome this book is, but older readers (especially those parents acting as bedtime story readers) will also find themselves entertained.