The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog: A Folktale from Great Britain

by Margaret Read MacDonald, Julie Paschkis (Illustrator)

A new spin on the classic story of "Beauty and the Beast." Never judge a dog by its fur. When a great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog rescues a rich man from thieves, the man offers the dog any treasure in his house as a reward. But the dog is not interested in wealth; he wants companionship. So, he asks for the rich man's daughter as reward. With great sadness, the daughter honors her father's word and goes to live in the dog's extravagant palace. A friendship blossoms between the dog and the girl, but she continues to long for her father, sometimes forgetting the importance of being kind. In this tale from Great Britain, award winning author, Margaret Read MacDonald puts a new spin on the classic story, "Beauty and the Beast," reminding us all that appearances can be deceiving and that compassion can be powerful. This British folktale will teach readers the importance of caring, citizenship and fairness.

Genres: Picture Books, Fairy Tales, Folk Tales, Folklore, Childrens, Fiction, Cultural

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 10, 2007

About the author

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Biography
Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!

Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.

Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.

See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited about this story because #1 I love Great Britian and #2 Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales. Yes, I was not impressed. The three stars are because the illustrations are interesting and "different" and the story is told well enough.

However, I did NOT like the story. In my mind, it holds all the selfishness of B&B but none of the CHANGE that occurs in the characters, none of the gentle unfolding or putting the needs of the one you love over oneself. Both dog and girl seem selfish in this one until a sudden "change" at the end and I'm not really even that convinced... Overall, left me with an unpleasant feeling.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When a wealthy man is set upon by thieves, and rescued by a "great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog," he promises his defender the choice of his many treasures. Refusing the man's multilingual fish, virtuosic songbird, and golden-egg-laying goose, the dog requests his beautiful young daughter instead. So begins a tale that falls into the same category as Beauty and the Beast and East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon - that would be tale-type 425C in the Aarne-Thompson classification system, for those who are interested - in which an enchanted prince in beastly form must be saved by the love of a young maiden.

I enjoyed this traditional English tale - which, to my mind, falls more on the East o' the Sun and West o' the Moon end of the spectrum, when it comes to this tale type - immensely. Although I found the narrative a little jarring at first (too many short, declarative sentences), I eventually adjusted to Macdonald's rhythm. The gouache illustrations by Julie Paschkis are bright and appealing, with some lovely details. I particularly liked the decorative endpapers, with their depiction of various herbs and plants.

Folktale enthusiasts will be interested to learn that this story has also been retold in picture-book format by the fabulous Kevin Crossley-Holland ( Small-Tooth Dog ), as well as appearing in Betsy Hearne's immense multicultural collection of Beauty and the Beast type tales, Beauties and Beasts . But whether one's interest is in comparing this to other tales of the same type (I'm in the midst of a Beauty and the Beast project myself, at the moment), or simply in reading it for its own sake, there is much in The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog to enjoy!

[Claire Kirchgessner]

The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog, by Margaret Read MacDonald, is a British variation on the classic Beauty and the Beast folktale. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis, each page is colorful with beautiful patterns and lines painted which resemble texture. The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog is a sweet read which I would recommend for readers of the primary to intermediate age ranges. In this tale, a rich man is accosted by some thieves but is saved by a great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog. In return for the dog's valiance, the man offers the dog a reward. The dog chooses the rich man's daughter as his treasure. He comes to retrieve the daughter and brings her back to his castle. The great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog is very kind to the girl. They play and eat dinner together. She tells the dog, "you are sweet as a honeycomb!" Despite the girl's outward happiness, each night she cries because she misses her father. One night, the dog finds her crying and offers to take her back to the house. She hops on his back and after each leap over the hedge, the dog asks her what she always says to him. She replies "you are sweet as a honeycomb!" But after the second hedge, she can not be nice anymore,so she calls him a Great Smelly Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog. The dog gets angry and goes back to his castle with the girl on his back. They try this three times. On the third attempt, the girl tells him three times "you are sweet as a honeycomb!" As she spoke those words the third time, the dog was so happy. He ripped off his fur and became a prince! And they lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't instantly enamored of this English folk version of Beauty and the Beast, but after a while, it grew on me. The brightly colored illustrations are reminiscent of medieval tapestries and heraldry, and are well done, although in the first few pages they are more distracting than not. The classic story is re-told with Margaret Read MacDonald's usual flair. The repetitive phrases could make this one fun to read, but the story is so strange that I'm not sure it would resonate. The take-away from this version of Beauty and the Beast, I think, is to be polite and kind. Particularly, girls and wives? But the dog essentially kidnaps her and holds her hostage, and I don't think he deserves her kindness or love one bit. That particular plot point bothered me - although Beauty and Beast has exactly the same plot point. There are just enough jarring differences between the stories to make this version slightly off putting.

[Sarah VanDyke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy retelling and folklore books. However, this book was not appealing to me. It was about a girl being held prisoner in a castle by a dog. She enjoyed living there but missed her father. The book had some repetition where the dog went to take her to see her father and he would ask her what she called him, "Sweet as a honeycomb." If she ended up saying "Great, smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog," he would take her home. When she said he was sweet each time, he took her home and he transformed into a prince. I am not a huge fan of the ending because I feel like it justifies his actions and makes her marry him once he's a prince. I believe it can be compared to Beauty and the Beast. I will carry the idea of being mindful of the books I read in my classroom in regards to folktales. When reading this book, I can discuss how realistic the situation is and how we could compare and rewrite the book.

[Jacqui Pollard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I liked this traditional tale that follows the motif of Beauty and the Beast. After a great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog rescues a rich man from thieves, the man offers the dog any treasure he possesses as a reward. The dog wishes to have the man's daughter, who goes reluctantly but bravely with the dog. While the girl and the dog seem to become friends, she finds herself missing her father. In the end, the girl learns the importance of being kind and that appearances can be deceiving. I really liked the illustrations in the book, because I felt they made the book "feel" like a traditional tale. I also appreciated how some text was in bold to add emphasis or shaped to help illustrate the word (such as "leaped"). I think children would like the repetition throughout the story, which would lend itself to allowing them to make predictions about what might happen. I enjoyed the story but wasn't particularly "moved" by it.

[DelGal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story would have been an excellent retelling of the well known Beauty and the Beast tale had it not abruptly ended in a seemingly rushed fashion that ruined the pacing of the otherwise wonderful story.
Bold, vivid illustrations are abundant in this book that will dazzle both young and old readers alike. The illustrator has also included drawings of flowers and their meaning in the front and back inside covers that although is a nice touch, it is unclear why exactly it was added since it really has nothing to do with the story.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY 6-year-old gal LOVED this one - particularly becasue the young maiden in the story gets to ride around everywhere on the back of a gigantic dog. The illustrations are nicely done but a bit odd (I felt) as they seemed to be rendered in a sort of Russian folk-art style, and the story is an old English folk tale. But I split hairs. The story is a sort of turn on Beauty and the Beast, though the enchanted prince-dog is never unkind, and the young maiden doesn't have to profess her love to change him back, but must be consistently kind to him as he is kind to her.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd love this book for the title alone. But it's a great "Beauty and the Beast" variation told by a storyteller and librarian whose materials have made me a much better storyteller. The bright, Slavic looking pictures enhance the story, but I'm looking forward to just TELLING this one to school groups!

[Kristine Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the end papers of this book, with the flowers and their meaning that are used throughout the text. Such a nice touch. I enjoyed the remaining illustrations and even the story, until the end. While I know the point of fairy tales is that they have quick resolutions with few details, but it is unclear whether the dog in this story is really a dog or a man in smelly cloth. But my complaints about this book would likely go unnoticed by most children.

[Kristine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the end papers of this book, with the flowers and their meaning that are used throughout the text. Such a nice touch. I enjoyed the remaining illustrations and even the story, until the end. While I know the point of fairy tales is that they have quick resolutions with few details, but it is unclear whether the dog in this story is really a dog or a man in smelly cloth. But my complaints about this book would likely go unnoticed by most children.

[Life Between Coffee Spoons · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the end papers of this book, with the flowers and their meaning that are used throughout the text. Such a nice touch. I enjoyed the remaining illustrations and even the story, until the end. While I know the point of fairy tales is that they have quick resolutions with few details, but it is unclear whether the dog in this story is really a dog or a man in smelly cloth. But my complaints about this book would likely go unnoticed by most children.

[Kami · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was OK, and I wanted to love the illustrations, but I just felt they left a little to be desired. I mean, I love that folk art style and once I started reading it, I realized I've even bought and made two quilts from fabric lines designed by the illustrator (I REALLY love folk art), but I didn't think they were quite as good as her fabric lines. So overall, I guess it was more a let down due to high expectations than anything else and the story wasn't good enough to redeem it.

[pati · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another version of Beauty and the Beast - alright, not wonderful in my opinion!

In this British variant of a traditional tale, a great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog rescues a rich man from bandits and demands that the man bring his beautiful daughter to live in his castle.

Is in the J398.2 section of the library

[Timi Jorgensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This British twist on the fairytale of Beauty and the Beast focuses on the importance of kindness and is a refreshing change from the Disney version. The book also includes a front cover with different flowers and what they meant in the time period that this story would have been a popular oral tale. This flair of culture make this an adorable addition to any child's nighttime collection

[Pepper · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new spin on Beauty and the Beast told in simpler terms. A poor man's daughter is taken to the Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog's home in payment for the rich man saving the poor man's life. The daughter must remember to be kind to the dog in order to be taken home to her father. Twice she fails to remember in her impatience and must be returned home.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a variation of a classic fairy tale. I will not tell you which one as it may spoil the fun! If you are a fan of that tale though, you may figure it out halfway through. This book is just lovely.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun retelling of the Beauty and the Beast story, with lovely folk-style illustrations. This version focuses less on the development of the relationship between the characters, but it's very indicative of the typical folktale motifs (things in threes, repetition of phrases, etc.).

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to read aloud! My kids loved it! An old British folktale which is very similar to the Beauty and the Beast. The illustrations are delicious to go back over and savor all the details and the meanings of the flowers on each page.

[Melissa Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanting story of a dog living in a castle!

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is similar to Beauty and the Beast. A quick read for school time!

[Erica Flory · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard this story before

[Kimberly Bocciardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog is reminiscent of the tale Beauty and the Beast. It's a story of how appearances can be deceiving and the importance of kindness. When a princess must honor the promise of her father she soon discovers the beauty within her captor. A friendship develops that displays the promise of compassion and shows the reader how we should never put selfish desires above treating others with kindness and respect.

This is a folktale from Great Britain and is suited for elementary students. The message of kindness is one that is highlighted and taught in schools throughout the year, but especially on World Kindness Day which is celebrated every November 13th. This book could be used to inspire a creative writing assignment where kindness is the hero of the story. Students could write stories that bring some sort of injustice to light where instead of hate, compassion and kindness is shown. Younger students could write about ways they can be kind to students that may be different than they are and need to be shown kindness through words or actions.

This is a WOW book for me because of the message it portrays and the creative way it was presented. It contained all the typical elements of a folktale, but with a little hidden treasure on each page. On the inside front cover and back cover are illustrations of different flowers. Each flower has a description of what that flower symbolizes. For example, a rose symbolizes love where as a red columbine symbolizes fear. Throughout the book you find these flowers in the illustrations. Each page displays the flower that symbolizes the emotion that is occurring within the characters in the story. I am always delighted when authors find a new and original way to present a tried-and-true tale.

[Molly Cluff (Library!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The illustrations in this really capture the "fairytale" vibe with the gold braid and floral borders. This was like a more cheerful "Beauty and the Beast" story where the beast is just a big friendly dog. To be honest, I have plenty of dog-loving friends who would die for the chance to spend their life in a castle playing with a pretty dog all day! Sounds like a sweet gig! I like the repetition as the dog tests her when they're returning home--makes for a good storytelling element. I do think the girl comes across as really snarky and rude and I wasn't a fan of her by the end. The text was the perfect amount, and the pictures really won the day for me.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I can't recommend this book just based on the title alone, what are we even doing here??

This was a delightful little story, definitely in the vein of Beauty and the Beast or The Frog Prince. The illustrations were lovely as well. It's a bit long for my regular preschool Storytime, but I think I could work it into my evening family Storytime I do once a month. I often get a slightly older group of kids that might enough this.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice folktale with lovely illustrations.

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Marea Quijano · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really cute retelling of Beauty and the Beast. My 8 year old picked it out for her school project. It was easy for her to read and follow along with.

[Deidra Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the endpapers with the flowers and meanings. I wish that had been what the book was focused on.

[Jodie Greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a traditional literature book that retells a folktale from Great Britain. This is a Beauty and the Beast story meant to teach that things aren’t always as they appear and compassion can conquer large obstacles. A rich man was saved from thieves by a great smelly, slobbery, small-tooth dog. In return the dog asks for the rich man’s daughter. The daughter goes to live with the dog in his castle and grows to like him, but misses her father. The dog eventually takes her back home after she has proven her love and compassion for him. He rips off his fur and becomes a handsome prince with small, small teeth.

This book could be used to compare and contrast other traditional stories from other cultures with the Beauty and the Beast motif. Small groups could also be challenged to write a story with a lesson that it tries to teach the reader. They could then make their own character puppets and act it out for the class, having the class decide what lesson the story was trying to convey.