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Ball: A Funny Comic Book About a Persistent Dog's Fetch Game for Kids
A dog with a ball is one of the most relentlessly hopeful creatures on Earth. After his best little-girl pal leaves for school, this dog hits up yoga mom, baby, and even the angry cat for a quick throw. No luck. Forced to go solo, the dog begins a hilarious one-sided game of fetch until naptime’s wild, ball-centric dream sequence. The pictures speak a thousand words in this comic book-style ode to canine monomania. Ball? Ball.
40 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2013
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817 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 471 reviews
March 14, 2020
Fun book about a dog who just wants someone to throw a ball!
July 8, 2017
Lulu said: "I'm a pooch who enjoys my toys and playtime, so this book appealed to me. I loved the pictures and it smelled great! Two paws up."
November 12, 2018
This is an adorable and almost wordless picture book! It’s a cute little story about a dog who just wants to play ball all day. He anxiously waits for the little girl to get home from school so they can play. He gets into quite a bit of trouble while he waits. There is so much love between the little girl, the dog and his ball. Children will enjoy this book and the illustrations of the dog and his antics throughout the day!
June 2, 2018
The mind of a dog has always puzzled me, but that’s because I have cats.
But this book has enlightened me, dispute the absence of the usual overuse of too many words, and the sparkling, adorable, lovable illustrations that made me smile every time I turned the pages.
But this book has enlightened me, dispute the absence of the usual overuse of too many words, and the sparkling, adorable, lovable illustrations that made me smile every time I turned the pages.
April 16, 2013
This book has only one word in it...BALL. It's about a dog who loves to have his ball thrown, but when his human goes to school, no one will throw it for him. This book is so amazing because you feel the emotion of the dog by the way the author writes it. When he is looking for his ball it say, "Ball??" and when he find it, "BALL!!!". The author does a great job in making sure the reader hears the dog's "voice".
I would definitely use this book for my class to see that one word can go a long way. A must have to starting to introduce writer's voice to a class. Such an awesome for only have one word in it :).
I would definitely use this book for my class to see that one word can go a long way. A must have to starting to introduce writer's voice to a class. Such an awesome for only have one word in it :).
November 6, 2022
Great book! Great pictures, I could see this being something I read with a very small child over and over again. Bet even they could read it very soon. (Ball is said by the little girl 5 times, and thought by the dog 38 times).
I have decided to add this to my shelf for favorite dog books (in the sub category of children's books).
I have decided to add this to my shelf for favorite dog books (in the sub category of children's books).
August 27, 2017
My uncontrollable laughter aside, this book with only one word offers a great opportunity for beginning readers to focus on punctuation and the meaning and emotions it carries. Because, you know, there is always more to a book than just words :)
June 1, 2016
Can a book be made up of one word? Well, apparently if you are Mary Sullivan, it can be! This is a hilarious story about a dog that is completely obsessed with a BALL! He wakes up his young owner by asking her to play ball ("Ball?") and she gleefully obliges...this gal is going to be the first female most valuable player in major league baseball, I'm telling you! Eventually the girl shows the dog her watch and leaves for school, leaving the dog disconsolate. He tries various other family members who can't or won't oblige him, tries to play ball by himself (clearly not terrifically successful) and he eventually falls asleep next to the ball dreaming about...yes, you guessed it, chasing balls. Eventually the dream turns into a nightmare. All the dream sequences are clearly marked with zzz's in the pictures. Eventually he wakes up, listens and discovers he's right, his little girl has come back home! The last word belongs to the girl as with a resounding BALL! she throws the youknowwhat for an ecstatic dog! Absolutely hilarious! Give this to reluctant readers to bolster their confidence and so that they can discover that reading is indeed fun and a blast. I could see this book in storytime too. It may sound boring to have a story of one word, but trust me, the illustrations make this book over the top fun! This was a Geisel Honor book and I honestly liked it better than the winner, The watermelon seed which was an excellent book too. Find a kid, (a dog and ball would be good too), sit them down, read it with the kid and be sure to duck because I don't think anyone is going to be able to resist throwing the ball after reading this book!
April 25, 2015
Simplistic in it's design and a very easy read (there is only one word "Ball") this is a book for all ages. The excited antics of a young girl's dog and his/her (it's difficult to tell what gender the dog is, but he seems like a boy) ball move the story along very quickly. An early language book with lots of things to point out, make this great for any age but especially for very young readers. The dog's primary focus is the ball and all the things he likes to do with it, but when his human leaves for school he must look to others in the family to continue his fun. When he can't find anyone to play with he returns to his human's bedroom and takes a nap and the story continues as an adventure through the dog's dreams. The funny antics of a space chase when the cat steals his ball, and a giant diaper clad baby will have young children and adults chuckling.
This book would also work for ELL students where additional vocabulary support could be added to describe the antics of the dog. Because of the (very) limited text this book could also be used for young students as a writing project to create their own thought bubbles to tell the story.
This book would also work for ELL students where additional vocabulary support could be added to describe the antics of the dog. Because of the (very) limited text this book could also be used for young students as a writing project to create their own thought bubbles to tell the story.
October 22, 2014
Ball by Mary Sullivan is a simple book that young children are sure to love! The book provides hilarious graphic images for the children to look at. These images allow even the youngest reader to understand what is going on while also allowing them to predict what may come next. Ball only uses on word in the entire text – “ball.” Go figure. However, the constant repetition will not only be enjoyable for the child, it will provide a learning experience. Ball by Mary Sullivan is a great book for those young learners who are just starting the concept of reading! I believe this would be a good book for parents of younger children or also for a child care facility. Due to it being almost wordless, a child does not necessarily need an adult directing the reading. However, if I were to use it in my future, I think I would use it for a read-aloud and engage my young learners in making predictions!
March 5, 2017
Ball by Mary Sullivan features a dog and his ball. When the dog, who is nameless, wakes up in the morning he wants to play ball but when his owner, a little girl, goes to school, he goes to throughout the house to find someone to play ball with from the mother, to the baby, even the pet cat but to no avail. So what he does next is puts the ball under a pillow and goes into a one long fetch spree in his dreams.
Ball is a very simple story depicting the joy that a dog has with his toys. This story is almost wordless except for the word ball throughout and with each panel transitioning the lack of words is actually a strong suit for it. Each panel is simply detailed, meaning that a lot of zero space is left open so the reader knows what scene the dog is in without too much detail to distract the reader. With gorgeous visuals I really enjoyed each panel of the story and I would recommend this story for young children, ages 4-6 as it can be quite interactive for the children.
Ball is a very simple story depicting the joy that a dog has with his toys. This story is almost wordless except for the word ball throughout and with each panel transitioning the lack of words is actually a strong suit for it. Each panel is simply detailed, meaning that a lot of zero space is left open so the reader knows what scene the dog is in without too much detail to distract the reader. With gorgeous visuals I really enjoyed each panel of the story and I would recommend this story for young children, ages 4-6 as it can be quite interactive for the children.
August 1, 2013
This BOOK. I can't imagine a better early reader--Ball is a picture book describing the relationship between a dog and his girl. The only word in the entire book is "ball", with body language corresponding to the situation. It would be a great one for teaching a child about tone when reading, but it is also just so sweet, fun, and heartwarming that I want to read it again and again. Set up like a graphic novel, it would appeal to a huge age range. I'm so impressed.
April 3, 2013
If you've got a fetch-lovin' pup then this short & very sweet book is for you!
April 11, 2013
So much hope, longing, angst, and pure joy is told in a story with the single word "Ball." I loved this pooch and so wanted to jump in the pages and play with the poor thing.
June 15, 2013
A dog and his ball. Hilarious!
June 29, 2013
Great book for early readers - "ball" is the only word in this story. Also a great gift for anyone who has ever owned a ball-obsessed dog.
July 6, 2013
Only one word in the whole book. Guess which one. This fat little dog is a sweetheart. Tyler, get this for Crissy, he's very Guadalajara-esque.
October 22, 2014
Love the enthusiasm! Spot on. My father once decided to see how long our dog would play. My father gave up after 2 hours.
March 3, 2016
A one word book that presents a whole world of adventure. As a dog owner I have had these conversations (?) with my dog, hahaha
December 2, 2021
If I had to read one children's book for the rest of my life, it might be this one. If you only know one word this book is for you!! The whole book revolves around the dog and his BALL! Such an amazing concept and it has won the Theodore Seuss Geisel Award. What better acknowledgment can you get!
October 6, 2022
This book made me smile so big. It follows a dogs daily journey & his obsession with playing fetch, more specifically with his ball. The funny part about this book is that it only contains the word ball! I wouldn’t say this book is challenging in any sense but I think it would be a great fun book to get kids excited for the day in class!
February 24, 2018
Genre: Children Picture Book
Target audience: Primary
Text-to-Self: This book is about a dog that loves to play ball, but in the house, the only one who plays ball with him is his owner, a little girl. When the girl leaves for school, the dog tries to go with other people who live in the house to play with him but they do not, he finds way to play ball using objects that help him feel like he has someone, but it isn't the same. His owner then comes home for the day again, and he feels happy because she plays with him. I feel that it relates to anybody who has their own pet. People learn to love their pets so much. I have a dog, named Charlie. When I am gone due to school or work, I know that my dog feels lonely because no one else is ever home to take him out to play, or to play with him and his toys in his room. I feel bad every time that I have to leave home because I know I am leaving him alone.
Text-to-Text: This book that is about a dog, reminded me of the book "Let's get a Pup". In Let's get a Pup, the girl choses an old dog who is almost dying over a new dog who is "cute". Both stories teach that dogs have feelings and that they need of us as much as we need them. In the books it also shows that kids love dogs, and always seem to find time and love for them.
Text-to-World: I think that these books relate to the importance of getting a pet. It is important that people known that dogs and any pet require a lot of attention and love. Pets are not just objects that can be left without attention. We do not have pets as a decoration. It is important that owners treat their pets with respect because they are beings that do feel.
Target audience: Primary
Text-to-Self: This book is about a dog that loves to play ball, but in the house, the only one who plays ball with him is his owner, a little girl. When the girl leaves for school, the dog tries to go with other people who live in the house to play with him but they do not, he finds way to play ball using objects that help him feel like he has someone, but it isn't the same. His owner then comes home for the day again, and he feels happy because she plays with him. I feel that it relates to anybody who has their own pet. People learn to love their pets so much. I have a dog, named Charlie. When I am gone due to school or work, I know that my dog feels lonely because no one else is ever home to take him out to play, or to play with him and his toys in his room. I feel bad every time that I have to leave home because I know I am leaving him alone.
Text-to-Text: This book that is about a dog, reminded me of the book "Let's get a Pup". In Let's get a Pup, the girl choses an old dog who is almost dying over a new dog who is "cute". Both stories teach that dogs have feelings and that they need of us as much as we need them. In the books it also shows that kids love dogs, and always seem to find time and love for them.
Text-to-World: I think that these books relate to the importance of getting a pet. It is important that people known that dogs and any pet require a lot of attention and love. Pets are not just objects that can be left without attention. We do not have pets as a decoration. It is important that owners treat their pets with respect because they are beings that do feel.
May 18, 2018
In Mary Sullivan's debut book, Ball, the reader is introduced to a portly pooch who loves his red ball. Even more than his ball, he loves playing fetch with his little girl. She happily throws the toy as she gets ready for school.
When she heads out to the bus, the poor pup seeks out other friends to play with. Mom is too busy getting zen. The baby is terrified of the large, red orb. And the cat wants no part of that! Will the playful canine ever find a ball-loving companion?
I love this book! I am a huge Mary Sullivan fan. I love how her stories read more like comic books and graphic novels. The fast-paced story had me eagerly turning the pages.
Sullivan's illustrations are adorable and heartbreaking at the same time. My eyes welled with tears at seeing the dog's sadness without his favorite playmate. Children will fall in love with the energetic canine and cheer him on in his quest.
This is a wonderful read for children ages preschool and up. I think this book would also make a fantastic gift for the animal lover in your life.
When she heads out to the bus, the poor pup seeks out other friends to play with. Mom is too busy getting zen. The baby is terrified of the large, red orb. And the cat wants no part of that! Will the playful canine ever find a ball-loving companion?
I love this book! I am a huge Mary Sullivan fan. I love how her stories read more like comic books and graphic novels. The fast-paced story had me eagerly turning the pages.
Sullivan's illustrations are adorable and heartbreaking at the same time. My eyes welled with tears at seeing the dog's sadness without his favorite playmate. Children will fall in love with the energetic canine and cheer him on in his quest.
This is a wonderful read for children ages preschool and up. I think this book would also make a fantastic gift for the animal lover in your life.
June 29, 2018
A dog loves playing ball with his little girl. He is despondent when she has to go to school and dreams of more ball adventures. Will he ever have ball fun again?
The entire text of this book is just the word "ball" repeated with different fonts and punctuation. The rest of the story must be interpreted from the pictures. My four and five year old nieces love that they can really read this entire thing all by themselves. The graphic novel format didn't confuse them at all. We got this on Tuesday from the library and I've lost track of how many times it has been read in the four days since. Definitely a winner with beginning readers and animal lovers. We also read Treat which is done in a similar style but is a completely separate story. Both are winners with the girls, but I prefer this story a little more.
The entire text of this book is just the word "ball" repeated with different fonts and punctuation. The rest of the story must be interpreted from the pictures. My four and five year old nieces love that they can really read this entire thing all by themselves. The graphic novel format didn't confuse them at all. We got this on Tuesday from the library and I've lost track of how many times it has been read in the four days since. Definitely a winner with beginning readers and animal lovers. We also read Treat which is done in a similar style but is a completely separate story. Both are winners with the girls, but I prefer this story a little more.
March 12, 2019
The Theodor Seuss Geisel Award
Pre K-3 (ages 4-8)
Mary Sullivan’s “Ball” is a fictional story about a dog who is obsessed with playing with his ball. When his owner leaves for school, he is stuck with people who don’t want to play with him. He has to find ways to play with his ball and amuse himself on his own, in hopes that his owner will soon return.
This is a humorous book about a dog and his love for playing with his ball. I would recommend this book to any young audience, as it is entertaining, especially for dog lovers. It is an easy read, especially because it has no words.
This book can be used in the classroom when talking about animals. It shows how animals think differently than us. When kids leave for school they wonder what their pets are doing. This can be a fun way to have students think about that idea.
Pre K-3 (ages 4-8)
Mary Sullivan’s “Ball” is a fictional story about a dog who is obsessed with playing with his ball. When his owner leaves for school, he is stuck with people who don’t want to play with him. He has to find ways to play with his ball and amuse himself on his own, in hopes that his owner will soon return.
This is a humorous book about a dog and his love for playing with his ball. I would recommend this book to any young audience, as it is entertaining, especially for dog lovers. It is an easy read, especially because it has no words.
This book can be used in the classroom when talking about animals. It shows how animals think differently than us. When kids leave for school they wonder what their pets are doing. This can be a fun way to have students think about that idea.
May 20, 2019
Mary Sullivan's story, Ball, shows the great relationship between a dog and their owner. The way the story is told through only one word makes it a different experience from your regular books. It only shows so instead of picturing the characters and stuff, you picture the words and what they would say and think. Being a owner of four dogs, I feel like I can relate to the story with my experiences of going home to my cute little puppies. When I come home from school I am greeted with love and playful puppies just like how the girl is greeted with a ball. This story is definitely aiming for dog owners who love and care for their furry child. I feel like this book does an amazing job at telling a story in a different way and sharing something new with the world.
January 20, 2018
Loved the premise and the execution. The idea of the one word, "ball," in all its inflections, telling the whole story is a lot of fun. It'd be a great one-on-one read for kids learning about emotions and punctuation and inflections. And the kids will pick right up on it - after all who doesn't know a dog like this one?
I think it was in the illustrations that this lost a star for me. As cute as the dog is by action, he's just not as cute in drawing. He just looks really round and rather bald to me. The baby too was a little oddly drawn, in my opinion.
Otherwise, though, it's a really clever story, and a hoot for any dog-lovers out there.
I think it was in the illustrations that this lost a star for me. As cute as the dog is by action, he's just not as cute in drawing. He just looks really round and rather bald to me. The baby too was a little oddly drawn, in my opinion.
Otherwise, though, it's a really clever story, and a hoot for any dog-lovers out there.
November 17, 2017
Ball is about a dog who wants to play ball all day but no will throw his ball for him. After trying to play by himself, he eventually falls asleep and dreams about his ball in different places and he has to find it. Finally, the little girl comes home from school and is able to play ball with the dog again.
I thought this book was really cute, and enjoyed reading it. I would definitely use this book for my class to see that one word can go a long way. I would also use it to start start to introduce writer's voice to a class.
I thought this book was really cute, and enjoyed reading it. I would definitely use this book for my class to see that one word can go a long way. I would also use it to start start to introduce writer's voice to a class.
August 1, 2017
Another adorable doggy book by Mary Sullivan! Much like "Frankie" and "Treat," "Ball" took the reader to the depths of despair (won't anyone play ball with this dog!??!)... which was really quite sad, when you consider that this is probably just what your dog does all day... wait until people come home to play with them... it's very guilt-inducing. But of course the book turned around at the end when someone finally did play ball with him, and he was happy again!
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