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Pretzel
Pretzel
Paperback
First published January 1, 1944
86 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Margret Rey
234 books121 followersMargret Elizabeth Rey (May 16, 1906 – December 21, 1996), born Margarete Elisabeth Waldstein, was (with her husband H. A. Rey), the co-author and illustrator of children's books, best known for their Curious George
Although she was born in Germany, she fled to Brazil early in her life to escape Nazism. While there, she met her future husband Hans (who was a salesman and also from Germany). They married in 1935 and moved to Paris, France that same year.
While in Paris, Hans's animal drawings came to the attention of French publisher, who commissioned him to write a children's book. The result, Rafi and the Nine Monkeys, is little remembered today, but one of its characters, an adorably impish monkey named Curious George, was such a success that the couple considered writing a book just about him. Their work was interrupted with the outbreak of World War II. As Jews, the Reys decided to flee Paris before the Nazis seized the city. Hans built two bicycles, and they fled Paris just a few hours before it fell. Among the meager possessions they brought with them was the illustrated manuscript of Curious George.
The Reys' odyssey brought them to the Spanish border, where they bought train tickets to Lisbon. From there they returned to Brazil, where they had met five years earlier, but this time they continued to New York, New York. The books were published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, though certain changes had to be introduced because of the technology of the time. Hans and Margret originally planned to use watercolors to illustrate the books, but since they were responsible for the color separation, he changed these to the cartoon-like images that continue to feature in each of the books. (A collector's edition with the original watercolors was recently released.)
Curious George was an instant success, and the Reys were commissioned to write more adventures of the mischievous monkey and his friend, the Man in the Yellow Hat. They wrote seven stories in all, with Hans mainly doing the illustrations and Margret working mostly on the stories, though they both admitted to sharing the work and cooperating fully in every stage of development. At first, however, Margret's name was left off the cover, ostensibly because there was a glut of women already writing children's fiction. In later editions, this was corrected, and Margret now receives full credit for her role in developing the stories.
Margret and her husband moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1963, in a house close to Harvard Square. Following her husband's death in 1977, Margret continued writing, and in 1979, became a Professor of Creative Writing at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Starting in 1980, she also began to collaborate with Alan Shalleck on a series of short films featuring Curious George and more than two dozen additional books.
In 1989 Margret Rey established the Curious George Foundation to help creative children and prevent cruelty to animals. In 1996, she made major donations to the Boston Public Library and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She was also a long-time supporter of the Longy School of Music. The Reys spent twenty summers in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, to enable H.A. Rey to better observe the stars for his astronomy writing. They became an integral part of the Waterville community and their legacy is honored by The Margret and H.A. Rey Center and the Curious George Cottage located there.
Dr. Lena Y. de Grummond, a professor in the field of library science (specializing in children's literature) at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. contacted the Reys in 1966 about the university's new children's literature collection. H.A. and Margret made a donation of a pair of sketches at the time. In 1996, after Margret's death, it was revealed in her will that the entire literary estate of the Reys were to be donated to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at Southern Miss.
Although she was born in Germany, she fled to Brazil early in her life to escape Nazism. While there, she met her future husband Hans (who was a salesman and also from Germany). They married in 1935 and moved to Paris, France that same year.
While in Paris, Hans's animal drawings came to the attention of French publisher, who commissioned him to write a children's book. The result, Rafi and the Nine Monkeys, is little remembered today, but one of its characters, an adorably impish monkey named Curious George, was such a success that the couple considered writing a book just about him. Their work was interrupted with the outbreak of World War II. As Jews, the Reys decided to flee Paris before the Nazis seized the city. Hans built two bicycles, and they fled Paris just a few hours before it fell. Among the meager possessions they brought with them was the illustrated manuscript of Curious George.
The Reys' odyssey brought them to the Spanish border, where they bought train tickets to Lisbon. From there they returned to Brazil, where they had met five years earlier, but this time they continued to New York, New York. The books were published by Houghton Mifflin in 1941, though certain changes had to be introduced because of the technology of the time. Hans and Margret originally planned to use watercolors to illustrate the books, but since they were responsible for the color separation, he changed these to the cartoon-like images that continue to feature in each of the books. (A collector's edition with the original watercolors was recently released.)
Curious George was an instant success, and the Reys were commissioned to write more adventures of the mischievous monkey and his friend, the Man in the Yellow Hat. They wrote seven stories in all, with Hans mainly doing the illustrations and Margret working mostly on the stories, though they both admitted to sharing the work and cooperating fully in every stage of development. At first, however, Margret's name was left off the cover, ostensibly because there was a glut of women already writing children's fiction. In later editions, this was corrected, and Margret now receives full credit for her role in developing the stories.
Margret and her husband moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1963, in a house close to Harvard Square. Following her husband's death in 1977, Margret continued writing, and in 1979, became a Professor of Creative Writing at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Starting in 1980, she also began to collaborate with Alan Shalleck on a series of short films featuring Curious George and more than two dozen additional books.
In 1989 Margret Rey established the Curious George Foundation to help creative children and prevent cruelty to animals. In 1996, she made major donations to the Boston Public Library and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She was also a long-time supporter of the Longy School of Music. The Reys spent twenty summers in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire, to enable H.A. Rey to better observe the stars for his astronomy writing. They became an integral part of the Waterville community and their legacy is honored by The Margret and H.A. Rey Center and the Curious George Cottage located there.
Dr. Lena Y. de Grummond, a professor in the field of library science (specializing in children's literature) at The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss. contacted the Reys in 1966 about the university's new children's literature collection. H.A. and Margret made a donation of a pair of sketches at the time. In 1996, after Margret's death, it was revealed in her will that the entire literary estate of the Reys were to be donated to the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at Southern Miss.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
September 14, 2017
My kids made me read this book to them tonight, and I legit hated it. Horrible message and bad editing. Sorry, 1940s book, you don't hold up over time.
May 9, 2008
Kind of weird book. Pretzel is a daschund who wins a prize because he is so very long. He likes a female daschund, but she doesn't like him because she "doesn't care for long dogs." But then she falls in a hole and, due to his length, Pretzel can rescue her. She agrees to marry him because he saved her life. Awwww!!!!!
"Will you marry me now?"
"I will, but not for your length!"
Bizarre. That made me laugh out loud. I know I married my hubby for his length. ;-)
"Will you marry me now?"
"I will, but not for your length!"
Bizarre. That made me laugh out loud. I know I married my hubby for his length. ;-)
April 17, 2025
One of my childhood favorites. I still love reading it to my daughter.
December 27, 2018
Pretzel is a unique little dog that has fallen in love and is trying to convince his lady wiener friend to marry him. Cute!
Ages: 4 - 8
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Ages: 4 - 8
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it!
Visit my website!
February 26, 2024
Min favoritbok som 4 åring men nu när jag läser om den inser jag att det på riktigt är ploten till det första avsnittet av You.
”han hade hållit ett öga på Fiffi hela tiden och han kom springande för att hjälpa henne. Vilken tur att Kringel var så lång. Du har räddat mitt liv. Du är underbar, suckade Fiffi. Vill du gifta dig med mig nu, frågade Kringel. Ja”
De försökte verkligen måla upp Fiffi som skurken för att hon inte ville ha en man. Det handlar inte ens nödvändigtvis om att hon är utseendefixerad eftersom han är definitionen av the beauty standard utan det är Kringel som tror att hon måste gifta sig med honom pga hans utseende?
”han hade hållit ett öga på Fiffi hela tiden och han kom springande för att hjälpa henne. Vilken tur att Kringel var så lång. Du har räddat mitt liv. Du är underbar, suckade Fiffi. Vill du gifta dig med mig nu, frågade Kringel. Ja”
De försökte verkligen måla upp Fiffi som skurken för att hon inte ville ha en man. Det handlar inte ens nödvändigtvis om att hon är utseendefixerad eftersom han är definitionen av the beauty standard utan det är Kringel som tror att hon måste gifta sig med honom pga hans utseende?
October 1, 2024
Darling! This book has an old-fashioned feel and is very sweet. The pictures are charming. We fall in love with Pretzel who is a mega-length dachshund. He uses this physical attribute to make a daring rescue of another dachshund named Greta. They eventually marry--the picture of all of the dogs going to the wedding is delightful!
August 8, 2025
Dk version - Fia är en taskmört, snällt uttryckt. Kringle är fin precis som han är.
December 19, 2025
I loved the Curious George books so I wanted to read Pretzel and it was so cute! Perfect palate cleanser for the Horrors
April 15, 2009
Pretzel is the story of a daschund. And unusual daschund. A very loooooooooong daschund. Actually, he was the longest daschund in the world! For the most part his great length was an asset to him - when he was one, he won a blue ribbon at a dog show and was admired by all the other dogs.
However. :)
The little dog across the street, Greta, did not like Pretzel. And Pretzel really liked Greta. Her thoughts on the matter: "I don't care for long dogs." The rest of the story details how Pretzel tries to impress Greta ... and of course, he wins her affections in the end, but I'll leave the "how" to your discovery. :)
As with all the H.A. Rey books, my girls have delighted in Pretzel. I don't think they have ever seen a real daschund, so they enjoy the appearance and antics of this unusual looking dog. The artwork is sweet and very colorful, as with all Rey books and I think it's worth a look if you can find it!
However. :)
The little dog across the street, Greta, did not like Pretzel. And Pretzel really liked Greta. Her thoughts on the matter: "I don't care for long dogs." The rest of the story details how Pretzel tries to impress Greta ... and of course, he wins her affections in the end, but I'll leave the "how" to your discovery. :)
As with all the H.A. Rey books, my girls have delighted in Pretzel. I don't think they have ever seen a real daschund, so they enjoy the appearance and antics of this unusual looking dog. The artwork is sweet and very colorful, as with all Rey books and I think it's worth a look if you can find it!
March 21, 2024
This is just...weird.
Normally I love the books by Margret Rey but this one really...well it's vintage all right and some of the aspects of how to court and be in a relationship are seriously dated.
And Pretzel is just weird.
Basic premise? Super long dachshund falls in love with a pretty little dog who should love him because he's...long. Go ahead. I'll wait while you think about that a moment. She's not suitable impressed (a size doesn't matter kind of girl? or it does because she doesn't want to be with someone who is so....long.)
Okay I give up. I can no longer review this book with a straight face.
Needless to say things happen. Spoiled little girl gets trapped and we need a super long doggy to save her. She has to love him now because, well, he saved her.
I give up, there's no salvaging this.
It's an odd book. Expect to feel uncomfortable reading it.
Normally I love the books by Margret Rey but this one really...well it's vintage all right and some of the aspects of how to court and be in a relationship are seriously dated.
And Pretzel is just weird.
Basic premise? Super long dachshund falls in love with a pretty little dog who should love him because he's...long. Go ahead. I'll wait while you think about that a moment. She's not suitable impressed (a size doesn't matter kind of girl? or it does because she doesn't want to be with someone who is so....long.)
Okay I give up. I can no longer review this book with a straight face.
Needless to say things happen. Spoiled little girl gets trapped and we need a super long doggy to save her. She has to love him now because, well, he saved her.
I give up, there's no salvaging this.
It's an odd book. Expect to feel uncomfortable reading it.
September 10, 2015
I realize that this will make me sound crazy, because on its surface this is a classic picture book about an adorable dachshund. But the whole story is about how Pretzel falls in love with a lady dog who dislikes him and then he proceeds to give her presents, beg for her affection, and stalk her. There is literally a page that says something about how he had been following and watching her all the time. CREEPY. So he rescues her and she decides he's not so bad and they get married. UGH. Awful.
February 4, 2014
I didn't like the message I felt this book was telling. Greta didn't accept Pretzel because he didn't look like other dachshunds. He was super long and no matter what he did or gave her she wouldn't accept him and was quite rude to him too. But when he comes to her rescue she finally accepts him and they get married. What?!
June 13, 2019
Loved, loved, loved!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
November 6, 2023
Both my 3 year old and 13 year old loved this book! Such a sweet story! A good reminder that it is not all about looks!
Read
May 13, 2019This gem of a story about Pretzel, the longest dachshund in the world, is written by the author of Curious George, H. A. and Margret Rey. Pretzel has length and can twist himself into the Bavarian snack, but he doesn’t have the heart of lady dachshund, Greta. Will persistence or a heroic act win out in the end? You and your young reader must enjoy from cover to cover to find out! Highly recommended and it is a treat to read after all these years! Your little one will enjoy this too! -Sara H.
July 1, 2019
Before Gaston, there was Pretzel. Five little puppies and all of them are a little bit different. Pretzel is the long one. Can he win the heart of Greta, the little dachshund from across the street?
June 28, 2022
This was in a pile of "to donate", so I read it real quick before we got rid of it!
February 13, 2025
Best belated xmas present
August 7, 2025
Beautiful illustrations, and the story is so cute. Greta and pretzel.<3
April 12, 2019
I try to find some teachable lesson or feel good moment in reading classic childrens books as an adult and usually I do, but this one ended so badly that it ruined the one shining spot it had going for it.
Pretzel the dachshund wins a prize for being the longest dog which I enjoyed- Special dog wins blue ribbon as The Best! Then they skip right to a female dog that he wants to marry, that doesn't want to marry him because she's a lengthist~ like a racist, but discriminates against his length. Which is messed up because shes also a dachshund! He gives her gifts & bones & she takes them and still says no. So she falls into a hole- because, well- karma really- and of course Pretzel is there to get her out because duh- he's the longest dachshund around! (Even if that part seemed a bit stalkerish because he's always watching her.) Then she says yes she'll marry him, but "not because of his length" ....
WTF?! I know this was written in 1944, and I know this is a kids book, but there are so many things wrong with this story. And its written by a woman which just pisses me off more because you'd think she would've NOT made the female dog such a bitch!
In my opinion~ its outdated and rewards poor behavior. Skip this one, or at least stop reading after Pretzel wins the dog show.
Pretzel the dachshund wins a prize for being the longest dog which I enjoyed- Special dog wins blue ribbon as The Best! Then they skip right to a female dog that he wants to marry, that doesn't want to marry him because she's a lengthist~ like a racist, but discriminates against his length. Which is messed up because shes also a dachshund! He gives her gifts & bones & she takes them and still says no. So she falls into a hole- because, well- karma really- and of course Pretzel is there to get her out because duh- he's the longest dachshund around! (Even if that part seemed a bit stalkerish because he's always watching her.) Then she says yes she'll marry him, but "not because of his length" ....
WTF?! I know this was written in 1944, and I know this is a kids book, but there are so many things wrong with this story. And its written by a woman which just pisses me off more because you'd think she would've NOT made the female dog such a bitch!
In my opinion~ its outdated and rewards poor behavior. Skip this one, or at least stop reading after Pretzel wins the dog show.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 2, 2016
This is a doggie live story. I was not prepared for this, so I'll share that up front. Illustrated by Curious George creator, but written by Margaret Rey.
What I liked:
- The fun and familiar illustrations from the Curious George universe.
- The book is great for reading out loud.
What I didn't like:
- I took exception to the dog being willing to do anything to win the love of the female dog, even when his attention was unwanted. In kind, I also didn't like that the female dog agrees to marry the make dog after he saves her life. A lot of dysfunctional thinking, in my opinion. I'd rather my boy not spend time finding a way to make someone may him. Not good for anybody.
This is not a dangerous book, I would rather my boy learn to respect himself and others.
What I liked:
- The fun and familiar illustrations from the Curious George universe.
- The book is great for reading out loud.
What I didn't like:
- I took exception to the dog being willing to do anything to win the love of the female dog, even when his attention was unwanted. In kind, I also didn't like that the female dog agrees to marry the make dog after he saves her life. A lot of dysfunctional thinking, in my opinion. I'd rather my boy not spend time finding a way to make someone may him. Not good for anybody.
This is not a dangerous book, I would rather my boy learn to respect himself and others.
December 3, 2010
Pretzel, the distinguished, extra-long dachshund, wants to marry the little dog across the way . . . but she thinks he's too long. She changes her mind when she falls into a deep hole and he gets her out. First published in 1944, this book is charming but not dated.
March 18, 2016
- adorable hero wiener dog story
- illustrations are simple and sweet
- Pretzel's crush, Greta, is obnoxious and uninterested, but you can't help who you love and maybe, just maybe, he wins her over
- illustrations are simple and sweet
- Pretzel's crush, Greta, is obnoxious and uninterested, but you can't help who you love and maybe, just maybe, he wins her over
October 15, 2011
This is a love story between two wieners....it's just beautiful
January 26, 2018
"From the people who gave us Curious George." Never mind that, this is a charming, little story all its own that should be on the book shelf of every child's bedroom.
October 12, 2019
Such a cute story!
April 26, 2016
heh. "length" in a guy is not everything.
September 8, 2019
This is a story about a dog named Pretzel who is the longest dog in the world. He would win many competitions and everyone was amazed. There was a girl dog across the street who he wanted to marry. She was very stubborn though and would always say no to his proposals. It was his mission to marry her.
I thought this book was so cute! I loved the love story between the two dogs and the storyline! The pictures were well done too!
This book could be used in a classroom for a unit on animals or dogs. It is great at showing the competitions dogs can compete in and they will love the love story in the book.
I thought this book was so cute! I loved the love story between the two dogs and the storyline! The pictures were well done too!
This book could be used in a classroom for a unit on animals or dogs. It is great at showing the competitions dogs can compete in and they will love the love story in the book.
February 17, 2021
If you are looking for that special introductory book into stalking, the patriarchy, and the rape culture for kids look no further than this oldie but goodie. You’ve got the tease who is happy to take gifts but not be the hero’s girlfriend. The intrepid hero who is rewarded in the end for his persistence, not taking no for an answer, and stalking with offstage and implied romance in the end—puppies. The female protagonist lacks any character development or agency. She’s there to look pretty and give the hero his prize. Wink. Wink. Consent? Who needs consent. Let’s teach our children that no means just try harder stupid. This is a nauseating example of a book not aging well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
This is one of those books where the illustrations are charming for adults because they are so old timey but the story is timeless and kids live for the ending where—spoiler alert—Pretzel marries the dachshund of his dreams (at a wedding attended by dog couples with matching bows.)
I can imagine someone joyless writing from a modern standpoint a long screed against the romance depicted here between the dachshunds (how Greta plays hard to get, how Pretzel pursues her) but… it’s a kid’s book, A, and B, she has the very slightest “haughty girl learns a lesson and likes the guy for who he is” moment that to me is totally unobjectionable.
I can imagine someone joyless writing from a modern standpoint a long screed against the romance depicted here between the dachshunds (how Greta plays hard to get, how Pretzel pursues her) but… it’s a kid’s book, A, and B, she has the very slightest “haughty girl learns a lesson and likes the guy for who he is” moment that to me is totally unobjectionable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews