Written and Illustrated by Colin Thompson
Ages 7-10
Georgeis a lonely young boy who lives alone with his Grandma, a very sweet lady but not the best of company for a young boy. One lonely Friday George finds a three legged dog, Jeremy, at the shelter who is on his last day. George identifies with the Jeremy and is quick to take him home. George makes replaceable legs for Jeremy and soon they can run and play just like every other boy and dog; the beginning of a great friendship and the end of George's lonely days.
This is truly a story of happy sadness. The understated language and the incredibly expressive illustrations of the book work together to create a story that is heartbreaking but hilarious. I did not have a lonely childhood but I can relate to feeling the same dismal loneliness as times as an adult, Thompson captures it perfectly when he says, "in that time before the weekend when lonely people realize just how lonely they are," which is almost too true. Many children do not go home to large families or after school activities and this story reflects that emptiness. George's Grandma has good intentions but they "spent most of their lives on different planets". I lived with my Grandma of and on when I was younger and can relate to the strange relationship of TV dinners and knitting. When George runs home to tell his Grandma about the dog she is seen looking understanding and clutching a rotisserie chicken in contrast to George's urgency. The illustrations play a huge role in creating a sense of irony in the story. The collage of real images and water color bring out the extreme highs and lows of the story. When George goes to the shelter there is neon green moss growing on the cages and Jeremy is in the dingiest, darkest, corner looking at him through identical shaggy brown hair.
Before the story can get too depressing George takes home Jeremy and they fight together perfectly, bonding through their differences. Children will love Georges attempts to create a leg for Jeremy, first from paper mache, then dough. They will find it hilarious as Jeremy can finally lift his leg to pee. The book has an over the top "happily ever after" ending but it fits with the story. I think kids could relate to feeling like an outcast and the experience of finding a great friend through their pets. There are themes in the story I could see some readers or parents being uncomfortable with such as the role of physical appearances and abilities, Jeremy's "impending fate" of being put to sleep. However I do not think children will feel uncomfortable with these issues at all.
I would read this book depending on the audience and interest of my class and individual students. I do not think it is a picture book that everyone would enjoy and I think children would need a certain maturity to grasp the subtle irony in the story. However I think it could be a good discussion starter for times when we feel lonely or like we do not fit in and what we do when we feel that way. I also think most students would eagerly share stories about their pets or pets they know. The story is a good example of how to express or show feelings in your writing without having to say "I was sad". We could try writing stories that uses this writing technique we could also write stories about why our pets are important to us.
Colin Thompson has lead a fascinating life, visit his website at http://www.colinthompson.com/index.html
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