Black Dog (review)

When the Hope family wakes up one morning, they're stunned to see "a black dog the size of an elephant" outside their house. While Mr. and Mrs. Hope and the two older children close the curtains and cower inside, the youngest Hope, known as Small, fearlessly marches out to meet the humongous pooch. Singing a taunting rhyme, she entices him to chase her, darting under the bridge, through the playground slide, and back home through the cat flap in the door. With each obstacle negotiated, the dog shrinks somewhat, until finally he's a regular dog-sized dog in the Hopes' house, where he clearly has become the new house pet. This is a surreal yet enjoyable excursion, with the touch of menace mitigated by perky Small's fearless perspective ("You are such sillies," she tells her quailing family as she heads out the door), and there's a folkloric flavor to the text, with patterned dialogue and repetition adding structure. The delicately painted illustrations maintain the balance of homeyness and weirdness; the Hopes' house has the picturesque overstuffedness of an old-fashioned dollhouse, an effect that's enhanced by the figures' waxy, pale tones. While there's definite impact in the quick views of huge dog bits through the windows, the scruffy pooch himself looks more interested than threatening. The toylike elements and white framing help keep the feel playful, while thumbnail vignettes in brown monochrome capture smaller scenes. This will be a nice bridge between folklore and David Wiesner for audiences who are developing their taste for the strange and unexpected.