It was just the cover in its entirety, really.
As my son said to me recently, 'Mum, I absolutely do judge a book by its cover'.
Well, in the case of Dog on Log, both my son and I were spot-on.
Tania Ingram has created such a fabulous romp with this rhyming tale--crammed with action and drama and sensational scenes that will eye-boggle children from toddler to teen.
The language Tania uses is so super cool--THANK YOU, Omnibus, for allowing her such creative license--it's a pleasure to read aloud, or in-head, or standing on your head, or any old way you want to.
There's Dog. There's Frog. Frog ends up on dog's head (to hang party decorations) and then on a log, ferrying pressies and party hats and all manner of goodies across the bog.
Hog is in the bog. He's nowhere near Dog, but he is near Frog. Dog's now running round and round, and Cat comes to stay while Frog and Hog run away.
As each new critter shows up at the party, the text becomes more complex and zany. There's cake-stealing, balloon-popping, log-running and tumbling, and lots of mud. If any of these things don't thoroughly enchant children, then they must have fallen asleep in their tinned-spaghetti.
This is the kind of book with which kids will demand many a repeat read. It's the kind of book they'll remove from your hands after the fifth read and just explore the pages silently, taking in the striking, busy and utterly whimsical illustrations.
What more could you want, really? And don't miss the endpapers, aficionados.
Title: Dog on Log
Author: Tania Ingram
Illustrator: Kat Chadwick
Publisher: Omnibus, $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: 1 February 2013
Format: Hard cover
ISBN: 9781862919648
For ages: 2 - 7
Type: Picture Book, Rhyme