Word Spelunking

Tom Watson's Stick Dog is a lot of things: funny, silly, clever, addicting, surprising. This little book, with its child-like illustrations and story, had me laughing out loud and feeling like a kid again!Stick Dog is all about the adventures of a poorly drawn dog named (yep, you guessed it!), Stick Dog. Stick Dog and his four doggy companions set out on a dangerous but worthy mission: to steal hamburgers from a picnicking family in the park. This mission isn't an easy one and involves ridiculous plans, distractions, a little bit of garbage eating, and a whole lot of luck.Stick Dog is a wildly entertaining book that younger readers will gobble up quickly. Tom Watson writes with a charming, child-like voice that is both sweet and cleverly witty. Told from the perspective of a child who is “writing” Stick Dog's story and drawing the illustrations, Stick Dog speaks to its intended audience perfectly. And the narrator actually speaks directly to the audience, pulling them in and making them feel like an important part of the story, which I enjoyed very much. Stick Dog's story isn't a complicated or intricate one, but it is completely fun and captivating.The silly antics of Stick Dog and his four canine friends (Poo-Poo the Poodle, Stripes the Dalmatian, Karen the Dachshund, and Mutt the mutt) will have readers giggling loudly. And these five doggy characters are impossible to not love and root for. The rudimentary illustrations have a special charm all their own and really complete the story.The whole “look” and formatting of this book is awesome. The pages within are lined and made to look like a child's notebook, and the text is sparse on each page, leaving room for the amusing illustrations. The whole look will definitely appeal to younger readers.MY FINAL THOUGHTS: Stick Dog and his doggy buds have won me over, and Tom Watson has a new fan! Stick Dog is made for younger readers, and younger readers will have no problems catching on to how awesome this book is, but older readers (especially those parents acting as bedtime story readers) will also find themselves entertained.