A collection of traditional tales about dogs from around the world, arranged in such categories as "The Trickster Dog," "The Enchanted Dog," and "The Super Dog." Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Moser's (My Dog Rosie) luminous watercolors light up this anthology of 13 rarely told folktales that pay homage to canines. Grouped by type ("The Trickster Dog," "The Guardian Dog," and so on), the stories span a wide range of cultures and breeds. From Celtic faery lore, for instance, there's an enchanted bloodhound; from the Eskimos, a husky whose absent-mindedness has cosmic consequences; and from ancient China, a devoted shar-pei who wins the hand of the emperor's daughter. An instructive afterword follows each selection, explaining its origins as well as providing additional facts about the featured dog. The Hausmans' (The Mythology of Dogs) storytelling flows in an unbroken, lyrical stream, right from the poetic introduction ("Step softly now into that fresh dawn, when a man went out for a walk in the light, and found Dog"). Moser's portraits could serve as nature studies, and whether he is depicting a massive rottweiler clenching Thor's hammer in his jaws, a sleek saluki or the soulful eyes of a curly-coated retriever, his watercolors are rooted in realism and lovingly evoked. This book is sheer bliss for dog lovers. Ages 7-up. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 2-6-An engaging collection of 13 tales from around the world. The well-written stories are grouped into six categories: "The Creation Dog," "The Trickster Dog," "The Enchanted Dog," "The Guardian Dog," "The Super Dog," and "The Treasure Dog." These divisions give a nice continuity to the tales and provide a sampling of world cultures and myths. Canines are as varied as an Akita in Japan, a Norse rottweiler, a wolfhound in Wales, and a bichon frise in France. Notes on each story offer background and related information; source notes are included at the end. Moser's illustrations are gorgeously rendered in his trademark watercolor style, but they are decorative and don't add anything to the understanding or energy of the selections. The overall design of the book is attractive, with excellent page layout and choices of typefaces and colors. Purchase where dog stories are popular or where readers might be looking for multicultural tales outside the norm.-Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr. 3-5. In this picture book for older readers with illustrations by Barry Moser, the Hausmans offer a baker's dozen retellings of dog stories they've culled from far-flung sources. There's a creation myth from Africa about a basenji who steals fire for the first man and loses his bark in the bargain. From the mythology of the British Isles comes the tale of an enchanted bloodhound only two inches tall. There are trickster dogs from Japanese, Eskimo, and Native American traditions, enchanted dogs, super dogs, and even a few shaggy dogs. The 13 stories, from as many different cultures, are grouped in six categories, with each story followed by an afterword that provides historical context and commentary. Six of the stories are recycled from the Hausmans' earlier book The Mythology of Dogs (1997), and all of the tales are a bit flat. But the book is so elegantly designed, and Moser's paintings of dogs are so irresistible, that most readers probably won't care. (Reviewed November 1, 1999)0689806965Michael Cart From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.