FICTION

Rhymes with Doug

by Chad J. THOMPSON
illus. by Chad J. Thompson. 40p. S. & S./Aladdin. Nov. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781481470957.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—This zany story starts with Doug coming home from school to find a huge package at his mailbox. It contains Otto the Amazing Rhyming Bird, who at first is a dream come true for his owner, as the pet squawks magic rhymes that make things appear. When Otto says, "Doug Mug," for example, suddenly Doug is holding a mug. After "Doug Pug," a new puppy appears—this is awesome! Things take a turn for the worrisome when Otto begins to transform the boy into different odd things, however—Doug never wanted to become a slug, a rug, or a bug. The next day—good riddance!—readers see the package waiting for Doug's hapless friend. Young children will find Thompson's rhyming text and the narrative enjoyable enough, but the computer-generated cartoon images are uninspired.
VERDICT A so-so addition to the rhyming book arena; librarians should stick with others that they may already have on the shelves, like Kevin Lewis's My Truck Is Stuck or any Dr. Seuss titles.
Reviewed by Henrietta Verma, National Information Standards Organization, Baltimore
Doug receives a mysterious package containing a rhyming bird and a warning, which he ignores. But the bird's rhymes cause magic...and trouble for Doug. While the digital illustrations are humorous, the magical changes are inconsistent (e.g., with "Doug pug," Doug gets a dog, but with "Doug slug," Doug becomes a slug). This concept book's random "Doug" rhymes provide little payoff at the end.
 , Nov 01, 2016

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