"Bark, George," says George's mother, and George goes: "Meow," which definitely isn't right, because George is a dog.

And so is his mother, who repeats, "Bark, George." And George goes, "Quack, quack."

What's going on with George? Find out in this hilarious new picture book from Jules Feiffer.

Reviews

In just a few pen strokes and just a few words, Feiffer (I Lost My Bear) outlines the playful scenario of a puppy who cannot say "arf." The images are striking, with no background details or props but the unobtrusive text. In the initial spreads, a big dog and a little one face each other from opposite sides of the book: "George's mother said: `Bark, George.' George went: `Meow.' " As George proceeds to quack, oink and moo, his dismayed mother grimaces and puts her paw on her head in the classic gimme-a-break gesture. She takes her afflicted son to a veterinarian, who snaps on a rubber glove and decisively repeats the title command. This time, when the pup meows, "The vet reached deep down inside of George... And pulled out a cat." Feiffer reverses the old-lady-who-swallowed-a-fly plot and boosts the giddiness with every barnyard animal removed from tiny George. The pen-and-ink close-ups of the dogs and vet are studies in minimalism and eloquence, and the characters' body language registers intense effort and amazement. Rather than being black-on-white, the illustrations get a boost from cool pastel hues. This pairing of an ageless joke with a crisp contemporary look will initiate many an animated game of animal sounds. Ages 2-6. (June) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

PreS-Gr 2-Based on Jules Feiffer's hilarious book (HarperCollins, 1999), this video tells the tale of a puppy, George, who has a speech problem. His mother is trying to teach him to bark, but instead he makes the sounds of different animals-a cat, a duck, a pig, a cow. This is very disconcerting for his mother (and a real knee-slapper for young viewers). The vet, however, solves the problem. He puts on a latex glove, reaches deep inside George's mouth, and pulls out all the offending animals! The problem is solved or is it? This delightfully absurd ALA Notable book has always been a winner with the very young. In this adaptation, Feiffer's bright and funny illustrations have been animated, and original background music has been added. John Lithgow supplies the narration, providing voices for George's mother and the vet, as well as George's animal sounds. Put it all together and you have a short video that will delight young audiences, and fit in nicely with animal or pet units.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary School, Federal Way, WA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.