Scotch & Toilet Water? a Book of Dog Cartoons

In the funniest dog cartoon book ever, beloved New Yorker cartoonist Leo Cullum pokes gentle fun at the foibles and eccentricities of cavorting canines and their human owners. Or is it the dogs who are in charge?

As his enchanted fans well know, Cullum's dogs are an eclectic and enterprising lot. They are lawyers and doctors and businessmen, and more than a few like to sit in bars and debate the predicaments of life. Whether they portray a confounded dog therapy patient searching for the reason he is barking, or an exasperated dog humoring his human owner's need to keep throwing a stick for him to fetch, the 125 laugh-out-loud cartoons in this book tell us almost as much about people as they do about dogs.

SimplyDog: Life Lessons That Bark

SimplyDog is a dog's-eye view of modern living. Reh is no ordinary dog. For Reh, life is a journey toward harmony, fulfillment, and self-acceptance, not just mindlessly chasing after cars and happiness. And whether she's dating, coming home from work, or just de-stressing, Reh shares what she learns in a Bark--a phrase that helps her achieve, overcome, or just simply cope.

As Reh demonstrates in SimplyDog, the right attitude can make all the difference. In photos and text, Reh delivers the Bark in 27 lessons we all can relate to: Whatever you do, make it look good; Perfection is overrated; Everyone needs something to believe in.

In real life, Reh is the cherished golden retriever of Maria Peevey, founder of SimplyShe. What Peevey and Weinerman share in their SimplyShe books and cards, Reh now shares in SimplyDog. Her outlook, her hard-won wisdom, and most of all, her bark-based approach to life, will speak eloquently to readers of every species.

Playful, modernist photographs plus humorous text make SimplyDog the perfect gift for the deep-thinking dog lover.

Snuggle Puppy: A Little Love Song

Sandra Boynton is an illustrator and author. In addition to the Boynton on Board series, she has written and illustrated (and in some cases composed the music for) Philadelphia Chickens, Grunt, Chocolate: The Consuming Passion, and Rhinoceros Tap. She and her family live in Connecticut.

This, like all the Boynton books I've seen, is a beautiful little package -- a sweet song and adorable pictures, sure to result in much snuggling and special moments. It is great for little kids, especially (in fact this song has become a bedtime standard for us). However, if you and your kids like this book, be sure to check out Sandra Boynton's full "Philadelphia Chickens" collection -- a Broadway-show type "review" of many fantastic and catchy toons, with great illustrations and a CD (featuring Patti LuPone, Meryl Streep, The Bacon Brothers, etc.). My kids (3 & 8) have loads of fun singing the songs, dancing around like aardvarks in a chorus line, acting snoozy and then rock and rolling. My 8 year old daughter loves "Broadway" type of music, but much of it is pretty grown-up in content, so this is just the ticket. The songs are funny and appeal to both kids and adults. Sorry, I'm not saying more specifically about Snuggle Puppy, but the whole collection is a treasure for kids as they get older.

Doggies

Serious silliness for all ages. Artist Sandra Boynton is back and better than ever with completely redrawn versions of her multi-million selling board books. These whimsical and hilarious books, featuring nontraditional texts and her famous animal characters, have been printed on thick board pages, and are sure to educate and entertain children of all ages.