 The
Five-Dog Night
Written and Illustrated by Eileen Christelow
Review
by: Pam
Finck
It's not very often I actually laugh at humor intended for preschoolers but I did this time. In The Five-Dog Night, Ezra is pestered by his neighbor Betty. He'd sooner keep company with his five dogs than with Betty, whom he considers a "nosy old biddy." Betty thinks Ezra is as "crazy as a loon," but the two unlikely companions share cookies and tea "almost every day, rain or shine."
When the weather cools off, motherly Betty insists Ezra use a blanket at night. "I don't need blankets," declares Ezra, and the two part, stubbornly shaking their heads and muttering to themselves. Their bantering about blankets goes on into the frozen, snow-covered winter. Betty even brings Ezra one of her blankets, but he won't use it. Finally, Betty can't stand it any longer. She's sure Ezra will freeze to death and drives up the hill one particularly cold morning to check on him. She opens Ezra's door and peeks in. It was then Betty discovered how Ezra kept toasty warm on the coldest winter nights. Dogs. Five of them draped over, snuggled up to, and burrowed under him.
Ezra didn't get over Betty's invasion of his privacy until spring, but finally, after enough quiet days, he heads down the hill with a bowl of cookies. Ezra is greeted by Betty's five newly
acquired dogs. Betty accepts the cookies and allows Ezra to make a pot of tea, but soon, they are at it again. By this time, you know things are normal, and you might get a belly laugh out of it too. Enjoy this delightful story with your preschoolers. You'll want to visit the loveable characters time after time.
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