Ball
Author(s): Mary Sullivan
A 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
A dog with a ball is one of the most relentlessly hopeful creatures on Earth. After his best little-girl pal leaves for school, this dog hits up yoga mom, baby, and even the angry cat for a quick throw. No luck. Forced to go solo, the dog begins a hilarious one-sided game of fetch until naptime’s wild, ball-centric dream sequence. The pictures speak a thousand words in this comic book-style ode to canine monomania. Ball? Ball.
Review(s):
"Illustrator Sullivan makes a hilarious debut as an author by touring the brain of a ball-obsessed dog. . . . It's a paean to the neurotic single-mindedness of dogs, and a brilliant study of boredom."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A humorous portrait of a dog with a one-track mind. . . . A fine choice for independent readers and dog lovers everywhere."
—School Library Journal
"Deceptively simple little winner for dog lovers."
—Kirkus
"Everything from the dog's brief encounter with a cat to his extended, ball-centric dream, told in full-page drawings, will make viewers giggle along with the story. Even those who have never had or wanted a dog will find themselves pining for a canine companion with similarly irresistible exuberance."
—Booklist
"Sullivan deftly captures doggy poses that run the spectrum from ecstasy to dejection. . . this will be a natural decode-alone for kids who are accustomed to parsing pictures, and they'll delight in the ability to read it all themselves."
—Bulletin
"Ball is one long joke, but a good one. . . . Get this dog a frisbee and a follow-up."
—The New York Times Online
ALA Notable Children’s Book, Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book
ISBN: 9780547759364