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Summary
Summary
A little dog makes a big discovery . . .
Scruff the dog is a stray who just loves to dig. It doesn't make him the most popular dog in town. But when he sniffs out a pile of old bones, he gets all the neighborhood dogs to help him. They uncover not one, not two, not three . . . but 100 bones and make the most exciting dinosaur discovery of all time! Scruff's find wins him new friends and a new home. A heartwarming story about an underdog who comes out on top.
Author Notes
Yuval Zommer graduated from the Royal College of Art in London and has worked as a creative director for some of the world's top advertising agencies. His first picture book was The Big Blue Thing on the Hill.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Scruff, a homeless dog, finds a home, thanks to his love of digging. While the posh neighborhood dogs and their prissy owners look down on his favorite occupation, Scruff doesn't let that dampen his enthusiasm for "digging and digging." When he finds a pile of bones in the woods and indications there are even more below, he begs the other dogs to help him dig them up. While the dogs are initially reluctant to get dirty, the lure of bones entices them, and together, they unearth 100 bones unlike anything they've ever seen. The five canines bring samples to the Natural History Museum where Professor Dinovsky assembles the bones into the "most ferocious dinosaur ever found." Scruff receives a medal for his efforts and, best of all, his own human friend. The digitally created illustrations offer readers a dog's-eye view of the world. Wonderful canine expressions along with their distinctive coats are in full view, but only human legs and hands are visible. The signature red double-decker bus, the museum facade, the dogs sitting near a lion sculpture in Trafalgar Square, and the appearance of a woman with crowns on purse and coat are evidence the dogs are in London. This book includes a winning combination of dogs and dinosaurs, alliteration such as "Sidney the sausage dog" and "Percy the Pug," and lots of humorous details. VERDICT This story of a homeless dog who triumphs in the end is a sure winner.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Greenwich, CT © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Scruff doesnt have a collar or a human friend, and the other dogs who do (Percy the pug, Pixie the poodle) and their people look down on him and his rampant digging habit (Stop digging up my flowerbeds! Mrs. Fancypants cried. Get off my lawn! Mr. Fusspot warned). When Scruff sets out to find more welcoming dirt, his nose leads him to an underground jackpot: a giant pile of bones of all shapes and sizes -- some as large as trees. Budding paleontologists may figure things out early, but Scruff needs to enlist the digging help of the (reluctant) purebreds and then the Natural History Museum to uncover and solve this mystery. In the end Scruff, a hero, finds the perfect home with a human friend who is in full support of digging. Zommers text captures the open-hearted enthusiasm of the scrappy Scruff, and entertaining soft-hued illustrations keep the action at dogs-eye level; readers see only the bottom half of any of the humans. Picture-clues show that the setting is London, with a few landmarks and humorous details to notice (including the bottom half of the Queen and her corgis). julie roach (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Every dog will have his day, even the scruffiest of strays. Zommer's Scruff is a homeless mutt. Percy the pug, Pixie the poodle, Sydney the dachshund, and Ada the Afghan have collars and "human friends" who groom them. Scruff is a dog's dog: he goes his own way, he trespasses, and, most of all, he digs, usually in the wrong places, like the other dogs' yards. Chased away by their cold, fussy human friends, Scruff makes for the great open spaces where stuffy old humans won't smother his spirit. And lo, his nose leads him to the mother lode: too many bones for one dog to wrestle himself. When he tries to enlist the other four dogs to dig, they demur; when he mentions the word "bones"hey, prestotheir inner dogs emerge. Smart dogs, they bring their find to London's Natural History Museum, where Professor Dinovsky assembles them into the "most ferocious dinosaur ever found." In turn, Dinovsky becomes Scruff's "human friend" but one that encourages his digging. The visual jokes will fly over young headsthe queen's trademark coat and corgisand "human friend" sounds graspingly correct (why not "caregiver" or "steward"?). Plus, with this bunch of human prigs and grumps, who needs "friends"? The muted, retro-style digital artwork is pretty enough, but it has little personality or warmth. Good for Scruff, though. It's nice to have a "friend" who appreciates your innate talent. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Most dogs at the park have collars and leashes and human friends who tell them what to do. Not Scruff! He looks after himself and does what he likes, and what he likes is digging though people sometimes reprimand him for spoiling their lawns and gardens. One day, while digging at a new site, he discovers an awesome treasure trove of bones, including unusually big ones. Scruff and four canine pals dig up 100 bones and haul one apiece to Professor Dinovsky at London's Natural History Museum. Bowled over by their exciting discovery, the man mounts a new dinosaur exhibit after much jiggling and juggling of the giant bone jigsaw puzzle. Scruff finds a home with the professor, who appreciates his proclivities. Within the well-crafted narrative, occasional bits of dialogue help define various characters' personalities while moving the story forward. The dynamic digital illustrations are varied in composition and in point of view, showing an amusing dog's-eye view of people (legs only) in the park scenes, and an intriguing, cut-away underground view of the dig site full of bones. The volume's large format showcases Zommer's strong, engaging artwork and makes this lively picture book as rewarding for reading aloud to groups as to individuals.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2016 Booklist