Dozer's Run: A True Story of a Dog and his Race
Debbie Levy with Rosana Panza, illustrated by David Opie
ISBN: 9781585368969
A dogs'-eye-view of the world makes this story of an unlikely marathon participant more vibrant.
I really like this book, but I don't think it's well suited for Storytime, because of all the questions it raises (which is a common difficulty with true-life books - real life being not inclined to wrap up nicely or explain itself handily in the confines of a picture book). Despite that, this is an adorable story of a strange afternoon when a suburban dog decided to join the half-marathon in Highland, Maryland. He jumped straight in from his yard, and ran to the finish line, then almost as quickly, vanished back home. After donations flooded in under his name (people sponsored individual runners to raise money), the organizers tracked him down, and named him an honorary mascot.
The text is very much from a dog-like perspective, which is odd considering it isn't from Dozer's viewpoint (unless the author believes that dogs think about themselves in the third person) but does add a bit of charm and possible rationale to an otherwise un-explainable event. The story incorporates information from runners on the route, from organizers, and from the family, to piece together how the run might have gone, and giving a basic narrative of events that is straightforward, even when it doesn't offer explanations.
The art is pleasant, but the people all have very oddly-shaped faces and heads. Not really unpleasant, just noticeable. Scenes are nicely composed, but perhaps less vital and active than they could have been.
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