I Want a Dog facts for kids
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| Author | Dayal Kaur Khalsa |
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| Illustrator | Dayal Kaur Khalsa |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Pets, Dogs |
| Genre | Children's book |
| Publisher | Tundra Books |
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Publication date
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1987 |
| Pages | 24 |
| ISBN | 0-88776-326-X |
I Want a Dog is a popular children's book that was both written and illustrated by Dayal Kaur Khalsa. It was first published in 1987 by Tundra Books and Clarkson N. Potter. The picture on the book's cover, which also appeared in the movie version, was inspired by a famous painting called Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte by Georges Seurat. The main character in the book, May, is named after May Cutler, who started Tundra Books, the Canadian publisher.
Contents
What Is I Want a Dog About?
This section tells you about the story of I Want a Dog. It follows a girl named May who really wants a pet dog.
May's Big Wish for a Dog
May dreams of having a dog more than anything else. At school, she often imagines that all her classmates are dogs too! But no matter how much she wishes or asks, her parents always say no to getting a dog.
May's Creative Ideas to Get a Dog
One day, May tries to show her parents how much she wants a dog. She uses salami to attract ten dogs to her house! But her mom wants them all returned. Later, May uses all her allowance money to buy a puppy for her mom's birthday. This plan doesn't work out either. That same evening, May's parents talk about how much work it is to raise a dog.
Training a Rollerskate as a Pet
May's parents still say no to her having a dog of her own. This makes May very upset, and she throws her toys around her room. Soon, May sees one of her white rollerskates roll down the staircase like a dog. This gives her a clever idea! She decides to build a training course and train her rollerskate just like a real dog. Her school friends are amused at first, but then they want to try walking the "skate-dog" too.
The Missing "Dog" and a Happy Ending
Another day, May goes to the neighbourhood luncheonette to check out new comic books. She leaves her rollerskate outside. She doesn't know that a real dog is "talking" to her "dog"! The real dog runs away with the rollerskate. May panics when she can't find it. But with her "try, try again" attitude, she finds her rollerskate nearby.
Over time, May and her rollerskate become good friends. Other children in her community also start training their own rollerskate "dogs." The biggest surprise comes at the end of the story. May finally gets a real dog from her parents! It's a reward for all her hard work and determination.
The Movie Version of I Want a Dog
The book I Want a Dog was also made into an animated short film in 2003.
Bringing the Book to Life on Screen
The 2003 animated short film based on the book was directed by Sheldon Cohen. Most of the animation and the story in the film are very true to Dayal Kaur Khalsa's original book. The songs you hear in the movie version are sung by an indie singer-songwriter named Neko Case.
