Lisa Papp
Author of Madeline Finn and the Library Dog
Series
Works by Lisa Papp
Madli-Liis ja lugemiskoer 1 copy
MADELAINE FINN E BONNIE 1 copy
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In a Nutshell: A gorgeous picture book about a little girl who struggles with reading and finds some unexpected help. Amazing story, amazing illustrations, amazing motivational lesson, and one cute surprise at the end that made me go “Whoa!” Much recommended! Can’t wait to try the rest of the series.
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Plot Preview:
Most bibliophiles loves two themes in fiction: books about books, and books about dogs. This picture book has both! A winner even before it begins!
Thankfully, the book is able to capitalise on both the above factors to the best extent. I simply love how realistically portrayed Madeline’s sadness at her struggle with words, and more importantly, how her progress wasn’t instantaneous but steady and driven by her persistence and diligence. It’s nice for children to learn that hard work can reap long-term rewards, especially in today’s world of instant gratification.
The story is excellently written. Though a picture book, it offers much depth to Madeline’s emotions, the support of the adults around her, and of course, the role Bonnie plays in her turnaround.
What I loved most is that there is no particular reason assigned for Madeline’s trouble with reading; it only states what happens when she reads. Does she just hate books? Is there a problem with her eyesight? Hearing impairment? Is she dyslexic? Is there a language barrier? As such, the story is generic enough to work for any child who struggles to read and needs the motivation to practise more. Plus, the book stresses not just on Madeline’s reluctance to read but also on her apprehension to read aloud in front of everyone. So it can also work for children who do know how to read but have a fear of doing it in front of the gawking eyes of their classmates.
The text is nicely spaced out, with only a few lines per page.. As the book is clearly targeted at reluctant readers, this approach makes tremendous sense as kids won't get bogged down by cluttered sentences. Some of the lines have words in CAPS for emphasis – a helpful way of making little readers know the importance of stressing some words. The language is quite accessible for the target audience of 4-8 years. Because of the writing style, the book would work excellently as a readaloud option.
The illustrations, sketched by the author herself, are outstanding. The cover art itself indicates how cosy the internal graphics are. Madeline’s expressions convey her inner conflicts beautifully. There’s a lot happening on every page even in the background, allowing little readers enough time to take in the story a page at a time and at their own pace after relishing the artwork.
On the whole, this was a delight in every way. Story, message, inspiration, illustration – all the key points of the book were bang on target. Bonnie the dog is the icing on the cake. (See the cover to gaze at Bonnie’s scruffy scrumptiousness!)
The audiobook, clocking at about seven minutes, is narrated by Jill Frutkin. She does a fabulous job, speaking clearly and slowly so as to enunciate every word well and with much emotion. Her voice reflects Madeline’s joys and worries convincingly. Despite the excellent audio production, my heart was won over more by the picture book. A picture book ought to be actually read as at least half its impact comes from the graphics.
This is the first book of the Madeline Finn series, and I can't wait to get my hands on the remaining three books!
Much, much recommended. This would be a great option for all little hesitant readers who want that little extra push to keep trying. It would work well at homes as well as in classrooms.
5 woofilicious stars!
This was a library read. (Kinda! My library only had the audio version. I guess the book doesn’t have a digital edition. So I cheated a bit and looked at a YouTube video to check out the actual page layout and graphics. I’ll have to do the same for the remaining books as well. show less
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Madeline Finn is a little girl who doesn’t like to read, especially to read out loud. Her teacher and her mother both encourage her to keep trying, butshow more
Madeline is frustrated at her lack of progress. She yearns for a star sticker but how can she get it if she doesn’t want to read anymore?
One Saturday, her mother takes her to the library, where the librarian, who knows that Madeline hates reading, asks her, “Do you want to read to a dog?” Hesitantly, Madeline goes to beautiful white dog named Bonnie and tries to read to her. Do you think Bonnie will be able to help Madeline read better? Woof!
The story is written in Madeline’s first-person perspective.
Most bibliophiles loves two themes in fiction: books about books, and books about dogs. This picture book has both! A winner even before it begins!
Thankfully, the book is able to capitalise on both the above factors to the best extent. I simply love how realistically portrayed Madeline’s sadness at her struggle with words, and more importantly, how her progress wasn’t instantaneous but steady and driven by her persistence and diligence. It’s nice for children to learn that hard work can reap long-term rewards, especially in today’s world of instant gratification.
The story is excellently written. Though a picture book, it offers much depth to Madeline’s emotions, the support of the adults around her, and of course, the role Bonnie plays in her turnaround.
What I loved most is that there is no particular reason assigned for Madeline’s trouble with reading; it only states what happens when she reads. Does she just hate books? Is there a problem with her eyesight? Hearing impairment? Is she dyslexic? Is there a language barrier? As such, the story is generic enough to work for any child who struggles to read and needs the motivation to practise more. Plus, the book stresses not just on Madeline’s reluctance to read but also on her apprehension to read aloud in front of everyone. So it can also work for children who do know how to read but have a fear of doing it in front of the gawking eyes of their classmates.
The text is nicely spaced out, with only a few lines per page.. As the book is clearly targeted at reluctant readers, this approach makes tremendous sense as kids won't get bogged down by cluttered sentences. Some of the lines have words in CAPS for emphasis – a helpful way of making little readers know the importance of stressing some words. The language is quite accessible for the target audience of 4-8 years. Because of the writing style, the book would work excellently as a readaloud option.
The illustrations, sketched by the author herself, are outstanding. The cover art itself indicates how cosy the internal graphics are. Madeline’s expressions convey her inner conflicts beautifully. There’s a lot happening on every page even in the background, allowing little readers enough time to take in the story a page at a time and at their own pace after relishing the artwork.
On the whole, this was a delight in every way. Story, message, inspiration, illustration – all the key points of the book were bang on target. Bonnie the dog is the icing on the cake. (See the cover to gaze at Bonnie’s scruffy scrumptiousness!)
The audiobook, clocking at about seven minutes, is narrated by Jill Frutkin. She does a fabulous job, speaking clearly and slowly so as to enunciate every word well and with much emotion. Her voice reflects Madeline’s joys and worries convincingly. Despite the excellent audio production, my heart was won over more by the picture book. A picture book ought to be actually read as at least half its impact comes from the graphics.
This is the first book of the Madeline Finn series, and I can't wait to get my hands on the remaining three books!
Much, much recommended. This would be a great option for all little hesitant readers who want that little extra push to keep trying. It would work well at homes as well as in classrooms.
5 woofilicious stars!
This was a library read. (Kinda! My library only had the audio version. I guess the book doesn’t have a digital edition. So I cheated a bit and looked at a YouTube video to check out the actual page layout and graphics. I’ll have to do the same for the remaining books as well. show less
A young girl with difficulty reading, Madeline Finn longed for one of the stars her teacher would give out for in-class performance, rather than one of the 'keep-trying' hearts she always seemed to get instead. When her mother takes her to the library after a particularly trying week, Madeline Finn meets Bonnie, a very special canine who is part of their read-to-a-dog program. With this patient and understanding audience, Madeline Finn slowly builds her confidence, eventually managing to show more read an entire page in class, and earn that coveted star! When she returns to the library, she discovers that Bonnie too has a surprise...
Having only recently become aware of the Reading Therapy Dog programs that have sprung up in libraries and schools around the country - we recently hosted a picture-book event at work that involved reading dogs - I was delighted to come across Lisa Papp's Madeline Finn and the Library Dog. Featuring an engaging young heroine with believable grade-school problems and absolutely adorable artwork, it is sure to be a hit with children who are struggling with their own reading, or who just love dogs. Bonnie makes such an appealing audience for Madeline Finn in the story, that I found myself wishing that I had a dog to read to myself! show less
Having only recently become aware of the Reading Therapy Dog programs that have sprung up in libraries and schools around the country - we recently hosted a picture-book event at work that involved reading dogs - I was delighted to come across Lisa Papp's Madeline Finn and the Library Dog. Featuring an engaging young heroine with believable grade-school problems and absolutely adorable artwork, it is sure to be a hit with children who are struggling with their own reading, or who just love dogs. Bonnie makes such an appealing audience for Madeline Finn in the story, that I found myself wishing that I had a dog to read to myself! show less
Great children's book. Loved the last book of hers, 'and the Library Dog', but loved this one more. Made me tear up. Pictures are wonderful. Volunteering at the shelter is great message. But you do wonder why she went and got what looks like a Great Pyrenees puppy, instead of getting a shelter dog herself. The book makes it look like she didn't think of the shelter until after she go her puppy.
When Madeline gets her puppy, Mrs. Dimple who she gets the puppy from tells her the most important show more thing is love. So:
"I love you, Star," I say when I feed him.
"I love you, Star," I say when I read to him.
"I love you, Star," I say when I tuck him in.
"It's okay, Star," I say when when he has an accident on the floor. "I love you."
You really need to see the wonderful pictures to go with the story.
After visiting the shelter-
"Mom," I ask when I get home, "do shelter dogs get to play outside?"
"Probably not as much as Star," she says.
"Do shelter dogs get to sleep under blankets?"
"I'm not sure, honey."
"Mrs. Dimple said love was most important," I say.
"That's right, dear."
"Mom...does anyone tell the shelter dogs they love them?"
Mom is quiet. then she gives me a big hug.
"Maybe you can show them."
Great book, and volunteering at a shelter is great, but I think actually taking on a rescue dog is better. show less
When Madeline gets her puppy, Mrs. Dimple who she gets the puppy from tells her the most important show more thing is love. So:
"I love you, Star," I say when I feed him.
"I love you, Star," I say when I read to him.
"I love you, Star," I say when I tuck him in.
"It's okay, Star," I say when when he has an accident on the floor. "I love you."
You really need to see the wonderful pictures to go with the story.
After visiting the shelter-
"Mom," I ask when I get home, "do shelter dogs get to play outside?"
"Probably not as much as Star," she says.
"Do shelter dogs get to sleep under blankets?"
"I'm not sure, honey."
"Mrs. Dimple said love was most important," I say.
"That's right, dear."
"Mom...does anyone tell the shelter dogs they love them?"
Mom is quiet. then she gives me a big hug.
"Maybe you can show them."
Great book, and volunteering at a shelter is great, but I think actually taking on a rescue dog is better. show less
Madeline Finn returns in this second picture-book devoted to her reading adventures with her canine friends, following upon Madeline Finn and the Library Dog. After much pleading, her mother allows her to adopt one of Bonnie's puppies, whose arrival was the concluding episode of the previous book. But when Madeline Finn learns from her librarian, Mrs. Dimple, that she and Bonnie volunteer at the local shelter, and she and her mother also decide to volunteer, she is distressed to discover show more that many of the animals there do not have the love, companionship and reading partners that Bonnie and Star enjoy. Thinking over matters, Madeline Finn comes up with a solution, organizing a reading day at the shelter...
Like its predecessor, Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog pairs an engaging and ultimately heartwarming story with adorable illustrations. Lisa Papp's artwork is lovely, and I just wanted to reach into the book on more than one occasion, and cuddle one of the animals. Star is cute as a button, and so is Madeline Finn, with her earnest desire to see that all of the animals have the love and attention that they need. We've had reading dog events at work, and it's always wonderful to see the children interacting with the pups, and having fun reading to them, so I appreciate the theme of these two Madeline Finn stories. I also appreciated, with this one, that shelter animals are featured, as they too have so much to give! Recommended to young dog lovers, children just getting going with their reading, and anyone who read and enjoyed the first Madeline Finn book. show less
Like its predecessor, Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog pairs an engaging and ultimately heartwarming story with adorable illustrations. Lisa Papp's artwork is lovely, and I just wanted to reach into the book on more than one occasion, and cuddle one of the animals. Star is cute as a button, and so is Madeline Finn, with her earnest desire to see that all of the animals have the love and attention that they need. We've had reading dog events at work, and it's always wonderful to see the children interacting with the pups, and having fun reading to them, so I appreciate the theme of these two Madeline Finn stories. I also appreciated, with this one, that shelter animals are featured, as they too have so much to give! Recommended to young dog lovers, children just getting going with their reading, and anyone who read and enjoyed the first Madeline Finn book. show less
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- Works
- 16
- Also by
- 3
- Members
- 1,118
- Popularity
- #22,978
- Rating
- 4.3
- Reviews
- 53
- ISBNs
- 49
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- 8