Lynley Dodd

Hairy Maclary (he of Donaldson's dairy) is feeling frisky and bouncy, and just has to chase every cat in town; but he gets his comeuppance in the end, at the paws of (who else?) Scarface Claw!

This was yet another book we had to read five times in one sitting. My three year old and I were in the library, and I picked this up to read, as we have the first book in the series - [Hairy Maclary of Donaldson's Dairy] - which we both like.

The books are short stories told in verse, with about four show more lines to a page, accompanied by a facing page appropriately illustrated. The illustrations are humourous and quite detailed without being overly complicated (I like the way we see Hairy peering at the cats from cover, and the fact that the cover illustration is different from the pictures in the book); each page has a separate character (in this case, cats); and the verses and the story are straightforward, lively and easy to follow. show less

Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary in “Scattercat”. While on the surface this is the story of a dog’s day out chasing cats before he gets his comeuppance I felt the need to look below the surface and see it as a tale about modern history. Imagine that Hairy Macleary is Nazi Germany with each cat being the territories they invaded before being defeated by the Allies. A good children’s book with a great choice of words.

This is a simple tale told in verse describing each dog as Hairy Maclary (a Scottish terrier) goes around town collecting his friends to explore, until ...

I'm cheating a bit by adding this to my count, as my seven year old son read this to me. It's an old favourite and we needed something quick and easy for bedtime.

"Out of the gate
and off for a walk
went Hairy Maclary
from Donaldson's Dairy"

As with many good children's books, a good part of the joy of reading it lies in the details in the show more pictures. I love it when I'm reading a book for the umpteenth time and I discover things I haven't noticed before. This time I noticed that though each picture is devoted to the specific dog being described, there is a paw or tail or some small part of all the other dogs that have joined the gang and are listed in the accompanying verse.

Fun, easy, catchy. We have liked this series for a long time.

5 stars show less

It has been a long wait for Hairy Maclary fans, but at last there is a new story and Lynley Dodd doesn't disappoint. Based on a true story, this is the tale of what happens when a car sets out with Scarface Claw still on top of it. Although Scarface regularly terrorises Hairy Maclary and his friends, this time, he is the one that gets the fright. The story is told in Lynley's inimitable, seemingly effortless rhyme and features pictures of enough different vehicles to delight any little boy. show more Each picture repays careful study and the observant will spot Hairy Maclary himself off for a stroll. My favourite was the picture that showed the expressions on the faces of both Scarface Claw and the driver, Tom. This book will be welcomed onto the bookshelves of Lynley's fans both young and old. show less