The Bookshop Dog

Martha Jane becomes a fixture at her human companion's bookshop in this picture-book from the Newbery Medal-winning Cynthia Rylant, providing the patrons with just the right kind of canine love. Everyone in town, from the policeman to the school band conductor, comes to love the sweet little pooch, who manages to enter into the spirit of any activity - singing, fetching, doing tricks - in which the people around her are involved. But when Martha Jane's person (and the bookshop owner) must go into the hospital for an operation, trouble ensues - not because no one can be found to look after the town's favorite dog, but because there are too many people volunteering...

Having associated Cynthia Rylant almost exclusively with her writing, show more whether that be middle grade novels like Missing May, or early readers such as Henry and Mudge, I was surprised to discover in The Bookshop Dog that she is also an artist. Her illustrations here are colorful, done in a naive, childlike style that will appeal to kids. The story itself is engaging, sure to please young dog lovers, who will long for the chance to meet Martha Jane themselves. All in all, a sweet little tale of a winsome canine, and the people who love her. As someone who always likes to find animals hanging out in the bookshops I frequent - until very recently, the one around the corner from work had a resident cat - I approve! show less

Martha Jane is the beloved dog of Martha Jane’s, the bookshop of the same name. When the bookstore owner needs to go to the hospital, the kind-hearted members of the community come together to care for Martha Jane and forge a strong bond between them in the process.

Curriculum: this book could be used to enhance a primary-grade social studies unit about communities. In the book, the community might fall apart because everyone is arguing over who should care for Martha Jane. How do people resolve their differences?

Rylant, C. (1996). The bookshop dog. New York: Blue Sky Press/Scholastic.

Good book for a 1st or 2nd grade dog lover. Anyone that loves dogs would like this book. Colorful warm book, includes many types of people and professions. Martha Jane Bookstore is named after a dog, the dog stays with the owner when she works. Owner gets sick need someone to watch the dog. One dimensional characters. The book is ok.

Martha Jane is such a good dog. Her owner takes her everywhere and even names her bookshop after her. When Martha Jane's owner becomes sick and has to go to the hospital, everyone who knows Martha Jane wants to take care of her. Many people rush to the bookshop in hopes to be the one Martha Jane chooses. This is a cute book for young children, especially ones who love animals.

This book is longer and not one of my favorites that I read. It is about a women's dog. Everyone in her town loves the dog and is so kind do it - especially when her owner has to be put in the hospital. This would be a great book to teach students to help each other out when they are in need. I wouldn't recommend it to kindergardeners because it is pretty long but first and second graders might like it.

Martha Jane, the dog, is loved by many. Her owner even named her book store after her. People come visit just to see Martha Jane. When the owner gets sick, everyone volunteers to pet sit. Martha Jane shows a liking to the guy in the green. He takes care of her and when the owner returns they fall in love. They get married and become a family. This is a cute and easy book to read to students.

Such a great book to read to young children that love dogs. The Bookshop woman brought Martha everywhere she went. To the park, to the market, dentist, and to work. She was the owner of the bookshop and renamed it to Martha Jane's Bookshop after her dog. One day the woman got ill and had to go to the hospital. She couldn't bring Martha to the hospital because they were not allowed so she had to find someone to watch her. The old man in the green coat that come into the bookshop to pet and give Martha treats watched her. When the woman got better she went back to work and the man in the green coat cleaned the whole Bookshop and they married each other. Martha even went on their honeymoon together.