Good Boy, Fergus!

I liked this book for many reasons. Many kids have pets, while others do not but would like a pet. The writing in this book showed exactly what it's like to have a pet. For example, he wrote about everything, even when the dog tried to run away, not just the good things. I think it's good to show the children the challenges a pet owner goes through, it shows the responsibilities a pet owner has. I also liked the illustrations that were included. I liked the pictures of the dog doing the funny things the author wrote about. The pictures were silly and made you laugh. The author drew a picture of the dog trying to run away that would make a class crack up! It would be a fun book to read to a class. The "big picture" of this book is how show more much work it is to take care of a pet, but how worth it, it is in the end. This can help readers realize how big of a responsibility having a pet is before they decide to adopt one. show less

I really enjoyed reading Good Boy Fergus! It reminded me of Marley, my puppy, and what it’s like to take care of a puppy on a daily basis. This story is about a dog named Fergus. Fergus is just like any other dog. On the opening page we are already introduced to Fergus when it says, “Good Morning, Fergus! Want to go out?” Fergus loves to chase cats and has a tendency to not listen sometimes, but at the end of the day Fergus always seems to make up for it. David Shannon did a great job by adding humor to this book in all the illustrations we see.

Good Boy, Fergus! is a delightful book about the life of a terrier. He chases cats, doesn't listen to his owner, knocks over plants, begs for food, and urinates all over the place but still he is a good boy. Fergus definitely rules the roost in this household.

Follow Fergus as he experiences the perfect doggy day--well, except for his bath, of course! From chasing cats and motorcycles to being scratched on his favorite "tickle spot," David Shannon's newest sweet and silly character will inspire young readers to laugh out loud at his mischievous antics.

Summary: A lovable book about Fergus, a dog with quite a personality!

Personal Response: I adore this book! It continues to be a favorite with my children. Fergus is a hilarious dog that is beyond spoiled, but also very very loved. His antics and the author’s short, but expressive language make this a perfect read aloud.

Curriculum Connections: This book can be used with elementary classes to teach the importance of “reading” the illustrations. Without the intense and bright illustrations, the words would hold little meaning. For older students, this is a perfect introduction to children’s literature and to introduce art with unique fonts to convey meaning.

This is a great book for children who have a dog or want a dog. Fergus seems to repeatedly get into mischief. The illustrations picture Fergus with an impish glint in his eye to extend this.

The first thing that I noticed about this book was that the illustrations practically jump out at you, which was a fun first impression. The book was about a mischievous dog named Fergus, who never listens to his owner. It was an easy read for beginners, with fun illustrations and a silly nature. I liked that you could see change in tone of voice in the beginning of the story, shows whoever is calling the dog is impatient: “FERGUS MACLAGGAN! (in red lettering) YOU COME HERE RIGHT NOW! Please, Ferg. Come on.”
One of the pages shows the owner commanding the dog to sit (lays down) roll over (sits) to exemplify that the dog will never do what it’s told. What is interesting however, is the owner does not always get angry at the dog, and show more usually replies “Good Boy, Fergus!” The author uses a tone that is light and silly, like when the owner is scratching the dog’s belly and says “Mister itchy bobo scratchitty man! Does that feel good?” The owner also pours whipped cream on Fergus’s food at one point just so he eats it. The dog also begs from the table and the owner tells him, to stop begging, but gives in and gives him table food anyway.
I like all of Davis Shannon books because they give off that nobody’s perfect and that everyone, even dogs, misbehave. I think kids love when they are read silly books that aren’t that educational, because it’s a fun way to introduce reading as something that is more trivial that informative or educational. show less