I Want a Dog

"I Want a Dog" (ISBN 088776326X) is a children's book written and illustrated by Dayal Kaur Khalsa, originally published by Tundra Books and Clarkson N. Potter in 1987.

Plot synopsis

(Both the book and the film follow the plotline below.)

May wants a dog more than everything else in the world, and, at school, often imagines that everyone in her class are dogs too. But no matter how much she wants one, her parents often say no to the offer.

One day, May tries to show them her such determination by luring, with salami, a pack of ten dogs to her home. But her mother wants them returned, and some time later, May buys a puppy for her mother's birthday using all of her allowance. It does not work to plan, and that same evening, May's parents discuss the trials and tribulations of raising dogs as pets.

Still, as to May having a dog of her own, both of them object, and this leads to their daughter throwing her toys all over her room in outrage. It is not long before May sees one of her white rollerskates roll down the nearby staircase like a dog, which gives her an idea: along with a self-built training course, she can train that skate just like she would a real dog! Her school friends, hearing of her idea and amused at first, want to try walking it.

Another day, May arrives at the neighbourhood to check out the newest comic books, leaving her skate outside. Little does she know that her "dog" is being interrogated by a real one! The latter runs away with it, and afterwards, May panics about its whereabouts. With her "try, try again" attitude, she is reunited with the skate by finding it nearby.

In time to come, May and the rollerskate become friends, and the craze as such is catching on with children all over her community. The biggest surprise of all, at the end of the story, is when she finally receives a real dog from her parents, because of all her hard work.

Film version

The 2003 animated short based on the book was directed by Sheldon Cohen. Much of the animation and plot (see above) is faithful to Khalsa's original work.

Trivia

*The cover painting of the original book (also featured in the film version) is based on "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat.
*The book's main character was named after May Cutler, founder of its Canadian publisher, Tundra.
*"I Want a Dog" is also the title of a Pet Shop Boys song, which can now be found on their b-side collection " Alternative".

External links

* [http://www.tundrabooks.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780887763267 Entry at Tundra Books' site]
* [http://www.collectionscanada.ca/3/7/t7-219-e.html National Library of Canada's entry (along with illustrations)]