Widget: A Picture Book

I was working the reference desk one evening in my local branch library. It was time to make my rounds to pick up stray books to reshelve. I found "Widget," more than a stray book, a stray dog. I took it to the counter to look at it (always on the prowl for children's books to use in my day job as a children's librarian). After the first few pages I started howling aloud with laughter. A co-worker came over to investigate. She, too, started howling because I turned back to the front and we read it together. We laughed until tears rolled and bellies hurt. (This is a working library where people are allowed to talk quietly; our noise did not disturb.)I checked out the book and took it next day and read it to first and third grades, my classes for the day. I continued that week until I had read it to grades K-5. They all loved it. One class even wanted me to read it again and I did.What is so funny? So delightful? Widget is a little stray, a Westie another reviewer said, who finds a cat door one cold evening, wanders in, finds six bowls of food, and six beds on the floor. The lady of the house, Mrs. Diggs feels sorry for the little dog and says he could stay except for the six cats who would be unhappy with a dog. He says, "Meow." The six girls puff up. Widget puffs up. The girls hiss and spit. Widget hisses and spits. If you are a cat person, you can imagine this cat behavior and a dog imitating it. And you can imagine the hilarity of seeing the fabulous illustrations that go with these behaviors. Mr. McFarland obviously knows cats to get these behaviors so perfectly. And their faces! Each cat has a different personality!Other reviewers covered the rest of the story. What I want to share is the joy and recognition of cat behavior, great artwork, a clever story, and the moral of adaptive behavior and true personality. I told my library children that this is one of my new favorite books. After our copy came in, it stays checked out, with children asking for it. It is one of their new favorites, too.

Fun read for dogs and cat lovers, children and the adults who love reading to them!

I was an elementary librarian for 26 years. This is one of my favorite books to read to children. Widget makes you fall in love with him and his friends. It doesn't matter if you are a cat or dog. I have a new great grandson and guess what book he received for Christmas? I have just found out after all these years there is a sequel to Widget, but at the price of $32.00 how many school libraries or families will be able to read this one. Now I know that I am getting on my soap box, but all we hear is that we should be reading to our children before they are even born (and you know that I totally believe in that). How can young families afford books? We need to do something about this problem. I know I will buy this book for myself and I will share with all my little friends at the school that I volunteer at (2-3 days aweek). At least I will know that they are getting great literature.

This is a sweet story about a stray dog that finds a new home with 6 colorful cats and their owner. I initially borrowed this book from our library and our one and a half year old asked to read it several times a day until we had to return it. It took a long time for Amazon to finally ship this book, but I'm glad we didn't cancel the order. The illustrations are simple, as is the text, but the story - about the little dog who has no home and no food, and who finds a way to fit in with 6 suspicious cats, but also remembers that it's sometimes good to be different, and who saves the day in the end - is a great one. I would recommend this book to children ages 1+.

My class absolutely loved this book!

One of our all time favorite kids books! Great for all ages :) we have shared this book with all our family and friends over the years. It’s a great gift!

I checked this book out of the public library and my 4- and 6-year old boys and I loved it so much we bought it. The story is fun, but the illustrations truly bring the narrative to life. I later went back to Amazon to find more Widget books and found a used copy of Widget & the Puppy. I read it for the first time last night and the exact same thing happened as when we read this one: my two sons and I (now all a year older) burst into the kind of laughter that becomes contagious. We giggled and laughed through the entire thing and then read it again.

This is the cutest book ever! Great for late 1st graders or early 2nd graders!