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 Once upon a time, a
man named Barack Obama ran for president of the United States
and he won! On the night of his victory, he made a very important
announcement: When he and his family were settled in their new
home in Washington, D.C., his daughters would get . . . A PUPPY!
On a farm in Texas, a puppy had been born. One of ten brothers
and sisters, this puppy was lively and smart, but he needed a
new home.
From a Texas farm to the White House, this is the real story
of Bo - The First Pup!
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From best-selling
New Yorker cover to children's picture book. Learn how Bob
Staake 'The First Pup' came to be
Story here
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Praise For
'The First Pup'
This stylish,
jazzy introduction to both the First Family and their new dog
provides an entertaining and simple-to-understand look at the
current residents of the White House. Although the story focuses
on the Obama family's acquisition of a puppy, with the assistance
of Senator Ted Kennedy, the bare-bones basics of the presidential
election, famous landmarks in Washington, D.C., and life at the
White House are also conveyed. Staake employs both traditional
and digital methods to create his stylized illustrations, using
exaggerated shapes and proportions such as an extra-long limousine
and impossibly short diplomats. This style adds movement and
flair to his work, though sometimes the Obama daughters appear
as short as preschoolers and other times at their correct height.
The elements of the dog's arrival at the White House have been
slightly altered, as the dog arrives in his own limousine to
great fanfare and extensive news coverage, but this somewhat
embellished retelling matches the exuberant nature of the appealing
art. The spring of 2009 saw a host of First Dog books; this more
mature work should win the vote. (Picture book. 4-7)
"Staake
chronicles President Obama's 2008 victory speech and the ensuing
media blitz surrounding the new puppy promised that night to
his daughters . . . . one of the best versions of the tale so
far."
About The
Author
BOB STAAKE
is a freelance illustrator who has worked on everything from
greeting cards to magazine covers, most notably Reflection,
the most popular cover in The New Yorker's history. He
has also written and/or illustrated over 49 children's books,
including This Is Not a Pumpkin, The Donut Chef
and The Red Lemon. His website can be found at BobStaake.com
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