Synopsis: When Maris discovers that her dog Rambler is 100 dog-years old, she knows the only way to celebrate such an important event is by throwing a big birthday bash! Dressed in their favorite dog clothes, her friends in the neighborhood arrive to play fun games and eat delicious food. Everyone is having lots of fun until they notice that the guest of honor is missing! Where has Rambler gone? Lee Wardlaw's delightful story of a good dog and the child who loves him is sure to warm the heart and bring a smile to any dog lover's face. Whimsical pastel drawings by Arden Johnson-Petrov brighten the pages of this lighthearted book.
Reviews: “ . . . the hilarious story includes a host of children's favorite dog puns and Johnson-Petrov's bold illustrations work wonderfully with the humorous text to make the book a fun-filled romp through an unusual birthday party.” – Booklist “In page-filling pastels, Johnson-Petrov creates a lighthearted contrast between Maris, with her dramatic gestures and flyaway red hair, and Rambler, stiffly moving on aging bones from one nap to the next . . . the warmth between child and dog will make readers smile.” – Kirkus “What makes this title so doggone fun are the interactions among the children, each of whom possesses a unique personality quirk . . . Johnson-Petrov's energetic, roll-and-tumble renderings vigorously reflect the kids' happy enthusiasm, from bone-shaped invitations to Rambler's quiet nap in Maris's closet. Wardlaw's text is succinct and funny, and it could easily inspire a pet party program of your own.” – Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “ . . . a wonderful book to help young children realize that when people become older and slow down, they shouldn’t be ignored or disdained . . . [the story demonstrates] in a thoughtful way how we can stills how our appreciation for the older persons in our lives.” “ . . . ages 5-8 will relish this story . . . a whimsical account Awards: State Library of Louisiana, Highly Recommended Picture Book
The Tale Behind the Tail “A couple of years ago, I received an invitation to a birthday party . . . for a dog. The invitation read: Woof-Woof! Rambler invites you to help him celebrate 100 dog years. Saturday at four o'clock. Party given by faithful servant, Janet. Make no bones about it: I’m a bona fide, card-carrying cat person. So I thought a 100th birthday party for a dog was a silly idea. Still, faithful-servant Janet is a good friend of mine. And I knew from experience that she'd probably hound me till I said Yes. So I put on a pair of dog bone earrings, wrapped a gift for the birthday pooch, and went to the party. It was a howling success! While Rambler, the dog-eared guest of honor, lay snoozing under a shady tree, the rest of us ate hot ogs, admired each other’s leashes and spiked collars, and held an ear-splitting Barking Competition. (I won, and was awarded a box of chocolate-covered dog bones.) Sometime during a game of Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Dog, Janet noticed that Rambler, true to his name, had rambled. Disappeared. Considering that he was partially deaf, blind and arthritic, this feat was not only amazing but frightening. We immediately formed a search party. After about an hour we found the wayward canine three blocks from home. He'd had enough of the noisy festivities, and was getting his dog-tired bones out of there. Two weeks later, Rambler passed on to that great bowl of kibble in the sky. To pay tribute to the long-lived friendship Rambler and Janet had shared, I wrote Bow-Wow Birthday. I named the characters after my nieces and nephews, and gave each one of them the personality of a guest I remembered from one of my own childhood parties: Jacob the Jokester, Rosie the Biter, and Very Contrary Isaac. Maris, the protagonist, is a lot like me. As I child, I always wanted my birthday parties to be Perfect. Whenever they hit the inevitable bump or two, I often grew bossy or tearful, losing sight of the whole point of a party: to celebrate and enjoy a special day with special friends. Maris stumbles over that same bump. She grows so concerned about running the party smoothly, that she completely forgets the “why” behind the celebration - - until Rambler disappears. Her fear and panic help her to remember how special their friendship is, and why only she knows where to find him. Then, like Rambler curled nose-to-tail, the story comes full circle, with Maris stroking the old dog inside the warmth and cozy quiet of her closet. It gives me enormous pleasure to dedicate Bow-Wow Birthday to my friend Janet with thanks for, nd fond memories of, my first dog party. And, although I’m still a cat person, I secretly hope that somewhere, somehow, Rambler is wagging his tail with happiness.“
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