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ohclaire's review against another edition
5.0
I love kids books with big vocabularies what can I say?
pangnaolin's review
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
It feels so funny to give Dominic a 5 star rating, but it truly is a 5 star read in my heart! He's such a sweet and eloquent main character, and I love how skillfully Steig puts us in the shows of a dog-- loyal to the bone, excitable, adventurous, and in a world full of smells & senses!
I don't think I've ever met such a lovable character. He's got a heart of gold & as he sets out on his whimsical adventures into the unknown, he doesn't abandon it at all. I loved every moment & interaction in this sweet little book, despite the fact that I'm far past the intended age range for Dominic, and it's really made itself a place in my heart.
I was also a bit surprised at just how beautiful the prose was. I usually think of children's literature as being quite simple & even a bit boring, and watching Dominic explore endless little details with incredible precision was such a breath of fresh air.
I've never been one for fairytales, so such an unconventional but classic one like this was a joy to my heart. It might not be the most evolved & intense work of literature you've ever interacted with, but it'll likely leave you feeling warm & fuzzy, and honestly has quite a few things to teach you, too.
I don't think I've ever met such a lovable character. He's got a heart of gold & as he sets out on his whimsical adventures into the unknown, he doesn't abandon it at all. I loved every moment & interaction in this sweet little book, despite the fact that I'm far past the intended age range for Dominic, and it's really made itself a place in my heart.
I was also a bit surprised at just how beautiful the prose was. I usually think of children's literature as being quite simple & even a bit boring, and watching Dominic explore endless little details with incredible precision was such a breath of fresh air.
I've never been one for fairytales, so such an unconventional but classic one like this was a joy to my heart. It might not be the most evolved & intense work of literature you've ever interacted with, but it'll likely leave you feeling warm & fuzzy, and honestly has quite a few things to teach you, too.
ocurtsinger's review
5.0
Everything that William Steig wrote is just the bees knees. Dominic is my new favorite book, and Dominic the dog is one of the most heroic characters I've ever read. Humble servant to his passions, champion of freedom and a simple life, disdaining of wealth, and no reservations about howling at the moon. Three cheers.
johnnymacaroni's review
4.0
This book is very philosophical which I wasn't expecting but really liked. It's about a dog, Dominic, who goes on a journey to explore what's out there in the world and he has so many adventures and encounters so many other interesting characters (including some bad guys). It's about finding yourself and finding love but I think kids would just enjoy the story on the surface level. There is a lot of violence though which may be off putting to some adults but I know lots of kids who would love it ;) (It's good guys vs bad guys).
tasharobinson's review
4.0
I've had this book on my shelf since I was a kid — one of the books I've owned longest. Today I revisited it probably for the first time since I was a teenager. It's a pretty whimsical road-story fable about a dog who abruptly sets out to see the world, and has picaresque adventures involving a nefarious gang and their various victims — a boar they've robbed, a goose they've hung up in a tree with the intention of coming back to eat her later, and so forth. The gang is midway between the fox and cat in Pinocchio, with their transparent deceptions and venal schemes, and the weasel gang in Wind in the Willows. But most of the rest of this book just doesn't feel like anything else.
I was so drawn to this book as a kid because it's so unconventional. Dominic does heroic things, but is embarrassed to be praised as a hero — he just likes excitement. He's kind and patient around people who need him, but eager and impatient around adventure. He sees death up close, and spends stretches of the book in thoughtful contemplation of life, and goes to an elaborately described party, all without any sense of rush. In that sense, this reminded me a bit of E.B. White's children's books, which made time for the kind of contemplation that feels rare in modern adventures.
And yet this book also fascinated me because of its idea of a dog's perspective, which is very scent-based and built around loyalty, making good friends very quickly, and just being open to the world. It was a fun POV to remember. Not really the deathless work of literature I may have imagined that it was when I was 8 years old, but still a unique book, and a standout.
I was so drawn to this book as a kid because it's so unconventional. Dominic does heroic things, but is embarrassed to be praised as a hero — he just likes excitement. He's kind and patient around people who need him, but eager and impatient around adventure. He sees death up close, and spends stretches of the book in thoughtful contemplation of life, and goes to an elaborately described party, all without any sense of rush. In that sense, this reminded me a bit of E.B. White's children's books, which made time for the kind of contemplation that feels rare in modern adventures.
And yet this book also fascinated me because of its idea of a dog's perspective, which is very scent-based and built around loyalty, making good friends very quickly, and just being open to the world. It was a fun POV to remember. Not really the deathless work of literature I may have imagined that it was when I was 8 years old, but still a unique book, and a standout.
lofimichelleeo's review
4.0
Adored the writing along with Steig’s illustrations. The story of an eloquent little dog as he seeks adventure in life and helps others along the way. Sweet and charming.
readingtheend's review
3.0
a dog goes out to seek his fortune!, and he makes all kinds of friends, and acquires a fortune, and goes to a wedding
m4tr1m0ny's review
5.0
Ppl r complaining about this being 2 hard for little kids to understand but I read it when I was like 8 so maybe the problem is U
gohtcheez's review
5.0
beauty, magic, nature, joy, love, kindness, grief, community, friendship, suffering, fear, hope, courage, generosity, etc etc …. THE formative text of my childhood
shighley's review
4.0
I picked up this book because of John Green (sort of). He posed a question on Facebook and Twitter: what is the most underrated book you have read? Author Jonathan Auxier mentioned this book; I had never heard of it.
It's very interesting to read a children's book written over 45 years ago; just seeing how language has changed is fascinating. How many books today would use 'reconnoitered'? I found myself looking up many of the words; are books today "dumbed down?" Dominic's desire for adventure, kindness, and appreciation of nature and others is much to be admired.
It's very interesting to read a children's book written over 45 years ago; just seeing how language has changed is fascinating. How many books today would use 'reconnoitered'? I found myself looking up many of the words; are books today "dumbed down?" Dominic's desire for adventure, kindness, and appreciation of nature and others is much to be admired.