You just have to read this book to understand what is going on in this book. I can summarize that it is about a young boy looking for his dog and all the crazy, wonderful things that happen along the way. This is a “boogie-woogie” journey (according to the publisher description). Alice Faye Duncan and Chris Raschka made Yellow Dog Blues just plan a pleasant book, funny, and terribly charming.
The publisher description also has this: With swinging free verse and stunning hand-stitched art, Yellow Dog Blues is a soulful fable about what happens when the blues grabs you and holds on tight. And this is what I liked about the book. It is fun, it is exciting, it makes you sing, move and groove. And Raschka and I have never been artistic friends, but this time the handstitched art is fantastic. I love how you see the cloth and the images are simple, but really detailed. Even the names of the author and illustrator are stitched. This is clever and very different. This unique twist to traditional art and illustrations will be getting a lot of attention.
This would be a fantastic gift for children and adults who like music. But you do not have to like music, or the blues specifically. This picture book has something for everyone. It would work as a one-on-one read or a group. All ages can appreciate the story and the older group can start to do some reading (with assistance) on their own.
