Zak: The One-of-a-Kind Dog - Hardcover

PreSchool-Grade 2?The black-and-white photographs of Lidz's One of a Kind (A&W Publishers, 1982; o.p.) have been hand colored for this re-publication, and though readers may find the yellowish skin tones?not to mention the pastel gravel?unnerving, this well-socialized canine's search for identity is still as, well, fetching as ever. Asked "What kind of dog are you?" Zak sets out to find the answer, speculating about his ancestors (he's a mixed breed), posing with children and other dogs, deciding at last that since he's a real dog with real feelings, "There's no one else just like me." The lesson is presented lightly, with a word, a phrase, or a few short sentences beneath each photo to provide verbal links. Though the coloring gives these illustrations an artificial cast, Zak is seen only in natural poses and settings?unlike William Wegman's dogs?and his outgoing personality, shining up from every page, will win over this generation of children as easily as it did the last.?John Peters, New York Public Library
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Zak is a dog of uncertain lineage, wire-coated and curly- tailed, with floppy ears. When he is asked, ``What kind of dog are you?'' he doesn't know. Rather than wondering whether he's descended from terriers or poodles, he considers whether his ancestors may have been judges or pirates, city slickers or farmers. In the end he concludes that he's a one-of-a-kind dog, and a pretty special one at that. With an anthropomorphized and multicultural message, the text is somewhat reminiscent of overly earnest curricula designed to build self-esteem; fortunately, it's leavened by the considerable humor in the hand-colored photographs. Zak appears noble, curious, bewildered, and blissful; he seems to smile, and in one shot, he laughs outright. He'll be a winner with dog-lovers. (Picture book. 6-10) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.