Why Is Blue Dog Blue?
Ages 4-8. Cajun artist George Rodrigue first painted his distinctive, blueberry-colored pooch in 1984. Since then, Blue Dog has become a pop icon, the subject of several books by the author and many canvasses loved by both celebrities and the story-hour set, the audience for this picture book. Here, Rodrigue answers the title question by explaining that Blue Dog's color depends on what the artist is doing: when Rodrigue goes fishing, he paints the dog a salmon color; when Rodrigue wants a hot dog, he paints the dog mustard yellow, and so on. The text seems mostly a vehicle for introducing colors that belong in an upscale clothing catalogue (alabaster, emerald), and an unsatisfying quasi-cosmic remark finally answers the title question. Despite the problems, young Blue Dog fans will enjoy seeing their favorite pup dressed in different colors, and Rodrigue's liberating reminder that "Artists don't have to paint things the way they really are" may inspire kids to discover new colors and use them creatively.Gillian EngbergCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved