Hey, Boy

by Benjamin Strouse, Jennifer Phelan (Illustrator)

Overview

A New York Times Notable Children’s Book

In the classic style of The Giving Tree comes a touching debut picture book about the unfaltering love between a boy and his pet.

One day a boy finds a dog. He takes him home, already dreaming of the adventures they will have and the games they will play.

But when the boy gets hurt, he and his new best friend are separated. Will the boy be able to grow up quickly enough to get his furry companion back, or will life keep getting in the way?

With dreamily spare text and sweeping yet simple illustrations, Hey, Boy is a reminder that true friends always find their way home to each other.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481471015
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	05/02/2017
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Benjamin Strouse, who grew up in New York City, found his first dog, Ralph, in Anchorage, Alaska. Benjamin has worked as a lawyer, producer, and musical theater composer, and lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, where he takes his current dog, Phil, his wife, and twin boys on as many adventures as possible. For more about Ben visit BenjaminStrouse.com.

Jennifer Phelan is an acclaimed illustrator with published works in American Illustration and 3x3. Her first children’s book, Hey, Boy was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2017. She lives in Toronto. Learn more at J-Phelan.com.

Editorial Reviews

Aesthetically, the book feels retro yet fresh, with a canvas-textured cover, letterpress-inspired type and block-print-style illustrations. Like a new old friend, it's sure to be a book worth revisiting.

The New York Times Book Review - Tom Lichtenheld

"A bittersweet story of love and loss, reconciliation and aging."

April 1, 2017 - Booklist

"The messages of patience, love, and loyalty continue to the end....Like a new old friend, it's sure to be a book worth revisiting."

June 18, 2017 - New York Times Book Review

"A bittersweet story of love and loss, reconciliation and aging."

April 1, 2017 - Booklist

06/01/2017
PreS-Gr 2—A true bond will last even when individuals are separated for long periods of time. Such is the case with the unnamed boy and dog in this touching picture book. When the boy adopts the pup, they dream of all the adventures they will have together. Sadly, an accident prevents this, and the boy has to give up the dog until he has "grown up." He stays in touch with his friend's adoptive owners and visits when he can. Time passes, then more, and just when readers think there is no hope, the boy and the dog's dreams come true. Strouse's plainspoken narrative will choke readers up a bit as the boy matures and the dog grows older. Any reader who has had a pet will reflect on the time that they have lost. That being said, neither character dwells on what could have been, so the ending has an air of contentment. In conjunction with the text, the infographic-like designs are quite poignant; children's hearts will ache to see the little black puppy staring forlornly from behind bars. Most pages feature little other than the characters and a few objects on a white background. However, for emotional beats, color and background expand to fill the page in order to better influence the tone. VERDICT Readers will find a fair amount of emotional depth in this story about the bond between man and dog. Probably best shared one-on-one, with a box of tissues nearby.—Rachel Forbes, Oakville Public Library, Ont.

School Library Journal

★ 2017-03-06
A boy meets a dog, and together they embark on a friendship that endures separation, age, and reunion. Once there was a boy who loved a dog. Under star-filled skies he would tell the dog of "the adventures they would have and the games they would play." When his mother proclaims he's not old enough to care for the animal, the heartbroken, white child determinedly tries to grow up, but he's not fast enough. His dog is adopted, and while kind new owners allow him to visit, he never stops dreaming of a future with his pal. As time passes, his visits become less frequent and life more complex, until one day he's grown. When the owners can no longer care for the dog, the boy (now an adult) finally brings the black dog home. Strouse and Phelan perfectly complement each other in this meditation on the passage of time. Deceivingly simple text and illustrations belie the complex themes and artistic skill of its creators. In pacing and use of negative white space, the two channel Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. However, this existential work is more Zen-like. Phelan's smartly designed spreads take readers on a visual journey from cover to end pages, and as the adult boy tells his old friend once more about the adventures they will have, his dreams unfold like the wind. Luminous. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews