Black Dog

Written and illustrated by Levi Pinfold

A family cowers from a growing black dog, but a brave child confronts it.

5.4/7 Bookroo experts·4.1/5 Goodreads · 2,186 ratings

32 pages· AD600L

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

When a mysterious black dog looms outside the Hope family home, fear grips everyone, making the creature seem larger and more menacing. Yet, Small, the youngest, dares to face the beast. Can her courage reveal the truth behind the fearsome apparition and break its spell? Discover how bravery can transform perception in this enchanting tale.

From the publisher

In a modern fairy tale about the power of fear and how it distorts our view of the world, the Black Dog that appears outside the Hope family’s home seems to grow larger and larger as each frightened member of the Hope family sees it, but the youngest member of the household is not afraid and is able to break the spell.

Awards

Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor (2013)Kate Greenaway Medal (2013)

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Reading age: 4–8
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD600L

Themes & topics

Books about problem solving Books about dogs Books about family Books about family life Books about feelings and emotions

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.4

out of 7

6.5

“Beautiful illustrations, well-crafted story, and just a little bit of magic: what more could you want? Although I was initially worried by the amount of text on each page, I didn't need to be--the story was engaging enough for my toddler to pay close attention all the way through. Understated gems of parallelism or silly exaggeration throughout the text make it a delight to read.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

The author & illustrator