| Dogger | |
| Author: | Shirley Hughes |
| Illustrator: | Shirley Hughes |
| Cover Artist: | Hughes |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | Children's picture book |
| Publisher: | Bodley Head |
| Pub Date: | 1977 |
| Pages: | 32 pp |
| Isbn: | 978-0-370-30006-1 |
| Oclc: | 4034917 |
| Congress: | PZ7.H87395 Do[1] PZ7.H87395 Dav 1978[2] |
Dogger is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes, published by The Bodley Head in 1977.
It features a boy and his stuffed dog, who is lost, showing "the distress the loss of a toy causes a child". The boy's sister has an opportunity to earn Dogger back.
Prentice-Hall published the first U.S. edition in 1978 under the title David and Dog.[2]
Dogger has received positive reviews. Kirkus Reviews found that "The loss and retrieval of a favorite toy animal is agreeably handled" and "Pleasant, if unoriginal—as usual, Hughes' rumpled tots and general clutter make you feel instantly at home."[3] while The Guardian called it "the perfect children's story—there is conflict then resolution."[4] and BookTrust found it "heart-warming ... that will especially appeal to any youngsters who have a special favourite toy."[5] Zena Sutherland, writing in The Best in Children's Books. found "A touching story comes from England, but it has qualities that should make it universally appealing" and concluded "Familiar concepts, a plot nicely gauged for small children's interest and comprehension, and a credible happy ending should satisfy listeners, while the beautifully detailed paintings ... should engage both readers-aloud and their audiences."[6]
The librarians recommend the book for "young readers" and for ages 4+.
Hughes won the 1977 Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject. For the 50th anniversary of the Medal (1955–2005), a panel of experts named Dogger one of the top ten winning works, which composed the ballot for a public election of the nation's favourite.Dogger won the public vote and thus it was named the all-time "Greenaway of Greenaways" on 21 June 2007.(The public voted on the panel's shortlist of ten, selected from the 53 winning works 1955 to 2005. Hughes and Dogger polled 26% of the vote to 25% for its successor, the 1978 medalist Janet Ahlberg and Each Peach Pear Plum.)