No Dogs Allowed!

my kids, almost 5 and 6 1/2 like this story because they enjoy hearing about the relationships of the people in this family. this is what i would consider a large family and our family is 2 adults and 2 kids, so they are amused at the workings of this larger family and how they cope and deal with eachother.

I LOVED this book before I knew who wrote it. It is very cleverly written, with humorous touches for both adults and children. Sonia Manzano writes the way a girl of 6 or 7 would think. We love all the wonderful characters and the way they are described and depicted. Jon J. Muth's pictures are the perfect compliment. I have admired so much of his other work. Whatever editor decided to pair these two together is a genius! Every parent who I tell about this book or show it to also enjoys it. Although the reading age is listed as 4-8, my 2.5-year-old LOVES this book--it is one of her favorites as well as a favorite of my husband and me. Other parents who read with their kids often will agree that sometimes, no matter how great the book, you just get tired of it ("You want to read this one AGAIN?!?!")--that has not happened yet with _No Dogs Allowed_. And yes, I am a big fan of Manzano's Sesame Street work. I was in the first generation of kids to grow up with Sesame Street and loved it from the start. Sesame Street gave me friends for life. In college I watched Maria and Luis get married, and later give birth to their daughter. (I should add that many of my fellow college students watched also.) But this book stands separate from Sesame Street--it does not need a Sesame Street connection to be the superb children's literature it is. I encourage all readers to go find out for yourselves how wonderful a treat this book is--Enjoy!

Bear with me here. When I was three-years-old I enjoyed listening to showtunes. "Annie", "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Peter Pan", that sort of thing. One day, I was planted firmly on the carpet listening to a cast recording of "Godspell". According to my mother (who has far clearer memories of this event than I do) I apparently I tried to draw her attention to the fact that Maria from Sesame Street was singing a song. Mom patiently attempted to explain to me that I wasn't listening to my Sesame Street record. I was listening to "Godspell". As it happens, I was right. Sure enough, Sonia Manzano can be heard putting on some mighty slinky moves in that crowd pleaser of a song, "Turn Back Oh Man". My point here is that even from a very young age I could pick out Sonia Manzano's voice in unfamiliar places. And now, at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, I am delighted to point her out yet again in the unfamiliar world of picture book publishing. To be honest, Ms. Manzano's first children's book, "No Dogs Allowed" is not the most interesting book of its kind. It would not read aloud well to large groups of kids nor will all children find it interesting. That said, I'm (as you might be able to tell) heavily biased towards Ms. Manzano and she could probably blindfold herself and randomly slap keys on a keyboard and I'd declare the result brilliant. Even though I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this book to every person in the world, I do recommend it to you. Because it's by Maria, and I love her very much. Iris has, what you might call, a large extended family. Her immediate family consists of her Papi the Clever, Mami the Busy, sister Shorty the Fortune-teller (being a teenager Shorty tells the future by rolling her eyes and saying, "I told you so" after the fact), and El Exigente the perpetually sleeping dog. There's also cousin Carmen the beautiful, Marta the Smart, Tuta and Juan the newly married couple, Don Joe the Grocer, and a pack of Wise Old People who play a game of dominoes, ("they started one hundred years ago when they were young in Puerto Rico"). Whew! Got everybody? Good, because everybody's going to the beach. Bringing along their various accoutrements, the caravan of cars proceeds to go to the lake in the Enchanted State Park. After various mishaps and breakdowns everyone makes it BUT there's a problem. A "No Dogs Allowed" on the beach problem. No one can figure out what to do, but while they're thinking they decides to relax on the sand and take turns watching El Exigente in the parking lot. By the end of the day, "we never DID figure out what to do", but it hardly matters anymore. Everyone had a good time and it's back home they go after a long and eventful day. The story is cute, very New York, and seems by the clothing and the cars to take place in the early to mid-nineteen sixties. Manzano keeps the action clipping along and puts in enough gentle jokes and family connections to appeal to grown-up readers.

Sonia Manzano makes magic out of the un-urbane urban life in "No Dogs Allowed." She brings her years of experience enchanting ordinary city living straight from Sesame Street, where she has won 15 Emmys as a staff writer and played the role of Maria for over 30 years.In her first attempt at children's literature, Manzano continues to represent Latinas as strong, creative individuals with her main character, Iris. But the story line also gives Manzano the opportunity to study many of the other diverse characters that fill Iris' life.Recounted in the first person by Iris, the tale, at times, compels the reader to sing, "These are the people in her neighborhood, in her neighborhood..." Well, at least for this reader.The plot is simple: Iris' extended family, along with a dozen of their closest friends, and the grocer, head to the beach at Enchanted Lake for a picnic.But, along the way, they encounter logistical complications. They get lost and cars break down. Luckily, the caravan brings a copious supply of food, books, and love to keep them occupied on their long journey. Iris entertains herself by playing with her dog, El Exigente.Although spirits remain undamped by the challenges the group gallantly engages, a single sign casts a dark cloud over what should have been a picture-perfect picnic: "NO DOGS ALLOWED."Not to worry. Teamwork and a little ingenuity save the day and a good time is had by all, including the dog, the one being read to and the reader.Manzano's characters - while oversimplified conventions with names like Mami the Busy and Carmen the Beautiful - are familiar and full of life. The illustrations by Jon Muth capture the chaos and beauty of family outings, exaggerating the discord of it all. A fine balance is created by his strong, distinct pen and soft water colors. At times his work, the penultimate depiction showing a panoramic view of a sunset, for example, is surprisingly poignant and hauntingly beautiful.Animated, vigorous, and fun, "No Dogs Allowed" is a comforting story set in a mixed up world, appropriate for these uncertain times.