When a white dog with black spots runs away from home, he gets so dirty his family doesn't recognize him as a black dog with white spots.

Month of January 2022: Young Reader’s Classics

Originally published in 1956.
READING LEVEL: 3.1 AR POINTS: 0.5

This is a book me and my two sisters had as children, about 1969 or 70, when I was learning to read…not sure if they ever read it. I remember reading it many times…practicing. I had totally forgotten about it until reading through a few of my cousin’s children’s books today.

I read it today, free on Internet Archive, link:

https://archive.org/details/harrydirtydog0000zion_i7q0 ( )

Cute little picture book in which a white dog with black spots who does not want a bath escapes for some very dirty adventures that result in him looking like a black dog with white spots. He's so dirty that his family doesn't recognize him! Finally, he brings them a scrub brush for a proper bath, they realize he's their dog, and they're all happily together again.

The book's a little dated--kids aren't going to know what a coal chute is and we don't have coal dust-spewing trains anymore. Still, a few props to the author for having a white dog with black spots becoming a black dog with white spots; it doesn't totally avoid the association of black with dirt and wrong, and white with clean and right, but at least it's not a total black-and-white situation (pun totally intended). ( )

Lovely and perfect encouragement for a kid who needs a bath

A great length for an evening story, with cute, impressively detailed illustrations and a pleasant story. Afterwards my kid was much more excited about taking a bath. ( )

This is cute, and my kid loves it, but what's wrong with this family that they can't recognize their own darn dog because it's got some dirt on it? ( )