THE TALE OF WAGMORE GENTLY

Wagmore Gently is the spotted, long-tailed pet of the Gently family in this original tall tale from Ashman (Can You Make a Piggy Giggle?, p. 560, etc.). Anyone with a big dog knows that wagging tails can cause trouble in crowded homes, but the exaggerated antics of Wagmore’s tail cause extraordinary trouble, such as cracks in walls and suspicion of earthquakes, as well as the more usual overturned plants and broken lamps. Wagmore solves his own problem by reading some self-help books (Taming the Wolf Within is one of the titles) and learning to control his tail by controlling his thoughts. When young Jack Gently loses his way on a camping trip, Wagmore saves the day (and his young owner) by causing a geyser that enables a helicopter pilot to locate the lost boy and dog. Bendall-Brunello’s (Fox and Fluff, p. 1125, etc.) exuberant watercolor illustrations bring Wagmore to life, creatively showing Wagmore’s wacky tail in action. Lots of speech and thought balloons and the offbeat idea of a dog trying to control his own thoughts might make this offering a little hard to follow for some children, but others (especially those who march to a different drummer themselves) will find Wagmore a charming, gentle hero. (Picture book. 5-8)