Harry the Dirty Dog Board Book

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Gene Zion cunningly disguised one of the great existential questions of our age in this Dirty Harry book. Harry the Dirty Dog has been recognized by the National Education Association as an all-time top-100 children's book. It has also been welcomed by a new generation at home, as Betty White's 2020 reading of the story on StorylineOnline has been viewed more than 8 million times. Graham was born in Toronto, where her father, Malcolm Graham, was a doctor and her mother, Florence (nee Bloy), a nurse. She grew up in Ontario but spent her holidays in Britain with her grandfather or in the US with her aunt, and always felt she had strong links with both countries. Graham studied art history at the University of Toronto and then undertook further studies at New York University. It was wonderful to be home. After dinner, Harry fell asleep in his favorite place, happily dreaming of how much fun it had been getting dirty. He slept so soundly, he didn't even feel the scrubbing brush he'd hidden under his pillow. Graham won a Caldecott Honor (a runner up to the top Caldecott Medal prize for American picture books) for her first two kids books: “All Falling Down,” words by Zion, in 1951, and “The Storm Book,” words by Charlotte Zolotow, in 1952. “The Summer Snowman” is typical of the wit and invention of Graham and Zion’s collaborations.

I read this book soooooo many times as a kid. Partly I was just obsessed with dogs (okay, I still kind of am). But also, this story is just really, really cute! I reread it for the first time since childhood yesterday and yep, I still think it's great. I think maybe I could identify with Harry having to wear something he didn't like (although for the most part my parents let me dress myself, which, let me tell you, was brave of them), and it's nice that in the end Harry gets his way without hurting anyone's feelings.New York apartment life, however, had Graham turn to cats (which turn up as lead characters in her 1987 book “What If?,” words by Else Holmelund Minarik). “She usually had Abyssinian cats,” Hagen says. “Except for the last one, which was a big white cat that someone had given her.” "Dear Garbage Man," illustrations by Margaret Bloy Graham, words by Gene Zion, 1957. (Courtesy)

In 1987, a live action short film based on the book was produced and released. It was directed by Peter Matulavich and written by Gene Zion and Matulavich. In nearly all of her books, Graham drew the pictures while a collaborator authored the words. This book stands out because she wrote and illustrated it all herself, after separating from Zion in the 1960s and moving to Cambridge. At first, she stayed here with friends Margret and Hans Rey, creators of the “Curious George” books. “She spent the summer with them while she was looking for a place of her own,” Hagen says. Graham would marry—and divorce—a second time, but continued to live and draw here. There can be no better education for a child. Or adult. I commend it to your attention. And to the ages. big dogs were playing with 1 little dog. How many dogs were playing together? Draw a picture and write a number sentence with a number bond to match.The focus in “Dear Garbage Man” on recycling might be seen as pioneering, but in this particular case it doesn’t end well. The neighborhood’s interest in reuse is short-lived—and they end up using the junk to “fill in swampland.” "The Plant Sitter," illustrations by Margaret Bloy Graham, words by Gene Zion, 1959. (Courtesy) First published in 1956, this beloved classic is a collaboration between Gene Zion and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Margaret Bloy Graham. The artist has added splashes of color to the cheerful scenes for this welcome new edition. She always had dogs growing up. She loved pets. And she was very generous with the Animal Rescue,” Hagen says. “She invented [Harry] from two of her favorite dogs. She kind of put them together.”