After initially reading Madlenka’s Dog, I had very mixed feelings about it. The first time I read through it, the overall message was unclear and the plot was confusing. After reading through it a couple times, I grew to really enjoy the artwork and the progression of the plot. The author’s writing style was simplistic, which makes it an easy read for younger readers. The whole premise of the book is based upon the fact that Madlenka really wants to own a dog but her parents refuse, so she decides to make use of her imagination. She leaves her house with her imaginary dog and walks it around her neighborhood, introducing it to many different people. Each person she encountered had different interpretations of her dog based upon their own ideal pup. This was done in a unique way, with interactive flaps which were displayed on each person she spoke to that the reader had to open. For instance, she met a French baker named Mr. Gaston who was illustrated holding a baking sheet full of croissants. Madlenka said “Hello, Mr. Gaston. I have a new dog!” and he responded “Bonjour, Madeleine. I once had a dog. Hello, dog.” The reader now had to lift the flap to reveal Mr. Gaston’s interpretation of Madlenka’s dog.
The illustrations are colored in a way where it makes sense as you progress through the book to discover the overall message. Madlenka is displayed in full-color, while her surroundings are illustrated in minimal color with hues such as black, grey, and white. Throughout meeting all of the people on the city streets, when the reader lifts up the interactive flap of each person’s interpretation of the dog, it is displayed in full color to represent that person using their imagination. For example, at one point she meets a produce seller named Mr. Eduardo (illustrated in black and white) who claims that her dog is “big and woolly”, revealing a flap of a fully-colored bear-like dog.
During her walk, she meets a young girl named Cleopatra who has an imaginary horse. In the pages that follow, both Madlenka and Cleopatra play together in the courtyard with their pretend pets. The illustrations on these pages were in full color, with circle cutouts for both of their faces which makes it a perfect read for younger readers. As I reread this book, these pages reinforced the idea that the illustrator’s choice of when to use color could represent when a person uses their imagination. My favorite part of this book is when Madlenka is called back home and she is illustrated with all of the neighbors imaginary dogs following behind her, reinforcing the big idea that encourages readers to use and appreciate their imagination. I think this is an extremely important theme to expose to children, considering that we live in a generation where kids are handed iPhones and technology at such a young age that dulls their creative minds. It pushes readers to broaden their perspective on ways in which they can have fun, emphasizing the importance of using their imagination to do so. Overall, this is a really good read that I would recommend for all ages. ( )

Madlenka's Dog follows Madlenka on an afternoon adventure inside her imagination. She wishes to have a dog but does not have one. So instead she plays pretend. As she travels about her city she talks to many others who dream of their own imaginary dogs that she "collects" along the way. Overall this story encourages imagination in a student. When Madlenka and her friend Cleopatra meet up they hang out in the courtyard traveling to a fantasy land of unicorns and kings and queens, an Egyptian desert, and a winter wonder land untill they are called home. In this generations and years to come children are lacking a creative mind. Everything is made for them, vividly and life like to the point that they have to imagine nothing. This book encourages the simplicity and fun that an imagination can deliver for a child. ( )

Peter Sis's illustrations make this book one children will want to read again and again. As the little girl walks her invisible dog, there are flip tabs to show the reader all the different kinds of dogs the people Madlenka meets once had in their lives or wished they had. I love the part when she meets her friend who has an invisible horse, and they pretend they are having wonderful adventures with their pets. (these pages are in color with cut out holes for the children's faces). The structure of the book invites children to use their imagination. ( )

This was a beautiful and imaginative tale about a young girl Madlenka who desperately wants to own a dog. She has a imaginary dog that she takes all over the city and by the time she returns home she has several neighborhood dogs following her and her imaginary dog. I loved this book because it recognizes the importance and power of one's imagination. I also loved this book because of its interactive nature as the pages had flaps to open. Children will be able to relate to this book for several reasons. Some children will be able to relate to living in an apartment and some will be able to relate to the strong desire of owning a dog. ( )

The follow-up to what was one of my favourite pictures books of 2011 is a lot of fun. Madlenka's parents refuse her the dog she longs for, so she makes use of the powers of imagination and goes walking her make-believe dog around the block. Is it make-believe though? Each person Madlenka and her dog encounter shows her and the viewer the first dog they had as a child. Gorgeous illustrations of course, here there were flaps on every page that revealed the dogs, and a central part where Madlenka and her friend Cleopatra take a trip through time with their imaginary friends. Beautiful good fun. ( )