Stay, Benson! Book Review

Book Review
Stay, Benson!
By Thereza Rowe
Expected publication date: February 19, 2019

Why we chose this book:
Loved the cover art, and when I saw what a funny story it would be and that it would teach sequencing, I thought, "What an awesome combo!" Thames and Hudson provided a review copy.

Mom's Review

Although the dog Benson is commanded to "Stay!" he escapes and goes on a playing spree.

Stay, Benson! is filled with fun. From the colorful, bold images and die-cut pages, to the silliness in addressing a dog, to the mischief Benson gets into, Stay, Benson! had T giggling and grinning the whole way through.

At the start, Flick tells her dog, "Stay, Benson," as she leaves for school. Benson immediately sneaks out, assuring the questing narrator that Flick said, "Play, Benson." Romping through the neighborhood, the audience can peek through the cutouts to subsequent events. As I mentioned, this is a silly book. But it is also a lesson in sequence of events and cause and effect. And also a bit of a lesson on miscommunication; Benson heard "play," but Flick said "stay." Or maybe intentional mishearing? Lots to talk about with Stay, Benson! And loads of laughs!

This is probably one of the most fun books we've read all month!

Update:
Tonight before bedtime, we were on FaceTime with T's Grammy. Midway through the conversation, he said, "Grammy, I've got to show you something." He got this book, told her the title and proceeded to show each page very carefully, saying (possibly too quietly for her to hear), "And then this happens, and then this..." He took her very deliberately through the entire book.  I knew he enjoyed it, but I hadn't realized how important it was to him.

Son's Review
(Age: almost, almost 4)

T's favorite page

Son: Did you like the door thingy? It's my favorite page. And I like that [the squirrel].

Mom: Yes, I did like the door thingy. And I liked your big smiles. What did you think was the best part of the book?

Son, opening the door: This part!

Mom: What did you think about Benson? Why?

Son: That he was a good dog. Because he left the house.

Mom: But didn't Flick tell him to stay?

Son: No, Flick told him to play.

Mom: Let's go back...Uh oh. Does that change your opinion of Benson?

Son, giggling: No! [He's] a good dog. He chased!

Mom: But he does everything he's told not to! Do you think Flick knows he does all those things?

Son: No.

Mom: Do you think Benson really thought Flick said, "Play!" or do you think he was really ignoring the direction to "Stay!"

Son: I think he was really ignoring the direction.

Mom: How did this story make you feel as we were reading? I saw a big smile on your face.

Son: I thought that (the smile) about the dog. Happy.

Mom: What part made you happiest?

Son, flipping the dog page back and forth: This part! I like flipping the dog.

Mom: If you could meet Flick, what would you say to her?

Son: I would say, "Hey! Lock the door, Flick!"

Mom: She would probably ask, "Why?"

Son: So the dog doesn't run out!

Mom: Would you want to play with that doggie? What would you play?

Son: Yeah!!! I would play hide-and-seek.

More about Thereza Rowe:

From Thames and Hudson:
"Thereza Rowe is a Brazilian illustrator and designer based in London. She is the author of four books for children: In the Woods, Mister Pip, Hearts, and Sticker, Shape, Create: A Sticker Art Activity Book." https://www.thamesandhudsonusa.com/books/stay-benson-hardcover

Here's a link to the author's website:
http://therezarowe.com/about