| Title | : | Dominic |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0374418268 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780374418267 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 146 |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 1972 |
| Awards | : | William Allen White Children's Book Award (1975), National Book Award Finalist Children's Books (1973) |
An ALA Notable Book
Dominic Reviews
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My kids have been raised on a steady diet of William Steig; books like Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and Brave Irene have been a regular part of their childhoods.
And, naturally, most of us have been at least a little influenced by Shrek (also Steig's creation).
But, my family didn't know Dominic until I picked it up last month at a library sale.
Dominic is a chapter book for older kids (and apparently their mothers, because I was fully involved in the story and crying by page 33).
Sigh. I miss these children's books of the 1960s and 1970s. . . they're so much rowdier, so much more realistic than the books are now, where everything is sugarcoated and surely we're all immortal, now that God is dead and we all deserve a trophy for sucking at soccer.
Don't get me wrong. . . I do NOT miss the racial stereotypes or visceral racism that I sometimes trip over in these older reads, but I do miss the more realistic openness of. . . yes, you're going to die, and maybe you DO believe in God, and maybe you don't, and sometimes parents make-out (the lucky ones) and it's okay to giggle a bit at a neighbor's wedding, because something's happening that night to the bride and groom that is not in your realm of understanding yet, but your imagination can summon something akin to the Fourth of July.
And Dominic the protagonist (who's a dog, by the way), heads out in this well-written chapter book to explore some of these ideas. He has some mystical moments, like meeting a “witch-alligator” and an enchanted “pygmy elephant,” and he has some regular moments, like comforting a hurt friend and attending a wedding.
But, no matter what he encounters, Dominic submits himself to the ebb and tide of life: “Oh, Life, I am yours. Whatever it is you want of me, I am ready to give.” (Sob)
When a friend dies, he is there with his shovel to bury him:
Then he leaned on the shovel to rest, the wooden handle warm with his work. The moment he stopped being busy, he felt his heart quake. He had to cry. Life was suddenly too sad. And yet it was beautiful. The beauty was dimmed when the sadness welled up. And the beauty would be there again when the sadness went. So the beauty and the sadness belonged together somehow, though they were not the same at all.
When a gang of bad guys will not leave him alone, he finds a way to rationalize his experience:
Fighting the bad ones in the world was a necessary and gratifying experience. Being happy among the good ones was, of course, even more gratifying. But one could not be happy among the good ones unless one fought bad ones. He felt he was serving some important and useful purpose.
This is such a rare children's book, one that fully embraces both the painful mysteries and the joyful messes of life. -
Maybe every five years or so I have flashed back on some book I read when I was a kid which I think I only read once, and the details aren't clear. I just remember it being a melancholy - or straight-up sad even - book about a dog. He had a strange name and carried a bindle stick. Couldn't remember what the book was or anything more than that, though.
A week or two ago I thought, "Man, I should just use AskMetaFilter because this is the kind of thing at which it excels" and
so I did and so the name of the book was revealed to me within minutes. Only a few minutes after that I had it on reserve from the library and then I devoured it over two lunch breaks and here we are.
This is a fantastic book. If I had kids I would read them this book all the time because it's clear that Steig and I agree on many many things. An excess of wealth is a burden. Helping others brings more satisfaction than helping yourself. Your own agency and enjoyment of the world is paramount, assuming you don't hurt anyone to get what you want. You have the power to stop others from hurting people. Some people out there have (religious) views that don't align with yours and that's a normal part of life and their views are no less important or 'right'. All of that sounds really really preachy when I say it condensed in that way but I promise it comes across very organically in the book.
Something that caught my attention this time was that around 30 pages in a character dies. I mean not like "is killed violently" or "passes away off-camera" but straight up is an old old person (okay, old old pig) and who is described as being old, and who says he's going to die soon, and who does eventually do just that. Dominic has no one else to turn to. He just stays with his friend, and then does what he has to do in terms of a burial, and he mourns to himself, and he accepts that this is what life does. I mean, damn. I don't remember a single other kids' book that does this so effectively and without pulling any punches. If this isn't a succinct encapsulation of what it means to deal positively with grief, I don't know what is."Then he leaned on the shovel to rest, the wooden handle warm with his work. The moment he stopped being busy, he felt his heart quake. He had to cry. Life was suddenly too sad. And yet it was beautiful. The beauty was dimmed when the sadness welled up. And the beauty would be there again when the sadness went. So the beauty and the sadness belonged together somehow, though they were not the same at all."
Another thing that struck me as wonderful was that Dominic enjoys everything. He enjoys the smell of the earth and the feel of the wind and helping people and washing dishes and eating wonderful food and the stars and moon above. He is crackling with vitality, and every part of his being is receptive to new things and taking them all in and loving them. This line caught my eye, when he meets a mouse:"They shook paws and Dominic enjoyed the delicacy of Manfred Lyon's touch."
He's straight-up shown as instantly appreciating someone for who they are and how they're different from him without judging or even running any commentary.
One last thing that pleased me greatly was the vocabulary used. This may technically be a kids' book but Steig pulled no punches. In the very second paragraph of the book, Adult Me encountered a word (martial, not followed by 'arts') that Childhood Me would absolutely not have known. I'd say there was a word or phrase like this every page or two. Maybe that's what helped hammer home the idea that Steig really did believe the messages in the writing, because he was clearly writing for writing's sake, for the love of the words and the language and the power therein.
I guess as a kid I was too young to grasp just how simple yet how incredibly difficult it is to do as Dominic does."Finally he was moved to look to the heavens and declare: "Oh, Life, I am yours. Whatever it is you want of me, I am ready to give.""
No wonder this book left me with a lifelong memory of a strange dog and his bittersweet journey. I only wish I had somehow come across it again over the years to re-read and absorb as I grew older. It was still a treat to read today as an adult. -
I can't remember a time when this book wasn't on my shelves. Not sure how old I was when I actually read it for the first time, maybe eight. I thought that this tale of a noble joyous dog on a journey who has adventures involving being kind to strangers while routing a group of baddies (the Doomsday gang) was just great and I reread it lots. It was, consequently, one of the first books I tried reading aloud to my older son who was four at the time, and it was a failure. I was shocked to find it bristling with multi-syllabic words, some of which I had difficulty pronouncing, and ornate sentences. This was not exactly displeasing, but not what one is looking for in a first read aloud with a child dubious about this whole chapter book concept. Almost four years later, I tried again, and this time it worked -- my son was interested enough in the story not to pay too much attention to words like "seneschal" (which spell-check is not recognizing although I typed it exactly as it appears in the book) and sentences like "Now they intended to subtract him from the sum of existence." It's a hard book to rate. I'm pretty sure if I were reading it for the first time now, I would not be that impressed. Dominic is just absurdly perfect, and the Doomsday Gang tediously evil. But I can't quite let go of the childhood impressions, and rereading it as an adult reveals that the ending, which long ago seemed perfectly happy-ever-after is in fact ambiguous and makes one inclined to weep.
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Like the great Robert Lawson, William Steig impacted children's literature as much by his novels as by his picture books. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, Shrek!, Doctor De Soto, and Amos & Boris are only a few of his picture books that touched generations of readers; Abel's Island, The Real Thief, and Dominic were novels that had similar effect. What other children's author surpasses William Steig's advanced vocabulary and treatment of serious themes, trusting that his young readers are capable not only of keeping up, but enjoying the experience? When we meet Dominic, he's preparing to leave home indefinitely for an adventure on the road. There's an exciting, mysterious world out there, and Dominic isn't the kind of dog who's content to be a homebody. He packs his favorite belongings in a bindle on the end of a stick and heads off to greet his destiny.
It isn't long before Dominic meets an old witch-alligator. The piccolo-playing dog declines her offer to tell his fortune; he'd rather be surprised by the future as it comes, but he accepts the witch's advice about which fork in the road to take. A short while later Dominic falls into a pit dug by the Doomsday Gang, a coalition of foxes, weasels, and other vermin that rob and do violence to good-natured animals. They wait overnight for Dominic to fall asleep in the pit so he'll be easier to apprehend, but our hero has a quick mind and quicker paws, and turns the tables on the gang. Proceeding along the trail, Dominic stops at the home of Bartholomew Badger, an elderly pig near the end of his life. Dominic stays a few days to tidy the gentle pig's home and keep him company, but Mr. Badger isn't long for this world. He bequeaths his treasure of jewels and rare metals to Dominic, who tearfully buries his new friend before packing the treasure chests on his back and once more hitting the road. The Doomsday Gang attempts to steal Mr. Badger's fortune, but Dominic fights them off with help from a friend he met earlier. Random acts of kindness are often repaid in ways we couldn't have foreseen.
Dominic hitches a ride on Elijah Hogg, a jackass, but the pack animal tires of lugging the treasure chests, even for premium pay. So does Lemuel Wallaby, a turtle who doesn't move fast enough for Dominic's liking anyway. Our hero will have to carry the chests himself if he wishes to keep Mr. Badger's fortune. Dominic crosses paths with a distraught warthog named Barney Swain, whose life savings was just stolen by the Doomsday Gang. Barney meant to use his money to build a life with his betrothed, but what right does he have to marry her now? Never fear, Dominic has the solution. He gives all of Mr. Badger's treasure to Barney, happy to unload the burden and reverse the damage done by the Doomsday Gang. After parting ways with Barney and accepting an invitation to his wedding, Dominic rescues a goose named Matilda Fox who is caught in a trap set by the Doomsday Gang, and he spends a few entertaining, illuminating evenings with her and her five children. Bandying words with one as passionate about life as Matilda expands one's own worldview.
Along the road, Dominic has further encounters with the Doomsday Gang, who by now are ready for his unique talents and work hard to get the jump on him. Dominic always keeps the upper hand one way or another, and his legend grows as he repeatedly confounds the vermin. Dominic upgraded his old piccolo to a gold one he found among the pieces of Mr. Badger's treasure, and it plays more sweetly than Dominic ever thought he might. The blessings of his brief friendship with Mr. Badger enrich him throughout his journey. Dominic makes the acquaintance of a mouse named Manfred Lyon, a landscape artist of such marvelous ability that his paintings fool even Dominic into thinking they're natural scenery. Dominic suggests the mouse get together with the locals and implement a plan to put the Doomsday Gang in their place, and the results are spectacular. After Dominic awakens a sleepwalking goat named Phineas Matterhorn and comes upon a pygmy elephant from Africa named Mwana Bhomba, he learns the time has arrived for Barney Swain's wedding, and Dominic makes a beeline for the big event beside his two latest companions. There will be a final encounter with the Doomsday Gang, bent on revenge against Dominic for making them a laughingstock, and then our hero will find a fitting end to his wanderings, though he didn't know he desired an end. A life spent searching is bound to meet with small joys, but there is a contentment that can only be found in giving all of yourself to one person, and that is an experience Dominic has yet to try. May this leg of the journey satisfy the yearning of your heart, brave wanderer.
With a light heart and a light bindle Dominic begins his travels, yet both take on weight as he goes along. That can't be avoided when one meets the world on its terms. Dominic leaves Mr. Badger's home hefting huge chests stuffed with jewels, enough that he needn't worry about money ever again, but over time the chests hamper his enjoyment of life. Is material wealth worth being crushed under its weight? Dominic loved life more when he could go wherever he wished without the responsibility of managing substantial financial assets. There is value in money, but it becomes a net negative if we hoard it rather than using those resources to do good. Let money preoccupy you, and the years of your life rapidly slip away, leaving no reward for your financial prudence. The wise view their wealth as a tool, not a spouse. Life is a wild ride that feels at times like more than we can handle, but the highs and lows should be embraced by a true adventurer, painful as some moments are. Dominic feels the melancholy side of life when he buries his friend, Mr. Badger, in the cold ground. "Life was...sad. And yet it was beautiful. The beauty was dimmed when the sadness welled up. And the beauty would be there again when the sadness went. So the beauty and the sadness belonged together somehow, though they were not the same at all." Dominic left his ordinary life in search of adventure, and finds the twists and turns of friendship, adversity, communion with nature, and love. None would doubt that Dominic found what he was looking for, and the same prize is out there for us should we choose to go after it.
William Steig wrote and illustrated numerous award-winning books, but Dominic is special to me because it's the first serious novel I read in school. My teacher in third grade read it aloud to my class, and I never forgot Dominic's story. Kids identify with him because he never grows jaded or bored with life. The earth is an endless progression of wonders, and Dominic looks forward to being dazzled by them all. Would that every one of us pursued life with such exuberance, for we could live ten thousand years and not want it to end. I rate Dominic two and a half stars; the ending isn't fully satisfying, but I nearly rounded to three anyway. This novel is a fine introduction to a favorite author, and I recommend both. -
I think I read this as a kid, or it was read to me. It seemed vaguely familiar. This is a great children's book, and it does the thing that I think all children's literature should do. It doesn't treat kids like they are stupid, it talks to them as if they were adults and can handle things like life and death, and it uses words and sentence structures that are challenging. A kid reading this book would have to think about sentences and figure out some words from their contexts. I love that the author says things like "dominic was a subtle chef" meaning a good one, or "excruciating joy" meaning great joy. Yes, kids will have a difficult time with this, at least at first. But I really don't see the point of placating kids with only stories that are clear and easy to understand. I think this leads directly to high school students (like the ones I tutor) who are incapable of seeing past the most superficial reading of a passage. Subtle shifts in tone and intent are lost on those kids, to them reading is basic and straightforward, and excruciating has one possible use, and that's that. They don't read anything with a critical eye. They should learn as early as possible that authors manipulate language to make points. The illustrations in this are wonderful too. And I love that Dominic acts like a dog would. He is always eager and cheerful and has a lot of restless energy. He doesn't always approach things like a person.
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Interesting book. A dog named Dominic (spelled wrong, but you still might see why this book appealed to me) decides he needs adventure so sets out to explore the world. He has a series of loosely-linked adventures, including several encounters with the Doomsday Gang, a band of ruffians he ultimately manages to defeat, when all of nature turns against them. He has several amusing encounters with odd animals, finds treasure, generally proves himself the best of all possible dogs, plays the piccolo (!), and ultimately gets a fairy-tale ending. Whimsical but also strangely mystical/melancholic in some ways (much more death here than you'd expect in a kids' book), and linguistically idiosyncratic; not many kids would get all the words in this book, by a long shot. Not quite a classic, but sufficiently original and clever, while also hitting on several key aspects and tropes of children's literature, to be well worth reading. And of course there are nice Steig pictures to accompany the eccentric story.
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This is simply one of the finest books I've ever read. No joke! It was written by the great William Steig of "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" fame, but there was no way that brilliant picture book could prepare me for the majesty of Dominic. Basically, it's about a dog who leaves his home to go out and seek his fortune in the world. He is a benevolent soul and meets all kinds of other unique animals that add to Dominic's story like the layers of a classic oil painting. They add rich colors to his story, even the evil Doomsday Gang (made up of foxes, ferrets, and weasels, to name a few of its members). Steig's illustrations are beautiful minimalist drawings that give the story a timeless folk tale quality. Where Steig really shines though is in his gorgeous, poetic narration. I cannot express how satisfying it was to read it aloud to Spencer. I laughed, I nearly cried a couple of times, but I was continually in awe of Steig's mastery of his craft. "Sylvester" is a masterpiece, but Dominic is like a lost jewel in the chapter book realm of adolescent books. I put it in this category because many of the words Steig uses were not familiar to me at all and also because the themes/messages presented to the reader are of a complex nature (I'm serious) that a young child could never fully understand or appreciate. I cannot recommend this book enough. It's incredibly short (140 or so pages), but ultimately its majesty will only be appreciated by those who are willing to shun their skepticism of the literary potential in children's literature and dig into a timeless tale.
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Spicuiri din recenzia finala care se gaseste
pe blogul meu
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Despre bucuria de a simţi candoarea şi inocenţa copilăriei şi despre uşurinţa cu care îţi laşi la poartă tot bagajul de griji pe care îl porţi pe drumul zilnic acasă-job-… şi bagajul tot mai greu de instrumente cu care încercăm să ne facem viaţa mai uşoară: calculatorul de planuri, echerul pentru măsurat eficienţa unei decizii, decantorul pentru profitabilitatea fiecărei acţiuni etc. Ei bine, pentru câteva ore lumea nu o să mai fie nici atât de calculată şi nici atât de încărcată deşi, veţi vedea, pericolele se ţin lanţ.
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A wise dog in a contemplative story. Dominic sets off for an adventure, and his friendly encounters with each new animal he meets are intertwined with his escalating confrontations with the Doomsday Gang villains. What is notable is the philosophical approach Dominic takes to life, expressed in such eloquent, simple language. He lives in the moment, appreciating each small, new thing while musing on the larger mysteries of life.
Dominic is a fascinating character -- a fearless hero who is rather full of himself but also highly compassionate, sensitive and in touch with his feelings. Steig has a sense of humor and tone similar to Roald Dahl, but not as harsh or punishing. This would be a really excellent read aloud. -
Second read, September 2019.
What a beautiful, wise, fierce, life-loving book! An undiscovered classic. Like the Pooh books, there's an astonishing amount of wisdom here.
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Concerning the times and travels of a canine gentleman adventurer and transcendentalist. Delightful.
There is some challenging vocabulary here, but it’s a great book for 4th to 5th grade readers--and even advanced 3rd graders. Would be an excellent prelude to the Narnia books. -
This was recommended reading for a PTA Children's Classic Book Group List I used to lead when my kids were in elementary school. Most the books on the list were a bit depressing. I don't know why adults write depressing books for kids. Also I don't know why they recommend them for Newberry Awards. This is one of the few books the kids voted as one of their favorites year after year. It's a delightful fun book inducing wonderful topics of discussion. I loved it too. Our discussions were always lively and fun, and I think the kids got way more out of this book than some of the others with more serious subject matter --- mainly because they were so into it. One point I'd like to make. Just because someone can read at the 11th grade level in the 6th grade doesn't mean they're ready for depressing adult subjects emotionally. A lot of kids have enough to deal with at home without having to read about more other depressing stuff. William Steig has the right idea!!!
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This was one of the first chapter books I read, and I fell in love with it. Dominic was my role model; he was noble, brave, kind, and polite. I looked up to him as if he was real, and wanted to have adventures like his.
I re-discovered this book my twenties at a used book store and read it again, fearing that time would change my perceptions for the worst. I found that as an adult, this story was just as exciting and vivid as it was when I was young. It was like meeting a friend I had lost touch with and rekindling a camaraderie that had never ended.
I would recommend this book to any child who enjoys reading and adventure. Maybe they'll be inspired to seek their fortune as Dominic did, with honesty and bravery by their side. -
I picked up this book because of John Green (sort of). He posed a question on Facebook and Twitter: what is the most underrated book you have read? Author Jonathan Auxier mentioned this book; I had never heard of it.
It's very interesting to read a children's book written over 45 years ago; just seeing how language has changed is fascinating. How many books today would use 'reconnoitered'? I found myself looking up many of the words; are books today "dumbed down?" Dominic's desire for adventure, kindness, and appreciation of nature and others is much to be admired. -
This is an absolutely wonderful book, a picaresque story for kids that somehow maintains a tone of transcendentalist wonder most would consider beyond the grasp of young readers. Every individual episode is a small, self-contained gem that adds up to a great journey. The conclusion to this book is stunning for both its lushness and pitch-perfect ambiguity. Magic from beginning to end.
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Not me crying because of a dog that wears funky hats... honestly. This is so, so wholesome. I can't recommend it enough!
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This was an enjoyable tale of an anthropomorphized dog who sets off on a quest to see the world, or at least as much of it as he can get to. He meets several eccentric characters (all different kinds of animals) along the way, makes some friends, and does battle with the Doomsday Gang. There are quite a few illustrations throughout, which is nice for kids.
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Steig's philosophy of life - "take the road to the left, the road to adventure." And then give it everything you've got: "Oh life! I am yours. Whatever you ask of me, I will give it."
A gem.
And it stands up to a re-read - still a profound and brilliant piece of writing. -
Ένα παραμύθι σαν ανθρώπινο οδοιπορικό μέσα από το οποίο αξίες όπως η θετικότητα, η αντοχη, η ψυχική δύναμη, η αγάπη, η φιλία κτλ. δίνουν 'φως' στη ζωή.
Βαθμολογία: 4,5/5 ή 9/10. -
I-aș fi dat 7 stele dacă puteam!!! Trecerea prin cartea aceasta a fost epustuflantă, chiar dacă unii ar spune că nu este pentru vârsta mea. Mi-a plăcut totul de la pălăriile amuzante ale lui Dominic și până la numele interesante date personajelor. Însă, cel mai mult cred că m-a impresionat bunătatea și empatia arătate de Dominic. Auzind atâtea povești de la animalele chinuite de cei din Judecatea-de-Apoi, el i-a ajutat pe toți, dovedind aptitudinile unui prieten atât loial cât și foarte curajos. Mi-a plăcut mult și nota romantică, întâlnită la finalul cărții: ''Stând așa cu jucăria în brațe, în lumina trandafirie a apusului, a știut că viitorul va fi bun cu el.''. Recomand din tot sufletul!
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Absolutely the best book about an anthropomorphic dog I’ve ever read
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One of my all time favorite s from childhood.
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I've had this book on my shelf since I was a kid — one of the books I've owned longest. Today I revisited it probably for the first time since I was a teenager. It's a pretty whimsical road-story fable about a dog who abruptly sets out to see the world, and has picaresque adventures involving a nefarious gang and their various victims — a boar they've robbed, a goose they've hung up in a tree with the intention of coming back to eat her later, and so forth. The gang is midway between the fox and cat in Pinocchio, with their transparent deceptions and venal schemes, and the weasel gang in Wind in the Willows. But most of the rest of this book just doesn't feel like anything else.
I was so drawn to this book as a kid because it's so unconventional. Dominic does heroic things, but is embarrassed to be praised as a hero — he just likes excitement. He's kind and patient around people who need him, but eager and impatient around adventure. He sees death up close, and spends stretches of the book in thoughtful contemplation of life, and goes to an elaborately described party, all without any sense of rush. In that sense, this reminded me a bit of E.B. White's children's books, which made time for the kind of contemplation that feels rare in modern adventures.
And yet this book also fascinated me because of its idea of a dog's perspective, which is very scent-based and built around loyalty, making good friends very quickly, and just being open to the world. It was a fun POV to remember. Not really the deathless work of literature I may have imagined that it was when I was 8 years old, but still a unique book, and a standout. -
This was one of my favorites when I was in 5th grade and I'd like to read it again. I remember having dreams about it.
10/31/2018: I read it again.
I read this in grade school and it moved me deeply. It was a book that made me feel like I'd lived a thousand lifetimes. As an adult, I have dreams like that sometimes. I'm not a spiritual person, but the dreams are deeply spiritual, in which I experience having all human knowledge and being utterly at peace.
This book was a similar "lite" approximation of that feeling. Dreamily meandering and strangely philisophical, you're not being hit over the head with the morals of these fables, but it awakens thoughts and feelings in you that you may have never had.
It holds up. Glad I reread it. -
This is a great read-aloud book. It's a bit dated in its themes if you're sensitive to episodes involving sword-fighting and traditional gender roles, but those issues aren't glaring. What I love that Steig doesn't simplify his prose for children; there are big words throughout. It has charming pencil sketches too that, at this point, make a read-aloud, chapter book more appealing to my 5-year-old. But she was swept up in the story regardless. I loved it.
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Dominic is my hero. If only I could be as thoughtful, adventurous, generous, brave, and happy-go-lucky as he is.
Dominic heads out one day, out of the blue, deciding to seek an adventure. He befriends all kinds of interesting characters along the way. Steig writes in a wonderful, descriptive, straightforward manner. A charming little book. -
If only we all had as much confidence (and spare time) as Dominic the dog! Meandering along, head first into whatever situation presents itself, always coming out on top. There is a hint of humility, but he does wonder about 3/4 way through the book how anyone got along without him? A sweet little children's book.
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I think William Steig is the first grader version of Bill Peet, great stories about animals having life lessons, coming of age (first grade age) stories, learning about and respecting others, all while having an adventure that most first graders would have.
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A family favorite! (8yo and 5yo boys)
We’ve read this one twice together, and we have all throughly enjoyed it both times.
What I noticed this time that I didn’t the first time was that it’s a quintessential fairy tale that doesn’t look or feel anything like a fairy tale.
