HOULTON, Maine — ‘TOBY,’ a children’s book written by Maine author/illustrator Hazel Mitchell, features a poodle rescued by state seizure in Houlton. The book has been awarded the Maxwell Medal for Best Children’s Book 2017 and nominated for best series of illustrations by The Dog Writer’s Association of America (www.dwaa.org) in their annual dog writing awards.
‘TOBY’ is published by Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA. The award ceremony will take place on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 10, at The New Yorker Hotel, NYC.
School Library Journal had this to say “Mitchell honors her puppy-mill rescue dog by modeling her new picture book hero on him. Told in first person by an unnamed boy with new-to-the-neighborhood loneliness, the tale centers on his attempt to convince his single dad to adopt a shelter dog. Toby’s initial shyness unfolds to charming exuberance, but his mischief includes floor puddles, a trampled garden, and eyeglass destruction.
The cover to Hazel Mitchell’s award-winning book based on a poodle from Houlton. (Courtesy of Hazel Mitchell)
Fortunately, the boy’s commitment to behavior training and Toby’s well-timed discovery of a lost shoe create a cuddly conclusion. The graphite and watercolor wash illustrations are digitally colored with muted hues. Mitchell enlists a variety of compositions, from graphic novel-style panels to full spreads. The fluffy white pup’s expressions echo the varying moods of the narrative. VERDICT This familiar story with a family cast not often seen in picture books will warm dog-loving hearts”.
Originally from England where she attended art college, Mitchell moved to the USA in 2000. She works from her studio near Belfast and has written and illustrated 20 books for children. ‘Toby’ was awarded Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year and was a finalist in the Anna Dewdney Read Together Awards. Toby was rescued in 2013 with eight other poodles from a breeder in Houlton and was fostered by Mitchell and her husband. They soon fell in love with him and adopted him and Toby is now thriving and happy.
Find out more about Toby at http://hazelmitchell.com/toby and http://www.hazelmitchell.com/blog/2015/7/17/toby-a-dog-lost-and-found-or-the-story-of-a-dog-and-his-book
