Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg
Cowpoke Clyde’s house was completely clean—he’d even shooed off the horseflies: “Then right behind his cookin’ pot, / he spied one thing he’d plumb forgot: / ol’ Dawg, his faithful, snorin’ friend, / all caked with mud from end to end.” Needless to say, Dawg wakes up and runs. The chase that follows—with page-turn surprises—makes for a hilarious shaggy-dog story involving fleas, a hog, bribery, cats, deception, and a mule. The rhyming stanzas are pitch-perfect, Texas-style, and plumb near cry out to be read aloud. A storytime shoo-in!
Age 4-8
“Austin’s exaggeratedly slim Clyde and highly animated animals should round up even reluctant readers.”
— The New York Times
“Illustrations in acrylics and colored pencils use deep, saturated colors and exaggerated proportions to dramatic effect, with uproarious scenes of screaming cats, a flailing mule and a hog ready to leap right off the page. This is a story that begs to be read aloud with a twangy drawl, perhaps as part of a Western or farm-themed storytime. Plumb funny, fer sure.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Starred Review
“Finely crafted acrylic scenes . . . A first purchase for most libraries.”
— School Library Journal
“Michael Allen Austin’s vivid comic illustrations rise mightily to this quirky occasion, with ample artistic perspective play. . .”
— booksforkidsblog.blogspot.com
“Michael Allen Austin’s large, colorful illustrations perfectly capture the spirit of this story. . . This book is nearly perfect in style and execution.”
— Montana Public Radio
thewritequestion.blogspot.com
“. . . dynamic, action-oriented illustration. . . This fast paced, page-turner, pleases the eyes, ears, and hearts from children to adults, including cowpokes and dog lovers of all shapes and sizes. COWPOKE CLYDE AND DIRTY DAWG is a one of a kind, creative book with topnotch writing and illustration.”
— Diane Hower
BookWisdomByDiane.blogspot.com
Five apples review – “Cream of the Crop”