Crash! by Mayra Calvani

• 12/18/2013
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Crash!
Mayra Calvani
Guardian Angel Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9781933090542
Reviewed by Cayden (age 4) and Max (age 2) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (5/08)

“Crash!” begins on Marcelo’s fifth birthday when his parents give him a golden retriever puppy as a present.  Marcelo is extremely happy as this was the gift that he had always wanted!   One of his first questions he ponders is what the puppy’s name should be.  His father tells him that he should think about it carefully before making a decision.  Marcelo enjoys playing with the dog, teaching the dog commands, and learning more about his puppy.  By the end of the book he finally comes up with the perfect name!

Cayden:  “I wonder why the book is called “Crash!”  Does the puppy crash into the wall when it is chasing that ball?”

Cayden:  “I like puppies too!”

Cayden:  “What is keeble?”

Mom:  “I think it is like kibble, the dog’s food.” 

Max: “Crash!”

Cayden:  “I like the name Crash because it is funny!”

Cayden:  “My favorite part was when they gave him the puppy in the box and then the part when the puppy crashed into the wall!”

Parent’s comments:
When I first opened the book I thought it was going to be too much for my children since there was a lot of text (approximately 100 words on some pages) that went along with each picture.  However, my children, even though they are young, are dog lovers and did enjoy and sit through the whole story.

One thing that I found interesting is that the illustrator of the book, Anna Pylypchuk, is only sixteen-years-old and she did an excellent job.  The drawings are bright and eye-catching and complement the storyline very well. 

Another positive aspect of “Crash!” is that the author is donating 50% of her royalties from the book to Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary, Inc., so how can you go wrong by giving this book a try?  We recommend “Crash!” to anyone who is a pet lover!