Song of a Stray Dog

Author: Wen Sheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-12-01
Features: This is a profound wordless picture book. The author is the renowned Belgian sketch artist Gabrielle Wen Sheng, who depicts a story with smooth and crisp strokes: on a remote rural road, a speeding car and a dog thrown out the window. The dog is helpless and can only follow the car, giving up on waiting. From the wilderness to the seaside, from the riverbank to the city road, it sniffs along, then suddenly stops, only to abruptly look up and howl at the sky. Eventually, the stray dog meets a lonely child, and a glimmer of hope rekindles in its despairing heart. The entire book contains no words, not even colors, yet through the tension of simple yet powerful lines and exquisite composition, it moves all readers. This beautiful picture book is perfect for children to read, and it is also highly recommended for adults. The book has received awards such as: The New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year, American Parents' Choice Gold Award for Picture Books of the Year, Horn Book Award for Children's Books of the Year, CCBC Choices Award for Outstanding Children's Books, Riverbank Review of Books Best Children's Books Award, Japan Library Association Best Book Award, Japan School Library Association Best Book Award, and the Art Award of the Nikkei Publishing Culture Prize.