Dog’s Night by Meredith Hooper

Back in Print!

A wonderful children’s book that highlights four famous works of art is now back in print.

Dog’s Night, written by Meredith Hooper and illustrated by Allan Curless and Mark Burgess, is as entertaining as it is clever.

Back Where Dogs Belong

The plot involves four dogs in four works of art in an art museum. One night, after the museum has closed and everyone is gone all of the dogs in all of the paintings celebrate their yearly special night that they call “dog’s night.” On this night all of the dogs come out of their paintings and run, play and have a good time. But on this particular “dog’s night,” when the festivities are over, four dogs get mixed up and return to the wrong paintings . . .

The four works of art that the four dogs belong to are:

• Bathers at Asnieres by Georges-Pierre Seurat
• The Portrait of Giovanni Arnolfini and his Wife, Giovanna Cenami (aka “The Arnolfini Marriage”) by Jan van Eyck
• Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by Thomas Gainsborough
• Madame de Pompadour by Francois-Hubert Drouais

• Gallery Image: Bathers at Asnieres by Georges-Pierre Seurat

  Bathers at Asnieres by Georges-Pierre Seurat

• Gallery Image: Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by Thomas Gainsborough

  Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by Thomas Gainsborough

• Gallery Image: The Arnolfini Marriage by Jan van Eyck

  The Arnolfini Marriage by Jan van Eyck

• Gallery Image: Madame de Pompadour by Francois-Hubert Drouais

  Madame de Pompadour by Francois-Hubert Drouais

I was so disappointed when Dog’s Night initially went out of print because my students (K-3rd grade) loved this book. It was republished in 2006 but I didn’t notice this until recently (I already own a copy and haven’t taught K-3rd for a few years). Apparently many other people loved it too because it is now available again in paperback.

Find the Dogs

I can’t praise Dog’s Night enough.  Not only is it a delightful story as it introduces four great paintings in an endearing way, but it also can be a springboard for a trip to any art museum. When taking young students to an art museum read this book first and then challenge them to find as many dogs in the paintings as they can on their field trip. My son and I did this when we were in the National Gallery a couple of years ago and it is amazing how many paintings have dogs in them.