George, Bark

This is my granddaughter's favorite library book and she brought it to my house to show it to me. I always encourage her to read so I ordered her a copy. When I gave it to her, we sat in the floor and she read it to me. I found it a very funny story and an amazing concept. This is a book that I think she will keep and pass on to her children.

This book is so much fun for both children and adults. Both the story and illustrations are great! Also, it is a very easy book for pre-readers to memorize, and they have so much fun with it. My 4 1/2 granddaughter and 3 1/2 year old grandson both loved it!

The simple pictures, cute story and ability to incorporate various animal sounds into the reading of this book really make it a versatile book for all ages! My son has loved this book since he was 6 months old, now at 14 months, it is still a definite favorite.

Love, love, love this book. Am a childrens librarian and I can use this book from ages 3 and up. Large print, easy to read and very funny. Simple graphics make this story easily understood by even the youngest children. Thank you Jules Feiffer!

The illustrations are simple but hilarious. Small children (like my 2 year old nephew) who are enthralled by animals and learning to make animal sounds will enjoy seeing all the different creatures inside George causing him to be unable to make the proper dog sound.

I liked the story, that's why I ordered the book, but I could have bought a used library book much cheaper than the shipping and handling charges at a local library book sale. I was disappointed with this purchase.

Bark, George is a hilarious little book. George’s mother cannot get him to bark. Her pup says meow, quack, oink, and moo, but never arf. She takes George to the vet who pulls out a cat, a duck, a pig, and even a cow. Finally George is able to bark. On the way home, George gives his mother another surprise.

Pictures are simple but highly expressive and comical. Two delightful illustrations are when George barks for the first time and when George gratefully licks the vet for solving his problem.

Each page contains 1 to 3 sentences. There is one challenging word – latex. This book would be perfect to read to preschoolers or for early readers to enjoy themselves. It’s guaranteed to bring a lot of giggles. Children might like to discuss what other animals George could swallow and what other sounds he could make.

This book would translate well into an interactive oral storytelling. Children could provide the sounds. The adult can say, “Bark, George.” And the child could respond with an animal sound.

This book could easily become a bedtime favorite. Highly recommended.

We discovered this book at the library about a year ago, and my four year old daughter thought it was hilarious. She just started kindergarten, and the school librarian read it to her class. She was excited to tell me about it and asked if we could get the book at home again. She still gets a big kick out of it!

When George's mother asks him to bark, he meows instead. She asks him to bark again, and he quacks. She asks again, and he oinks and then he moos like a cow. She takes George to the vet, and one by one, the vet pulls out a cat, a duck, a pig, and even a cow from deep inside of George. Problem solved! George finally barks! On the way home, George's mother wants to show him off to everyone and asks him to bark. George says "hello." My daughter and I both love the surprise ending and what it implies. A very fun book!

I have owned and used this book in the classroom for a number of years; this opinion is my honest opinion.

As a teacher I first used this book with children who were learning English as a second language. It was wonderful to use with this group of children (grades K to 5) because they were all beginners using English and it sparked an interest in learning the names of the animals in English and making the sounds associated with animals they were familiar with in their home language. Later I used it with preschool children and the lesson they always talked about in connection with the story was that is was pretend. The group would quickly memorize the book and read it to them self-thanks to the simple catchy text. Several groups acted the 'pretend' story out in play. The book is an excellent teaching tool for most groups of children and I have shared it when I teach adult college courses to child development educators on using books to expand lesson themes. As we speak daily and hear others speak, we do not always hear perfect English, so the use of words in the text is just how a mother would speak to a child in reality and did not bother me. Over the years, it is rare to hear children repeat errors in text, they copy more important people in their lives most often, has been my life long observation as a teacher. Have fun with George and make the noises for your children to add to the fun. If learning is fun, more is retained and this short cute story is definitely fun.

There are books that are fun to read aloud and there are books that are REALLY fun to read aloud. Author/illustrator Jules Feiffer is nothing if not an expert on the focused yet misleadingly simple picture book. Accompanying such a text with matching focused yet misleadingly simple illustrations, "Bark, George" is just one of those books that kids love in a twisted kind of way. Similar to the works of Shel Silverstein, the story follows one pup's crazy way of expressing himself.

George's mother is patient, but only up to a point. She is attempting to get George, her puppy, to speak. But the first time she asks him he replies, "Meow". The second time he does a quick "Quack-quack" and the third time it's a simple "Oink". By the time George gets to "Moo", his mother has had it. She takes him immediately to the doctor and when George says, "Meow", the doctor reaches into George's mouth and pulls out a cat. Next, he takes out a duck, followed by a pig, and finally (the doctor needs his longest latex glove for this one) a gigantic cow. To the joy of all, George immediately says "Arf" when asked to speak (though how the doctor knew not to pull out another dog from George's mouth we'll never know). Thrilled to death, his mother kisses everyone and takes George out into the street to show him off. The place is full of people, and George's mom instructs, "Bark, George". The final picture is of a small George saying, politely, "Hello".

Now the correct reading of this book to young 'uns depends on a lot of things. First of all, you need to be able to do each voice George produces appropriately. Next, you need to be able to play up the surprise ending in a successful way. What I love about this book is that most kids will get the gag at the end. They'll realize what it means when George says, "Hello". In a way, this book teaches kids how to get jokes. Priceless information too rarely given! Finally, this book is not for squeamish adults. I can see plenty of grown-ups freakin' out over the ramifications of George's internal contents. They'll see this story as a tale of a ravenous dog that will eat anything from pigs to people. Sensible readers won't see it that way, but I have to tell you to watch out for those parents that would protect their children against potentially hungry pups (I should point out that it's never clear in the story HOW George acquires all those animals down his throat).

It's good to have a sturdy collection of reliable read-aloud picture books to reference when you need them. Definitely consider adding "Bark, George" to such recent classics as "Duck on a Bike" and "Click, Clack, Moo" for your preschool speaking engagements. It is a charming story of one small pup that is far more than he initially seems.

This is a really funny book about a dog who could not bark. After saying all sorts of animal sounds, his mother brought him to the vet to get a check up. After still making the animals sounds, the bet pulled out a cat. With every page, the bet kept pulling out more and more animals until George finally let out a bark.

This book is great for kids on many levels. First of all, many kids enjoy being silly and George was silly. Second of all, many kids enjoy a good animal book.

My favorite part is that this book can be cry interactive. It is a great way to keep your child both interested and laughing.

George is a young dog. Every time his mother tells him to bark out comes something else -- MOO, or OINK, or MEOW! His mother is naturally quite distressed over this so she takes him to the animal doctor. The way he solves the dilemma is amusing. George's mother is so happy -- until something happens on their walk home. The end of this story is laugh-out-snicker funny. The illustrations are simple and fun.

Mother dog is beside herself. Her puppy, George, just can't seem to bark like a dog. "Bark, George." George went: "Meow." As mother asks him to try again and again, he quacks like a duck, oinks like a pig, and moos like a cow, but just can't seem to bark like the dog he is. "George's mother took George to the vet." The vet studied the problem and this time when George meowed, the vet "reached deep down inside of George..." and to everyone's surprise, pulled out a cat, then a duck, a pig, and finally "deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep, deep down inside George..." a cow. Now, George can bark "arf", or can he..... Jules Feiffer's brief text doesn't waste a single word, and is complemented by his simple and bold, cartoon-like illustrations that captivate with their marvelous facial expressions. Together word and art create an engaging treasure that will charm and delight preschoolers as young as two. With a hilarious, surprise ending that's sure to tickle your funny bone, Bark, George is a timeless classic, to read and share with friends and family now, and future generations in the years to come.

When George is asked to bark, that's not what comes out of his mouth. His mom takes him to the Vet to find out the adorable reason why.

I was just thinking I should review some of my go-to story time classics, and this was the first one that came to mind. If you read to a group of preschoolers, this book is a must. The only problem is that you might have a hard time reading it in between the laughter coming from kids AND parents. Some kids will even figure out the plot and be telling the story with you. It really is perfect.

We heard this at a library "silly"-themed story time several months ago and my boys (aged 3 and 1 1/2) have not stopped asking for it. We've been checking out and renewing the library's copy over and over. When I gave them a choice of books to send to their cousins for Christmas, this was at the top of their list. I had to get a copy for our home too. They arrived this week and are very nice, hardbound copies... just like at the library. They're going to be very excited!

This is such a fun, wonderful book to read. I have children of several different ages [3,4,6,8,10] who all love this book. The 3 year old brings it to me constantly to read and all of the other kids gather around because they love it too. As I read, you can hear the kids all making whatever noise George is making and giggling their heads off. I guess you have to haved a sense of humor to appreciate this book [as evidenced by the mystifying negative reviews!], but we think it is adorable. This is one of the most read books in our home [and we have hundreds of books here... ;) ].

I've been reading this to my six year-old girl since she was a toddler, and she has always loved it; now instead of me reading it to her, she reads it to me. Her first-grade class gives each student a chance to read one of their favorite books to the rest of the class; this was her choice, and it was a big hit with both the boys and the girls. The other kids especially loved the picture when the vet pulls a cow out of George.

I borrowed this book from the library awhile ago for my daughter and think it is hilarious. My husband and I both thought it was a cute, amusing story that tells a cute story about a dog who can't quite bark. The facial expressions on the mommy dog and vet are so funny. When I borrowed the book, my daughter was young (under a year) so she didn't really understand yet, but now she's 19 months so I'm going to get it again and see how it goes over now. This book is definitely one that the whole family will enjoy.

My students love this book. It is pure fun all the way throught. It makes a great read aloud and the children love to help read the words deep on each page as the vet has to reach deeper into George to remove the unwanted animal. We always get a great laugh out of the mothers expressions and relating it to the children's mothers always brings the house down with laughter. I don't think in all the times I have read this book to my students has anyone ever guess the ending. Just a delightful book from beginning to end.

My 6-year-old sister brought this book home from her school library at Thanksgiving and read it to me at least 20 times over the course of a week. The words are easy for her to read, like "vet" instead of "veterinarian" (she's not quite there yet). The use of "go" instead of "say" is common language among children and even adults (I even say it sometimes, and I'm over the age of 21!). This book is charming, engaging, and the perfect book for either a young child being read to by an adult, or a new reader looking for an exciting story. My sister loves to make the animal noises and express her shock and delight when the vet pulls out assorted animals. She even has her own theory about why George says "hello" in the end. I'm buying this for her for her own library.

I read this to a group of 5-6 year olds last week and they were howling with delight! I understand this may be too "young" for this age group individually but together they really enjoyed being shocked as a group.

I got this book for my son, who is 2 years old. He requests it eagerly, and enjoys saying "silly DOG" each time George belts out the wrong sound. This is the type of kids book that will have your child repeating with you, and adding things on his own interactively. It is a fun book with cute illustrations and punchline. As a mom who loves to read fun books, I recommend it for all parents with young kids.

I think it's a little overdone, personally, but I'm giving it five stars because my four-year-old LOVES this book and giggles madly whenever I read it. A guaranteed mood-lifter, if nothing else. Eight-year-old likes it too.

My family purchased this book a couple of years ago and I always said it would come to vet school with me one day....

Fast forward to now- I’m in my first year of vet school and sharing it with my classmates!

This is quick and fun to read, and my daughter thinks it's delightful, and says quite a lot of it with me as I read. There are a couple nice twists in the book, too, that keep things entertaining for everyone.

I read a review of this book that intrigued me enough to buy it.... 6 years ago! I read it to my son when he was little and it quickly became his favorite. He would even tell people all about George the "goofy" dog. Eventually he moved on to other books over the years. Then, shortly after his baby sister arrived, I quietly watched unnoticed as he brought out the book and read it to her! He told me later that he had "shared" the book with his sister. He was so thrilled to be able to pass on the fun of the animal sounds. I would recommend this book to all parents! It will be a much loved book that your child won't soon forget!

George's mother wants her son (a dog) to bark. Problem is, he'd rather meow, quack, or oink. Seemingly at wits end, George's mother brings him to the vet. What a surprise when the vet pulls out an array of animals--a duck, pig, and even a cow. So that's why George couldn't bark, right? The surprise ending will most certainly get kids giggling.
The text is short and repetitive, perfect for a read-aloud. Feiffer's illustrations are expressive and leap off the page with abounding energy.
The book's only flaw is that of its cover. It's far less interesting than anything found inside. I guess that old saying holds true--don't judge a book by its cover. This one's a winner!

This is the story of a puppy that can't seem to bark - instead he makes other animal noises. His smart mother takes him to the vet who knows just how to correct the problem. This book makes for a quick read if you can stop giggling. The illustrations of the vet's expressions are very funny. The ending is a delightful surprise.

We read to our baby everyday and this is one of her favorite books. She wiggles with excitment at the pictures - especially when you read the book with enthusiasm and really make the animal sounds come to life. The pictures are clear and not too busy - if I can only keep her from trying to put it in her mouth :)!

I started reading this to my twin boys when they were around 18mos. It quickly became one of their favorites (and mine too). When they were younger they would stare transfixed by the illustrations, then started imitating and signing the different animals that George ate. Now that they're learning to talk they name the animals and even say "Hello?" on command when I ask them what George says. I'm sure they'll eventually understand the humor in it. Great book!

This is a clever book that we enjoy reading. Our toddler especially loves the last page. If your child likes dogs, this one's a must. My only complaint is the word "George" is used entirely too much, so I'll substitue in "his" where appropriate.

This book was loved by my three nephews (one is 4 and the twins are 2). I was already their favourite aunt but I think I actually moved up a few notches on the scale with this one.

On my one week stay with my sister, I read this book to my nephews at least once per day. The four year-old liked it so much that we performed a show with puppets for the whole family based on this book.

and so do I! She has memorized it and giggles hysterically whenever George makes an inappropriate noise. I am a longtime admirer of Jules Fieffer and was so happy to discover that he has written children's books.
I am so glad that the grammar police didn't prevent me from buying it simply because George "goes" quack instead of "says" quack. I'm not sure I would agree that an animal "says" anything, although George's mother seems to speak English correctly.

I discovered this book through The Book of the Month Club years ago,and took a chance on it. My children, both of whom have autism spectrum disorders, really loved it! As a result, when I become a special instructor working with toddlers on the autism spectrum, it became a hit with my clients as well. My clients (toddlers) "got" the humor, and everyone wanted to bark with George!

Sitting on the floor of a dusty bookstore, my twin sons were mesmerized by the clerk reading this book. They love the various animal sounds and figuring out what animal SHOULD be making that noise. Reading it together ensures giggles and discussion . . . and a springboard into other literary activities such as pointing to various stuffed animals and figuring out "what is inside them?" It is both a must read and a learning experience all between two covers.

I love to read, so I was thrilled when my son started to show an interest in books -- tearing them and turning the pages, that is. Until we got Bark, George. He loves this book! If he sees the cover, it has to be read and it has to be read many times! I have read this book six times in one day before. He sits nicely and listens -- almost impossible for a toddler! We have bought two more copies of this book -- one to keep for him for when he gets older and one for a future sibling!

I love to read, so I was thrilled when my son started to show an interest in books -- tearing them and turning the pages, that is. Until we got Bark, George. He loves this book! If he sees the cover, it has to be read and it has to be read many times! I have read this book six times in one day before. He sits nicely and listens -- almost impossible for a toddler! We have bought two more copies of this book -- one to keep for him for when he gets older and one for a future sibling!

My niece and nephew love this book -- they laugh out loud at every non-bark George utters and the twist ending sends them rolling off the couch in a giggling fit. This is the best babysitting tool in my repetoire.

This is a cute story, I have a two and a three-year-old and my older one thinks this book is hilarious. I agree with the other reviewers who criticized the grammar, but I simply correct the words when I read it aloud. It's not really a fantastic beginning reader book anyway, so changing "go" to "say" and "went" to "said" isn't a big deal for me.

This book is great fun to read with your kids. Ours loved making the animal noises.
Plus, there's enough interest in the pictures to keep adults amused. I must have read this book aloud 200 times, & I still laugh at the look on George's face when the vet gets out "his very longest latex gloves".
Highly recommended.

I loved this book. My sister and I laughed our heads off. The detail in each illustration is wonderful (check out George's mother's reaction when the vet is working on George). Then I gave the book to my brother George, who of course thought it was great and will be reading it to his children. Maybe I'll get a copy for my father George!

My son is 3 1/2 and loves to go to the library. I checked out Bark, George from the library and he couldn't get enough of it!! He took it to story time at school twice and made me read it to him every night! He enjoyed it sooooo much I bought it for him! I even enjoyed reading it to him it really is outrageously funny!

I purchased this book for my son. After reading the customer reviews, I thought it was a pretty safe purchase. But after receiving it, we quickly found that the story was to easy to figure out and could not keep my son focused. It is a simple story meant to be read to two year olds. I also found the animation sloppy. Others may find it entertaining, it is all a matter of personal tastes. But I do not feel this book belongs in the catagory of 4 to 8 year olds. It is to short and not challenging enough for this age group.

The first time we read this book, my son laughed so hard that he got the Silent Giggles. The next seventy times we read this book, he laughed almost as hard. I cherish this book for the incredible fun it's given us.

I really thought this would be a cute book. I ordered it from a "book order" and even quick checked the rating on the store first. I do have to say, I thought it was one of the weirdest books I have ever read... both in story and illustration. Kind of creepy. My daughter didn't like it either. Pulling a cow out of a dog? I know it's supposed to be funny and imaginative... but it was kind of gross to me. Sorry... Not my favorite. I love children's books of all kinds, but this was definitely not at the top of my list.

"Bark, George" is typical Silverstein, innocuous on the surface, somewhat subversive within the depths. The child I read it to loves it, and has it memorized, and the adults find the unexpected ending very amusing. A bit of all right...

This is a simply hilarious book.
Great fun for little ones and the person reading the book.
Kids will want it to be reread and it's so good
you will want to reread it.
My grandchildren give it a multiple "Again!" rating.

My reputation as the "uncle with the knack for picking good children's books" remains intact after I sent this book to a not-quite-two-year-old nephew. Not only did it entertain him, but it caused his older brother to laugh out loud as well. Thanks for the lead on this smart, deceptively simple, entertaining book!

I bought this book for my 3 year old daughter and she has read it to death! she knows almost evey word by heart (except "latex"- she says laffex)yet she still cracks up at the charming pictures and story. you wont be sorry you bought it, but you'll wish SOMEONE ELSE would read it this time!

This is by far one of my favorite childrens books. I enjoy reading Bark, George as much (or maybe more!) as my 4 year-old. This is a great spending time together, and being silly book. I not only recommend this book for children, but also any "grown-up" who's still a kid at heart!

We discovered this at story time at the library. We checked the book out and read it so many times I knew we had to own it. My 20 month old son loves animals and animal noises and this book is simple to read and understand but very clever. In sure it will continue to be a favorite for a long time to come.

My so loves animals and books about animals but this book upset him so much. When the vet (who is drawn to be pretty scary looking) pulls the other animals out of George, my son burst into tears. He was very worried about George's welfare.
It's my own fault for buying based on the reviews and not reading this book before showing it to my son.
If your child is sensitive, definitely avoid this book!

I work at a library and am frequently shocked by the garbage found in today's picture books. This isn't cute or funny or imaginative at all. It is gross and disturbing and potentially traumatizing. The vet puts on a giant latex glove and repeatedly reaches deep inside of the dog through his mouth to pull out various animals. There are only negative messages in this book. It has the potential to scare kids away from medical professionals and teaches that being different is not acceptable by even your own mother. What's more, the ending wasn't funny. I didn't even get it at first. Shouldn't we be taking every opportunity to send positive, uplifting messages and encourage a healthy imagination? This book fails miserably and makes me realize how low the standards are for getting published. Don't waste money on this, please.

I have a difficult time reading this to my child because the english is so poor. ex: George's mother says to him "Ducks go quack-quack. Dogs go arf. Now bark George. George went: oink". The use of "go" instead of say and "went" instead of said drives me crazy. I don't want my child to grow up thinking this is correct. The book also makes reference to George seeing a "vet" instead of a veterinarian or a doctor. I will have to put this one away before my daughter begins to read on her own!