When most people think of kiwiana they think of Marmite, pavlova, Buzzy Bee and the Edmonds Cookbook. But to thousands of preschoolers - and their parents - the most-loved Kiwi icon is a mischievous, shaggy dog called Hairy Maclary. He, his doggie friends and their feline associates are the superstars
of toddlerdom.
Hairy Maclary's creator, Lynley Dodd, arrived on the book scene via a story about cats. She collaborated with a family member, author Eve Sutton, to illustrate My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes. The book was based on the Dodd family cat, Wooskit, who spent many hours hiding in boxes, supermarket bags and all sorts of nooks and crannies.
After that, Dodd decided to work solo, writing as well as illustrating.
Several picture books followed, including The Nickle Nackle Tree, The Smallest Turtle and The Apple Tree. Dodd's enjoyment of language - her love of ``funny names and juicy words to roll on the tongue'' - is evident in these titles.
Dodd tells children that she has ``ideas antennae'' on her head, ready to collect anything that takes her interest. She keeps an ideas book - a collection of all the things she may find useful, ranging from lists of words, newspaper cuttings and story outlines to rough drawings and bits of verse. One day Dodd did a sketch of a small hairy dog and wrote underneath, ``One morning at nine / On the way to the park / Went Hairy Maclary / From Dondaldson's Dairy.''
And, as they say, a star was born.
Picture books are a heavily published sector of the book industry, with many new titles appearing every month. Just as many disappear, quietly returned to the publishers or ending up in sale bins.
Children are unforgiving critics and while pretty pictures may lure the adult buyer, children will soon make it clear it is the whole package that will draw them back to a book again and again.
The attractively illustrated but dull book will be forgotten while the good books, battered with love, become a cherished part of family rituals.
Although it is Hairy Maclary who has made Lynley Dodd's name a byword in many households, his friends (and enemies) have also become folk-heroes to children, and some have gone on to star in their own books.
Schnitzel von Krumm, a dapper little dachshund, has already made his independent appearance in Schnitzel von Krumm's Basketwork and Schnitzel von Krumm Forget-Me-Not. He has, as befits such a multi-talented dog, had a third title published: Schnitzel von Krumm, Dogs Never Climb Trees.
Schnitzel von Krumm, he of the very short legs and the very low tum, can do many remarkable things. This clever dachshund can ride skateboards, disappear down holes and fetch a great variety of things. He can ``hustle and tease with the greatest of ease, but everyone knows that dogs NEVER climb trees''.
However, Schnitzel is a determined little dog, and there's always a first time for everything ...
The text races ahead at a spanking pace, tumbling the reader through the action as energetically as Schnitzel's own activities.
A delight to read aloud, this title is sure to be learned off by heart by small children everywhere who have demanded endless repeats at bedtime.
Publisher: Puffin
Price: $13.99
Age: 2-5 years
Recommended by: Jenni Kestra
When most people think of kiwiana they think of Marmite, pavlova, Buzzy Bee and the Edmonds Cookbook. But to thousands of preschoolers - and their parents - the most-loved Kiwi icon is a mischievous, shaggy dog called Hairy Maclary. He, his doggie friends and their feline associates are the superstars
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