“Gaston” by Kelly Dipucchio, illustrated by Christian Robinson.
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York, 2014, 32 pages, grades K-2.
Every year, the Nebraska Library Association sponsors the Golden Sower Award. This award has three separate winners based on grade level. The picture book section is meant for pre-school through second grade; the beginning readers division is for books written for early readers from the second to the fourth grade. The final medal is given to novels that are geared to fifth to seventh graders.
The sole criteria for winning is the popularity of the books with Nebraska students. This doesn’t mean that the books lack literary quality, but that the primary reason for winning is that they are popular with students. The lists are created by librarians and teachers, and submitted to the Golden Sower Committee for final selection. Then at the Fall Nebraska Library Association Conference the winners are announced and the authors are congratulated.
These announcements are always exciting for children, teachers and librarians. Kelly Dipucchio won the award for the picture book section this year with her popular and endearing book, “Gaston.”
Mrs. Poodle has four puppies. Their names are Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La and Gaston. The three girls are delicate and as pretty as poodles can be. Gaston, on the other hand, is big and awkward and tends to slobber over his dog bowl. His mother tries to help him act like his lovely sisters, but to little avail. While Gaston has a gentle temperament, he just simply can’t be dainty.
One morning, Mrs. Poodle takes her puppies to the park. There they meet Mrs. Bulldog, with her family of four bulldog puppies. Their names are Rocky, Ricky, Bruno and Antoinette.
Curiously enough, Antoinette has a refined looking white poodle body like Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo and Ooh-La-La. Gaston, on the other hand, looks just like the other bulldogs. The mothers decide that there must have been some dreadful reversing mistake at birth. The answer seemed obvious: Gaston and Antoinette should be switched so all four puppies in each family look identical. With this, the mothers have the two puppies change places.
Satisfied, both mothers now take their matching sets of puppies home. But things soon become mixed up and confused. Gaston and Antoinette may look like the other puppies, but they don’t act like them. A sad and painful night ensues. The next day, Mrs. Poodle abandons her customary gracious manners and races to the park. Mrs. Bulldog comes running from the other direction. Something must be done; the switch has turned into a disaster. What should the mothers do?
What decisions do the mothers make? Does looking like someone make you act like that person? Are differences bad? What do Gaston and Antoinette learn from joining another family?
Have you ever wanted to be someone else? Why is it so good that God made you the way He did? To find out what the puppies and their families learn, go to the library and check out this charming book, “Gaston,” by Kelly Dipucchio.
This book is a great read-aloud. Your younger family members will enjoy reading the book with you. Important questions about feeling good about yourself and developing self-worth are found throughout the book. I hope you get a chance to read this book with a youngster in your family. You will love the experience as much as they do!
