Murphy in the City

by Alice Provensen, Alice Provensen (Illustrator)

Overview

A perky pup trades in his country life for some city adventures in this humorous picture book companion to A Day in the Life of Murphy, from Caldecott Medalist Alice Provensen.

Spend the day with the irresistibly mischievous Murphy as he ventures into the city. Usually a country dog, Murphy experiences the joys and pitfalls of city life—with plenty of laughs along the way—with the signature humor and artistic style of Caldecott Medalist Alice Provensen.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781481418324
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	11/03/2015
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Alice Provensen is the author and illustrator of Murphy in the City, A Day in the Life of Murphy, and Klondike Gold. She collaborated with her late husband, Martin, on many other highly acclaimed picture books, including the Caldecott Medal–winning The Glorious Flight and Nancy Willard’s Newbery Medal–winning A Visit to William Blake’s Inn, which was also a Caldecott Honor Book. The Provensens have been on the New York Times list of the Ten Best Illustrated Books eight times. Alice lives in California.

Editorial Reviews

09/28/2015
More than a decade after A Day in the Life of Murphy, Provensen’s opinionated terrier gets a taste of city life. Though Murphy is initially unenthusiastic (“Nothing but cars and concrete. Yuck!”), his tune changes when he sees the dog-centric slate of activities planned. Even a quick trip to an animal shelter after Murphy wanders off doesn’t dampen his spirits for long. Provensen’s oil paintings have the posed, static look of folk art, though she mixes in modern details, like an urban dog-walker wrestling with his charges or a doggie boutique brimming with chew toys and other goodies. Ages 4–8. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Refreshing...Murphy practically jumps out of your hands...Alice Provensen is certainly an artist, in word and image."

New York Times Book Review

2015-09-16
The multicolored paw prints that cover the endpapers signal the return of Murphy-Stop-That, a small, loud terrier who lives on a farm (A Day in the Life of Murphy, 2003). When his human family (mom and daughter) goes off to the city (it's New York), Murphy is not happy to go with them—until he gets there. They meet up with a friend and her dog, a yellow Labrador, and visit many places that Murphy finds he enjoys: a dog-friendly outdoor cafe, a dog park. But at the Doggie Boutique, Murphy runs out through an open door and is scooped up by the dog catcher. He is taken to the shelter, where his family finds him, and they go back home, where Murphy would rather be. The pictures are bright and almost folk art-like in their clear lines, flat colors, and decorative details; the route to the city is made like a board-game map with gardens, churches, factories, and fields laid out on the way. The mom and daughter in Murphy's family are blonde Caucasians; their friend in the city is dark-skinned and -haired; the denizens of the city are of various ethnicities and, pleasingly, various ages. For children who love their dogs, hate long car rides, and fear the new and different (until they try it), much will be comforting in this unassuming, appealing tale. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews