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The Digging-est Dog    by Al Perkins & Eric Gurney Amazon.com order for
Digging-est Dog
by Al Perkins
Order:  USA  Can
Random House, 1967
Hardcover, Audio
* *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

The Digging-est Dog is a story in rhyme about the ultimate underdog, We first see him, unwanted in a pet shop. Then, when Sammy Brown finally takes him home to the farm, gives him his own dog house under the apple tree, and names him, Duke just keeps getting into trouble. First he's shunned by the other dogs because he's never learned how to dig and then, once Sammy shows him how ... he can't stop digging!

It's like a canine kind of ADHD ... 'I dug up the rooster. I dug up the hens. I dug up the sheep and pigs in their pens.' Duke digs himself into big trouble with his master and all the other dogs, and then (after they help rescue him from disaster) he digs himself out again. 'Today when I dig - well, I'm careful now. I'm useful too. Sam lets me plow.'

Kids love this story. Duke immediately engages their sympathy, they feel for all his trials and tribulations, and cheer at the ending ... he's just the digging-est dog!

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