About the Book:
Title: Hudson And Tallulah Take Sides
Author: Anna Kang
Illustrator: Christopher Weyant
Pub. Date: May 1, 2021
Beagles and Books is excited to be part of the blog tour for Hudson & Tallulah Take Sides published by Two Lions/Amazon Publishing. Special thanks to the publisher and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review:
The first page spread is wordless. Tallulah, a cat, is quietly stalking a bird perched on the fence. Just as she is ready to pounce, Hudson barks loudly scaring away the bird. Tallulah is not amused. When Tallulah peers over the fence to discover the reason for Hudson’s outburst, she sees the dog digging his way to freedom. From the dialogue, the neighbors clearly have a different perspective on fences.
Curious, Tallulah follows Hudson on his freedom walk. Hudson dives into a garbage can for food, plays with other canines at the dog park, jumps in mud, and goes after the mail carrier Dave. That’s where Tallulah draws the line. Dave is her friend; therefore, Hudson is now her enemy.
As both animals stay on opposing sides of the street, they encounter a enormous puddle in the street full of birds. Both Hudson and Tallulah can’t resist romping in the water and with each splash, realize that there may be some common ground between them.
Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides is a story of how even opposites can find some happy medium and become friends. While Tallulah is prim and proper and Hudson is free spirited and messy, they both can’t refrain from enjoying the puddle. This revelation is groundbreaking, for perhaps, they are not as different as they once believed. Kang’s peppy dialogue is concise and on point which allows Weyant’s lively and humorous illustrations to not only move the plot along but also show the progression of Hudson’s and Tallulah’s relationship.
When I read this story to kindergarten students for #classroombookaday, I asked them to tell me what did the author and illustrator want us to learn. Here are some of their thoughts.
- “The dog and the cat both like to jump in puddles so that’s why they became friends.”
- “You don’t have to like the same things to be friends.”
- “It’s better to be friends than enemies.”
- Dogs and cats are different but can still be friends.”
Pretty smart kids. Thankful for picture books like Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides which support teaching theme with our youngest learners.
Praise for Hudson And Tallulah Take Sides!
★“New Yorker cartoonist Weyant’s illustrations, which use gouache, graphite, and lots of white space, carry the day, filling the dog’s and cat’s reactions to what they encounter with plenty of comic details (like the bold lettering conveying the dog-park dogs’ frantic barking at the cat). Madcap fun.” —Booklist (starred review)
“Charming cartoons convey the nearly wordless story augmented with dialogue between the two rivals…An amusing exploration of how opposite personalities can learn to appreciate their unique relationship.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Aptly captured by married team Kang and Weyant (You Are (Not) Small), the unlikely friends’ comic path to camaraderie unfolds nearly wordlessly, with expressive gouache and graphite scenes that burst with physical humor, showing that even those who fight like cats and dogs can be friends.”—Publishers Weekly
About the Author & Illustrator:
Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, and We Are (Not) Friends. They also wrote and illustrated Eraser, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker, and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog, Hudson, the inspiration behind the character in this book. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.
Twitter: @annakang27 @ChristophWeyant
Instagram: annakangbooks; christopherweyant
Facebook: Anna Kang – Author; Christopher Weyant
Enter a Giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive a copy of Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. addresses). This giveaway is open from Friday, May 7, 2021 through Friday, May 14, 2021 ending at 10:00 p.m. EST. Please note that book may take longer to ship so patience is appreciated. Enter below or head over to my Twitter account, @lauramossa and retweet my Rescue at Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides Twitter post.
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