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Stepdog is a 1983 children's book by Marlene Fanta Shyer, with illustrations by Judith Schermer. Shyer's story revolves around a girl's excitement over her father's new wife, and the jealousy the latter's pet dog develops after they wed. It received positive reviews, and several publications throughout the 1980s discussed its portrayal of stepfamily dynamics.

Plot

A girl named Terry is excited that her father will soon marry a new wife, Marilyn, as they all move to a summer lakeshore home. The father is confident his daughter will enjoy the company of Marilyn's pet dog, Hoover, who can "shake hands, run fast, and wag his tail at sixty miles an hour". But Hoover develops strong apathy over the thought of the marriage, leading to his jealousy and misbehavior soon after. Through consoling him and dreaming of herself as a dog, Terry comes to terms with the dog's feelings. On a later morning, she wakes up to the sight of various shoes the jealous canine collected from the family for several days, and the two thank each other in the process. The story ends with a family lake race where Terry wins and Hoover is runner-up, and Terry's confession that she likes her "stepdog" after all.

Background

Philadelphia artist Judith Schermer's pen-and-ink illustrations for Stepdog marked the second and final appearance of her work in children's literature (despite having several forthcoming projects at the time); from that point onward, she continued her career as a painter.

Thematic analysis

The title Stepdog, in the view of Marilyn Coleman and Lawrence H. Ganong, "is a metaphor for a stepchild." According to Joe Bearden in the School Library Journal, "Poor Hoover's plight paints a sympathetic picture of a dog suffering human-like emotional disorientation due to the change in his family." Amid Terry's delight about her dad's remarriage, readers relating to her character arc "may see some of their own adjustment issues in Hoover's troubles" (Dreyer 1989).

Reception

Stepdog received positive reviews. As the SLJ's Bearden noted, "The resolution is both believable and happy and the telling is warm and humorous". The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books gave it an "R" (Recommended) grade. "The story is told in a light style," the journal's staff said, " pictures are of adequate quality, not technically or aestetically polished, but realistic and animated." Most enthusiastic was the Young Children journal: " twist on the 'boy meets dog' theme Hoover's personality radiates...he will warm the hearts of anyone who reads it!"

Critical assessment continued during the rest of the 1980s. Coleman and Ganong called the book "funny, well-written... very upbeat", while the American Guidance Society publication The Bookfinder remarked, "This book should work well to initiate discussions of...remarriage ." Dianne L. Monson stated that "The text is a bit fragmented at the start, but it reads more clearly as the story progresses."

Notes

1. Referred to as a boy in Monson 1985.

References

1. ^ Bearden, Joe (March 1984). "Review: 'Stepdog'" (PDF). School Library Journal. Vol. 30, no. 7. p. 151. ISSN 0362-8930. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via EBSCOhost.
2. ^ "Review: 'Stepdog'". The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 37 (6): 118. February 1984. ISSN 0008-9036. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via HathiTrust.
3. ^ Dreyer, Sharon Spredemann (1989). "615: Shyer, Marlene Fanta: Stepdog". The Bookfinder: When Kids Need Books — A Guide to Children's Literature About the Needs and Problems of Youth Aged 2 and Up. Vol. 4: Annotations of Books Published 1983 through 1986. Circle Pines, Minnesota: American Guidance Service (AGS). pp. 431–432. ISBN 0-913476-50-1. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
4. "Judith, Schermer". LC Linked Data Service: Authorities and Vocabularies. Library of Congress. August 6, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
5. Commire, Anne, ed. (1983). "Schermer, Judith (Denise) 1941–". Something About the Author. Vol. 30. Gale Research. pp. 184–185. ISBN 0-8103-0055-9. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
6. Dove, Pheralyn (December 15, 1995). "In Abington show, a celebration of artistry and community". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. N5. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. Sozanski, Edward J. (March 31, 2000). "Museums • Galleries — Art: Architectural patterns". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. W42. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ Coleman, Marilyn; Ganong, Lawrence H. (1988). "Reviewing Stepfamily Fiction Books for Children and Adolescents: Children's Picture Books: 'Stepdog'". Bibliotherapy with Stepchildren. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher. p. 38. ISBN 0-398-05485-1. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via Internet Archive.
9. "Children's Books & Records: 'Stepdog'". Young Children. 39 (5). National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC): 83. July 1984. ISSN 0044-0728. JSTOR 42643628. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via JSTOR.
10. Monson, Dianne L., ed. (1985). "Contemporary Realistic Fiction: Stories About Everyday Life: Picture Books". Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K - Grade 6 (PDF). National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). p. 160. ISBN 0-8141-0076-7. Retrieved July 16, 2023 – via ERIC.ed.gov .

• 1983 children's books
• American children's books
• Books by Marlene Fanta Shyer
• Stepfamily
• Children's books about dogs
• Charles Scribner's Sons books
• Children's books about families