Title:  Downward Dog: Very Serious Haiku from a Very Serious Dog

Authors:  Samm Hodges and Phinehas Hodges

Artist: Idil Gozde

Genre:  Animal / Pets / Humor 

Year Published: 2017

Year Read: 2017

Publisher:  Animal Media Group

Source:  eARC (NetGalley)

Content Rating:  Ages 10+  (Some Suggestive Humor)

I would like to thank NetGalley and Animal Media Group for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

I will be honest here: I did not know that there was going to be a TV series for ABC called “Downward Dog” since I barely heard any promos for the show. However, when NetGalley offered me a chance to check out the book that is going to spawn into a TV series called “Downward Dog: Very Serious Haiku from a Very Serious Dog” which is written by Samm Hodges and Phinehas Hodges along with artwork by Idil Gozde, I just knew that I had to check this book out and I must admit that this book has got me interested!

The story is about a dog named Martin, who ends up being left at home by his human owner, Nan and during that time, Martin has decided to write a haiku about his life as a dog and you will be quite interested to hear what he has to say about his life!

I must admit that I found this book to be pretty creative and cute at the same time! I liked the way that both Samm Hodges and Phinehas Hodges wrote this story as it is styled in a haiku type of poetry and we get to see how Martin the dog views his life while relating his story and his relationship with his human owner Nan, to the audience in poetic form. I also liked the way that Samm Hodges and Phinehas Hodges incorporated some humor in this story, with my favorite moments being of Martin looking at Big Bird from “Sesame Street” on TV and commenting on it and Martin mentioning about how he would fart in bed with his owner. Idil Gozde’s artwork is both simplistic yet humorous at the same time as the artwork looks like children’s drawings, which would make sense since Martin the dog is supposedly the one who is writing this book; the artwork would often downplay the introspective nature of Martin, but does it in a humorous way!

The reason why I gave this book a four-star rating was because while I thought it was creative for the story to be told in a poetic narrative, it was a bit hard to understand exactly what Martin is saying throughout the book. Since the book is written in a way where various sentences are shortened in order to fit in with the structure of a haiku, I found some of Martin’s thoughts to be a bit incomplete and therefore, it was hard for me to see where Martin was going with his inner thoughts on his life.

Overall, “Downward Dog: Very Serious Haiku from a Very Serious Dog” is a truly cute book for anyone who loves reading about dogs and who loves reading haikus!

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

while the seagulls
announce my return
revive me!

leaving all behind

except the footprints following me

-my own

this cold night

the rain that falls is made of glass

crashing to the ground

no simple drops but jagged edges

and the leftover people

with emotional shrapnel in their eyes

watch as Miss Sarajevo waves

and her brave smile

among the fallen broken

jagged splinters

Sarajevo was always difficult to describe under the siege, difficult to get to, difficult to leave, In reality it was easy, because it was much, much more difficult if you lived there, and Sarajevo was your home. But it was difficult to visit, too, in different ways.

Part of "Winner Takes Nothing" over on the right, takes place around Sarajevo. It is free, at Kobo Books and Smashwords. Read it. I still don't know if it was difficult or easy describing Sarajevo. You will.

this cold night

in the silence before the mortar rain

she catches my eye

In memorium: 

Bosko and Admira

Two young lovers who won when they lost -

and dared to dream.