She did, Zion wrote the tales, and the rest is history.

According to 100 Best Books for Children (yes, I quote it a lot and yes, there is a reason for that), Graham met Margret and Hans Rey of Curious George fame (it’s all connected) and was encouraged to put together an art portfolio. Married couples abound in creating children’s picture books and these two are no exception. The soapy bath reveals Harry to the family and he once again becomes ‘a white dog with black spots’.” After several unsuccessful attempts, Harry digs up the scrubbing brush and takes it upstairs to the tub. Now Harry faces the task of getting his owners to recognize him as their pet. Each episode results in him getting dirtier and dirtier so that when he does return home, his family thinks he is a stray dog. He romps with the men repairing the street, in the railroad yard, and plays tag with other dogs. He was the canine Dennis the Menace of his generation, sans the cutesy bon mots.Ĭhildren’s Literature described the plot as, “Harry is a most lovable black and white dog who has a whole range of adventures when he leaves his happy home in order to avoid getting a bath. Far more than merely the author who keeps getting shelved next to Charlotte Zolotow on our library shelves, Gene Zion and his wife Margaret Bloy Graham created an oddly iconic figure in the mischievous little pup that manages to get himself into and out of trouble in a particularly 1950s kinda way. Truth be told, Harry probably doesn’t care diddly over squat for me, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t love him just the same. – Jennifer SchultzĪll together! I’m just wild about Harry, and Harry’s wild about meeeeee… And why not? A cute dog plus adventure would interest anyone. I include it in my “Dirt and Mud” story time for my toddler story time while it’s slightly longer than the majority of the books I include for this group, it never fails to capture their attention. Harry the Dirty Dog is another of the few picture books that I remember from my childhood. #43 Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion, ill.

Gene zion books