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Harry the Dog
Harry the Dirty Dog
There's never been another dog as delightful—or dirty—as Harry.
Whether he's a white dog with black spots, or a black dog with white spots, Harry is sure to steal your heart (and your scrub brush, too, if you're not careful).
First published in 1956, this beloved classic is a collaboration between Gene Zion and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Margaret Bloy Graham. The artist has added splashes of color to the cheerful scenes for this welcome new edition.
Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham collaborated on four picture books featuring the enormously popular white dog with black spots. Harry the Dirty Dog was followed by No Roses for Harry!, Harry and the Lady Next Door, and Harry by the Sea. Gene Zion, who died in 1975, will always be remembered for his playful children's stories. Margaret Bloy Graham has illustrated two Caldecott Honor Books: Gene Zion's All Falling Down (1952) and Charlotte Zolotow's The Storm Book (1953). She also wrote and illustrated such favorites as Be Nice to Spiders. Margaret Bloy Graham completed the artwork for this new edition of Harry the Dirty Dog at her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Whether he's a white dog with black spots, or a black dog with white spots, Harry is sure to steal your heart (and your scrub brush, too, if you're not careful).
First published in 1956, this beloved classic is a collaboration between Gene Zion and two-time Caldecott Honor winner Margaret Bloy Graham. The artist has added splashes of color to the cheerful scenes for this welcome new edition.
Gene Zion and Margaret Bloy Graham collaborated on four picture books featuring the enormously popular white dog with black spots. Harry the Dirty Dog was followed by No Roses for Harry!, Harry and the Lady Next Door, and Harry by the Sea. Gene Zion, who died in 1975, will always be remembered for his playful children's stories. Margaret Bloy Graham has illustrated two Caldecott Honor Books: Gene Zion's All Falling Down (1952) and Charlotte Zolotow's The Storm Book (1953). She also wrote and illustrated such favorites as Be Nice to Spiders. Margaret Bloy Graham completed the artwork for this new edition of Harry the Dirty Dog at her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1954
About the author
Gene Zion
77 books64 followersBorn on October 5, in 1913, Gene Zion attended the New School of Social Research and the Pratt Institute. In 1948, he married artist Margaret Bloy Graham, who then collaborated with him on all his picture books. When their marriage ended in 1968, Zion also ended his career as an author. Zion is best known for his creation of the rascally dog, Harry, who appears in such books as HARRY THE DIRTY DOG and HARRY BY THE SEA. He died in 1975.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,084 reviews
March 8, 2024
Gene Zion cunningly disguised one of the great existential questions of our age in this Dirty Harry book.
Do you feel lucky?
This is a book about identity:
Am I white (with black spots)
or black (with white spots)
About change and transition:
Do I have to remain how I was born. Can I not re-imagine myself. If I identify as a black dog with white spots (or by extension the ying to any yang be it gender, sexuality, or some more esoteric quality) can I not change? Can the leopard (or Scotty dog) change its spots?
About civil liberties:
When can indignities (such as baths) be imposed upon the young or upon minorities (Scotties), and when is it time to stand up to authority and say "No!" (or "woof").
And about consequence:
Will your loved ones recognise your rights to make the choices you have? Will they even recognise you after the upheavals of your personal transition/journey.
Above all this book lets you know that running away from home can be kinda fun.
In short, this modern classic of 20th century literature subsumes our bourgeois preconceptions in a tale of real drama and urgency, a creative maelstrom in which modern angst is conceptualised in canine form. For it is not a Scotty per se, rather it is a cypher for man's eternal (non)interconnectedness with the natural world, realised with Zion's characteristic perspicuity, its disingenuous indirectness a paradoxical signifier of its vital directness and its relevance, in real terms, to the anguished unreality of the modern - and yet forebodingly ancient - the disjunction of Man and his nearest (this terminology rapaciously encompassing Woman and her nearest) post-Jungian-evolutionary relation.
There can be no better education for a child. Or adult. I commend it to your attention. And to the ages.
Finis.
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..
Do you feel lucky?
This is a book about identity:
Am I white (with black spots)
or black (with white spots)
About change and transition:
Do I have to remain how I was born. Can I not re-imagine myself. If I identify as a black dog with white spots (or by extension the ying to any yang be it gender, sexuality, or some more esoteric quality) can I not change? Can the leopard (or Scotty dog) change its spots?
About civil liberties:
When can indignities (such as baths) be imposed upon the young or upon minorities (Scotties), and when is it time to stand up to authority and say "No!" (or "woof").
And about consequence:
Will your loved ones recognise your rights to make the choices you have? Will they even recognise you after the upheavals of your personal transition/journey.
Above all this book lets you know that running away from home can be kinda fun.
In short, this modern classic of 20th century literature subsumes our bourgeois preconceptions in a tale of real drama and urgency, a creative maelstrom in which modern angst is conceptualised in canine form. For it is not a Scotty per se, rather it is a cypher for man's eternal (non)interconnectedness with the natural world, realised with Zion's characteristic perspicuity, its disingenuous indirectness a paradoxical signifier of its vital directness and its relevance, in real terms, to the anguished unreality of the modern - and yet forebodingly ancient - the disjunction of Man and his nearest (this terminology rapaciously encompassing Woman and her nearest) post-Jungian-evolutionary relation.
There can be no better education for a child. Or adult. I commend it to your attention. And to the ages.
Finis.
Join my Patreon
Join my 3-emails-a-year newsletter #prizes
..
May 31, 2017
Pleasing little illustrations that woo your adult self to read it over and over again.
Harry, the dog, is not so fond of bathing and shoots away to the city for an adventure.
Well, as the name suggests, he gets dirty from the coal engines, the dusts and the smoke.
Gene Zion packs a good tale of the dog who faces rejection by his owners as they fail to recognize his changed guise. Is that a black dog with white spot or a white dog with black spots?
How will Harry ever get them to know!
This short story never goes old with time. Made superb by the illustrator's dexterity with the pen.
The pictures are perennially etched to the word adorable in our psyche.
Harry, the dog, is not so fond of bathing and shoots away to the city for an adventure.
Well, as the name suggests, he gets dirty from the coal engines, the dusts and the smoke.
Gene Zion packs a good tale of the dog who faces rejection by his owners as they fail to recognize his changed guise. Is that a black dog with white spot or a white dog with black spots?
How will Harry ever get them to know!
This short story never goes old with time. Made superb by the illustrator's dexterity with the pen.
The pictures are perennially etched to the word adorable in our psyche.
March 24, 2018
Harry was a lovely white dog who sported a few black spots. He loved life to the fullest, but could not handle baths whatsoever. After disposing of his scrubbing brush, Harry set out to explore the world on his own, a very dirty world. Playing in the dirt and rolling in coal soon turned Harry into the blackest dog ever, with only a few white spots. After missing his family, Harry decided to return home, though things were not as easy as he might have hoped! Neo has never had a pet, but he quite enjoyed this piece, noticing how determined Harry was to get out and see the world, but still chose to come home at the end of the day.
April 29, 2020
A wonderful story about a little dog that goes on an adventure and gets so dirty he looks completely different. The illustrations are beautiful and so full of humour. We read a couple of Harry books when my children were young but didn't have this one, we love the one we own and have read it again and again. Definitely one I would buy if I came across it. Thanks to goodreads friend Margie mentioning how wonderful these are I found this one and several others on open library.
A great read for children who love dogs.
Read on open library.
A great read for children who love dogs.
Read on open library.
June 8, 2021
Harry just likes to get dirty and, conversely, he doesn’t like baths. Most kids can identify with that, mine included. Now our granddaughter, age four has found Harry.
It doesn’t seem to matter that the story shows steam locomotives or coal being delivered to apartment houses; the simple story and layered ending are great for discussion.
It doesn’t seem to matter that the story shows steam locomotives or coal being delivered to apartment houses; the simple story and layered ending are great for discussion.
April 29, 2020
I've read all of Gene Zion's sweet Harry... books and enjoyed them all. They were some of my most beloved as a child, with clever story lines and cute illustrations. A child's library is incomplete without them.
August 13, 2007
I adored this book as a young child. It’s written for very young children, but I still enjoy it as an adult. It’s a very clever story and told with a lot of humor and warmth. I like all the Harry The Dirty Dog books but this one was the first I read and it remains my favorite. It holds up completely over time – a genuine classic.
May 23, 2024
Love this book and all of this writers others as well
December 24, 2016
This was read by Betty white I found an online YouTube channel called storytime online great children stories read by famous people I absolutely loved it especially for the little ones
December 10, 2008
I think this is a perfect picture book. I remember loving the story when I was little, and I love it just as much now, if not more. There’s a clear initial problem: Harry likes everything, except getting a bath. So he buries the scrubbing brush and runs away and has a wonderful day getting dirty, but then when he goes back home (because of course he hasn’t really run away), his family doesn’t recognize him. And when all hope seems lost, he remembers the scrubbing brush and digs it up and runs into the house and jumps in the tub and begs for a bath. And so the thing he hates is the thing that saves him. And everyone is happy. And then the last page delivers a delicious last little kick, as Harry dreams of “how much fun it had been getting dirty” and he sleeps so soundly that he doesn’t even feel the scrubbing brush he has hidden under his pillow. His attempt to solve his initial problem has led to a greater problem which he finally solves by accepting the thing he was trying to avoid in the first place. And then comes full circle, hiding the brush again. It’s just so satisfying in every way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 27, 2022
Month of January 2022: Young Reader’s Classics
Originally published in 1956.
AR POINTS: .5 READING LEVEL: 3.1
This is a book me and my two sisters had as children, about 1969 or 70, when I was learning to read…not sure if they ever read it. I remember reading it many times…practicing. I had totally forgotten about it until reading through a few of my cousin’s children’s books today.
I read it today, free on Internet Archive, link:
https://archive.org/details/harrydirt...
Originally published in 1956.
AR POINTS: .5 READING LEVEL: 3.1
This is a book me and my two sisters had as children, about 1969 or 70, when I was learning to read…not sure if they ever read it. I remember reading it many times…practicing. I had totally forgotten about it until reading through a few of my cousin’s children’s books today.
I read it today, free on Internet Archive, link:
https://archive.org/details/harrydirt...
December 22, 2023
One of my favorites as a child.
February 8, 2022
65/1001 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up
"Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything...except baths."
"Harry was a white dog with black spots who liked everything...except baths."
March 7, 2015
I've always wondered... does the family really not recognize Harry, or are they just pretending they don't so that he'll take a bath?
January 22, 2015
What a cute little face Harry has <3
October 7, 2022
Do your self a favor and watch Betty White read this on YouTube through the screen actors Guild. It is so cute!
October 5, 2020
We love Harry in my family! I think this book is the perfect combination of whimsical author and illustrator completely attuned to him - they were married at the time of the four Harry books.
Here is a link to my review for the #1956Club:
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/202...
Here is a link to my review for the #1956Club:
http://perfectretort.blogspot.com/202...
March 20, 2020
One of my childhood favorites! A friend shared a link to Betty White reading it, which is a lovely way to revisit the book. Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/7j0OY3236jw
January 8, 2013
My review: Harry is a white dog with black spots, who hates taking baths. So one day, he steals the bath brush and buries it in the yard and runs away from home. Along the way he gets very dirty.
I remember reading this book as a kid. I loved it then and I loved it now. It's a fun book of innocent mischief and great illustrations that clearly reveal how much fun Harry has getting dirty.
I'm going to have to buy No Roses for Harry for my niece, because I remember loving that one, too. It was another childhood favorite.
My niece's review: She doesn't speak yet, so it's hard to say for sure. Plus, she was a bit fussy tonight. But when I started reading it, she quieted down and played with the pages, smacking them and helping me turn them and then looking up at me when I was particularly dramatic.
Towards the end, she started to whine and cry, but as I said, she was tired and fussy, so I wouldn't take that as a criticism of the book. Actually, I think she rather liked it until her hunger and exhaustion got the best of her.
I remember reading this book as a kid. I loved it then and I loved it now. It's a fun book of innocent mischief and great illustrations that clearly reveal how much fun Harry has getting dirty.
I'm going to have to buy No Roses for Harry for my niece, because I remember loving that one, too. It was another childhood favorite.
My niece's review: She doesn't speak yet, so it's hard to say for sure. Plus, she was a bit fussy tonight. But when I started reading it, she quieted down and played with the pages, smacking them and helping me turn them and then looking up at me when I was particularly dramatic.
Towards the end, she started to whine and cry, but as I said, she was tired and fussy, so I wouldn't take that as a criticism of the book. Actually, I think she rather liked it until her hunger and exhaustion got the best of her.
July 25, 2018
I love the Harry books. Harry is so cute and his facial features is so expressive, really making the cartoon come alive.
Harry does not want to take a bath so he grabs the scrub brush and runs away. On his little adventure, he finds that maybe there are worse things than taking a bath.
Harry does not want to take a bath so he grabs the scrub brush and runs away. On his little adventure, he finds that maybe there are worse things than taking a bath.
November 30, 2019
Lovely and perfect encouragement for a kid who needs a bath
A great length for an evening story, with cute, impressively detailed illustrations and a pleasant story. Afterwards my kid was much more excited about taking a bath.
A great length for an evening story, with cute, impressively detailed illustrations and a pleasant story. Afterwards my kid was much more excited about taking a bath.
October 12, 2023
Ablutophobia causes Harry to run away. After frolicking in his sans water state, almost missing dinner, and confusing his humans, Harry realizes he can go home again by appeasing the scrub brush deities on occasion.
August 26, 2022
When a beloved white dog with black spots runs away from home, he gets so dirty he appears to be as a black dog with white spots & his family doesn't recognize him as a black dog with white spots. What can Harry do? A classic book that offers a problem to solve & a triumphant solution.
August 7, 2024
It's been so many years since I read this book that I had all but forgotten it until it popped up when I was writing a review for another children's book. I immediately recognized the cover. I don't remember the story well but I did find it enjoyable and clever with the illustrations. Hopefully I come across this someday so I can give it a re-read.
May 15, 2020
3* art
3* story
We enjoyed this one today, Squirt told me as he was reading, "They won't know it's him!" Which was exactly what happened. So that was fun. He doesn't like the effort involved in reading, but he loves a story, and likes to add sound effects and actions whenever he can. Sometimes I just want him to read! but at the same time, his interest is what really matters.
3* story
We enjoyed this one today, Squirt told me as he was reading, "They won't know it's him!" Which was exactly what happened. So that was fun. He doesn't like the effort involved in reading, but he loves a story, and likes to add sound effects and actions whenever he can. Sometimes I just want him to read! but at the same time, his interest is what really matters.
March 22, 2011
Sweet, funny story about a dog who gets so dirty while playing that his own family doesn't recognize him. The illustrations now look cheerfully retro, rather than just dated, and the humor is pretty timeless (even for a cat person, like me).
January 17, 2014
★★★★★Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
Cute story about a playful puppy who doesn't want a bath, but in the end is happy to be squeaky clean. My 9yo daughter loved this book.
Cute story about a playful puppy who doesn't want a bath, but in the end is happy to be squeaky clean. My 9yo daughter loved this book.
March 19, 2020
I highly recommend the Storytime Online version of this book, read by Betty White. Magical!
June 23, 2022
Harry hates taking baths, so he runs away from home and becomes the dirtiest dog ever. He becomes so dirty, that his family no longer recognizes him!
I quite enjoyed this picture book and liked that it discusses the importance of maintaining a clean image.
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Part of a personal challenge to read all of my boyfriend's and his sister's childhood books before we donate and give them away.
I quite enjoyed this picture book and liked that it discusses the importance of maintaining a clean image.
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Part of a personal challenge to read all of my boyfriend's and his sister's childhood books before we donate and give them away.
June 21, 2017
One of the few books my grandparents had at their house when I was little, so I grew to love this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,084 reviews