Move Over Rover

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Beaumont, Karen. 2006. Move Over Rover. Ill. by Jane Dyer. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc.

PLOT SUMMARY:

Rover is resting peacefully in his dog house when it begins to storm. Animals from the neighborhood seeking a dry place to wait it out flock to the doghouse so they can be warm and dry. This continues until the skunk shows up and causes uproar in the very crowded dog house.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Move Over Rover is a story for young children. Perfect for reading aloud the story is told in poetry form that has a musical feel when read aloud. Because there is much repetition throughout the story, young readers can be successful when reading the book. The story also introduces many animals to young readers who will soon realize that the situation could never work in a real life situation. The funny ending is a bit of a surprise for readers who will delight in how the author brings the story back to the beginning. The watercolor illustrations that accompany the story bring the characters to life in a realistic but slightly animated manner. Children will love the story of a poor dog who just wants to rest peacefully but is interrupted by a rain storm.

AWARDS AND REVIEWS:

ALA Notable Children’s Book
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
Texas 2 X 2 Reading List [Texas]
Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book

School Library Journal:
Kindergarten-Grade 1–Reminiscent of Mirra Ginsburgs Mushroom in the Rain (S & S, 1987) and Audrey Woods The Napping House (Harcourt, 1984), this is the cumulative story of many animals all attempting to shelter from the rain in a doghouse. Children will love the hilarious ending when all of the inhabitants hastily vacate after an odiferous intruder tries to squeeze in, too. The marvelously textured watercolor-and-acrylic illustrations convey the feeling of a driving rain, the fur and feathers of the various creatures, and the joy of Rover when his house is once again his sole domain. The repetition of key phrases, the rhythmic text, and the cumulative structure of the narrative make this book an ideal read-aloud. The pictures and text evoke the cozy, warm feeling of curling up for a nap on a rainy day and the unbridled thrill of leaping out into the sun.–Tamara E. Richman, Somerset County Library System, Bridgewater, NJ
Booklist:
Fully painted to the edge of the large pages, Dyer's watercolor-and-acrylic illustrations are very casual yet cozy. They effectively accompany Beaumont's take on a familiar motif: generosity can lead to overcrowding. Gentle, obliging Rover allows, first, Cat, and then a succession of other animals to seek shelter from a rainstorm in his doghouse. The crowding increases until Skunk's arrival forces an evacuation--just as the storm is ending. Brief text with a rhymed refrain ("Move over, Rover!") encourages children to join in as the story progresses to the finale--when Rover is finally alone, savoring the fact that his house is once again his own. Adults may want to use this with Jan Brett's The Mitten (1989) and Margot Zemach's It Could Always Be Worse (1976) to help children explore the idea of variation on a theme. John Warren Stewig