Always

by Alison McGhee, Pascal Lemaître (Illustrator)

How deep is the bond between a child and a beloved pet? And how far will a pet go to protect his dear friend? To the ends of the earth . . . always. Alison McGhee, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Someday, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, gives voice to the love that knows no bounds in this gentle and poignant picture book about friendship, loyalty, and most of all, love.

Genres: Picture Books, Dogs, Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Family, Friendship

40 pages, Hardcover

First published June 9, 2009

About the author

Alison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages, including the just-published THE OPPOSITE OF FATE, a novel, and the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller SOMEDAY, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages. She lives in Minneapolis and California.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

An adorable little puppy narrates this simple picture-book tribute to the love a dog has for his child. Describing himself as the keeper of the castle, the puppy lists all the ways he keeps his domain safe, all the intruders he drives away. Why does he do all this? Because his little girl lives in the castle, of course!

A sweet little book that pairs a heartwarming text and cute illustrations, Always strikes me as a title better used in one-on-one story-time sessions, rather than in large groups, as it is quite small, in terms of dimensions. Pascal Lemaître's artwork is quite expressive, and captures the little puppy's adoration of his human girl, and his determined defense of his home. Recommended to all young dog lovers, or to any child who has a close bond with their animal companion.

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pup vows to always defend the "castle" in which his owner dwells. This is a big old Awwww! of a book. Highly recommended for dog lovers of all ages.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I will tame the squirrels."
"I will protect the blanket."
"Because there is nothing I will not do to keep this castle safe."

I so love Alison McGhee. And I so loved this book the first time I picked it up. And then we got our own "keeper of the castle" from the pound and I knew I had to get a copy of this book. I just gifted it to my 2 1/2 year old and it went over so well, on the third reading, the seven-year old has laid claim to it as well. Because, as anyone who has a lovable castle-keeping pooch knows, it is so true. I have no doubt that our Clarence is picturing himself dressed in full Musketeer regalia when he is barking the squirrels up a tree and "protecting" us.

Someday has long been my baby shower go-to, one of my absolute favorites of all time, but it admittedly is not as big a hit with the kiddos. Not so with Always. Three readings by mama and two by big brother in one night and lots of giggles can attest to that.

[Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the opening page of the book Always, Allison McGhee portrays a small dog standing in front of an ordinary house proclaiming, “I am the keeper of the castle. This castle. And I will keep the castle safe”. This dog develops human-like qualities and fights to the end of the earth to protect his castle, making the story focused on true friendship, loyalty, and love. The small dog fights off meteors with baseball bats, faces monsters head on, stops savage beasts, blocks lightning by biting right through it, and ultimately defends against anything that poses a threat to the castle. As the story continues, the question is posed as to why the dog would put him life on the line to protect what seems like an ordinary wooden house to many readers. This intriguing question keeps the reader engaged in the battles the dog faces until the end of the book where the true motivation of the little dog is unveiled.
As I gazed into a sea of books in the children’s section of the library, this story stood out to me as one that could relate to many children with fun and imaginative pictures. The text on each page is very short and simple, allowing for early readers to be able to understand and read along. While the text is simple, the pictures truly add meaning and enhance understanding of the enormity of what the little dog has to protect the castle against. My favorite example of this is when the dog declares, “I will chase away evil.” This sentence can be interpreted and imagined in many different ways by the reader, but McGhee illustrates the dog fighting off a vicious looking gang of four pirate rats. This imagery adds provides a whole new level of imagination and meaning that would not be attained by looking at the text alone. McGhee also deepens the readers understanding of the story through the design elements she incorporates. Throughout the story, the background is colored with a tint of red and yellow. The red represents the love and passion the dog carries throughout the story, while the yellow illustrates the dog’s pride in protecting the castle because it is his duty. From all the different elements of the story, the reader can take away the importance of loyalty to the things you love and how it is important to protect your loved ones even against all odds. Overall, I believe this adorable children’s picture book is very well written with an amazing interplay between the words and the pictures in order to leave the children with their imaginations working and instill a very important message about love.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. Cute, cute, cute. Love the pictures. Like the idea. And I can't help but leave the book smiling.

1/11/17 Didn't like one of the books I had originally chosen for my "A" prescool theme so I scanned the shelves and got this one. Small crowd at the beginning. They sat through quietly. Seemed to like the ending. The pictures might have been too small for them to totally get the details. Not a failure, but not amazing. Probably better as a lap-read.

[Kate Hern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always by Alison McGhee is about a little dog wanting to protect his castle. “I keep the castle safe.” It is from the dog’s perspective, and he is keeping the castle/house safe for the little girl that lives in it. It shows the bond between girl and dog throughout the book and how important it is to have. The dog takes pride in taking care of the house. Although the girl was not a speaker in the book, it shows that a dog is a girl’s or man’s best friend in this scenario. The repetition of “I will” and “keep the castle safe” show the impactfulness of the dogs love for the girl. He will never give up.
The simplistic words and phrases throughout the book on every page make it a very easy read for young children. I chose this book to show how vital Alison McGhee’s work because I think it is essential to share the connection between animal and person. If a young reader has a pet, they can relate to this story by being more appreciative of their pets. Pets and other inanimate objects that you feel a personal connection to are essential to have. It is a special message on how friendship and love can be crucial to a person or animal. This book teaches kids about caring for others around them and themselves as well. The dog wanted the best for his girl, and so should everyone else in the world.

[Jennifer B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but I found it a bit over the top.

[Olivia S · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute idea, but I think this book is trying too hard to be precious. Wouldn't bother using.

[Arielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

All around boring.

[Slaa!!! · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really sweet!

[Miss Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A preschool and up book about a dog protecting his house and why he does it. Super cute

[Nadina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely and simple with pretty illustrations, probably good for reading to really little kids (toddlers/babies). There are very few words and the words are fairly simple. A cute story.

[Hypatia's Dream · Rating 4 out of 5]

La breve historia del deseo de un cachorro por proteger lo que ama, acompañada de ilustraciones sencillas pero de un significado maravilloso. Un cuento apto para niños con mascotas.

[Little Seesaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about how much this little dog loves his human. Very cute.

[Nancy Messina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute story that was fun to read and was super sweet as a story. Winry really enjoyed the silly antics of the dog.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Always (From tumblebooks)
Author: Alison McGhee
Illustrator: Pascal Lemaitre
Genre: Children's Literature
Theme(s): Friendship; Loyalty; Love
Opening line/sentence: “I am the keeper of the castle.”
Brief Book summary: The dog is willing to do anything to protect the little girl. He loves her and watches over her.
Professional Review 1:
Sometimes the best friend a child can have is a dog. A good dog is unquestionably loyal, offers unconditional love, and grants a sense of security in an unpredictable world. Utilizing very few words, this story tells of the love and companionship between dog and child. The digitally-colored pencil drawings of an appealing little white pup with a brown marking around one eye bring to life the ways this little guy guards his home and the ways his imagination has him guarding "the castle." He tames the squirrels and calms the sea. He guards against monsters and protects the blanket. Meanwhile, the young girl sleeps soundly while her pet is on the job. Why does the pup do all these chores and dream of even more adventuresome moves to protect the house?—because, it is the little girl's home, of course. This is a beautiful little book with a heartwarming story perfect to read at bedtime." - Carolyn Mott Ford (Children's Literature)
Professional Review 2:
"Just when it seems that there’s nothing more to say about the enduring bond between a dog and its owner, an unassuming little pooch with brown spots steps up to the plate and adds his own first-person interpretation of that special attachment. The unnamed dog of indeterminate breed tells his story in simple, declarative sentences, announcing in no uncertain terms how he will defend his castle from intruders both big (an impending meteor) and small (invading mice). The text has a droll simplicity well suited to Lemaitre’s understated pencil illustrations with pastel washes that show both domestic catastrophes and natural disasters being averted with aplomb by this tiny but immensely powerful dog. The story moves in a graceful arc, from smaller dangers to wind, lightning and the encroaching sea, all averted by the brave hero. He can deflect any sort of danger from this castle, motivated just because his owner (a little girl) lives there. Dog owners will love this, as will those who wish they had a dog just like this one." - Kirkus Review
Response to Professional Reviews:
I agree that both the text and illustration are incredibly simplistic. Each page has a statement with a very simple image of the dog doing whatever the sentence describes. However, I feel like this is the perfect story for a young child who loves their pet.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
I like that the sentences are short and sweet. Each one starts with "I" and is a very simple sentence. The pattern of the sentences keeps the tone of the story light and cute.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
I don't see the opportunity for instructional application in this story. It could be used to teach simple sentences to first grade writers, but otherwise I think this is solely a bedtime story.

[Kelli Varich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story shows the relatable bond between a child and their dog, only it's told from the perspective of the little dog. The dog goes into detail about what he would do to keep the child and their home -- the castle -- safe, from taming squirrels to blocking lightning.
The illustrator gives life to what the dog is protecting the child from by giving them faces; for example, the dog contains the wind by simply putting his paw over the wind's "mouth." The scary things in the book are depicted in a way that makes them less intimidating, which could help shape the reader's view of these. A pink spider with big eyes is referred to as a monster, even though it looks far from it. Little rats dressed as pirates are referred to as savage beasts, as well as evil. Putting sweet faces to these scary ideas make them easier to deal with in real life, especially for the young reader.
The font used gives the book a fairytale appeal, which is one way the story could be looked at with the way all the animals, including the stuffed animal, are personified with faces and expressions.
A childhood pet is common in a lot of households which is what makes the adorable storyline so relatable.

[Dianne J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age of readership: Ages 4-7

Genre: Picture Book

Diversity: The loyalty of a pet dog to its owner

Illustrations: Pencil and color drawings

My response to the book: This is a sweet story about the love and devotion of a dog to its owner. All children with pets can relate to the bond they have with their pets. I viewed and an online edition of this book at
http://www.tumblebooks.com/library/as... Even though this is a subscription site I was able to get a free trail membership.

Curricular/Programming connections: This book can be used with the intended audience as subject matter for a first book report. Lesson Plans, Games a Tumble Quiz that measures comprehension and an outline for a TumbleBook Report in English, French and Spanish are available for teachers.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

McGhee, A. (2009). Always. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Tumble Books

LOV

In this endearing book, the reader finds out just how far a loving and devoted pet will go to protect its owner! To the ends of the Earth! The pet believes he is the "keeper of the castle" and imagines all sorts of adventures he would go through to prevent anything bad happening to his owner. There always seems to be a special bond between children and their pets and this story helps to convey those feelings. This is a story of loyalty and friendship between a little girl and her dog. This would be a great book to read with students about friendship and their bond with their pets. I enjoyed reading this book because I have three dogs of my own! The illustrations are very delightful and their movement on Tumble Books helps to keep the reader engaged in the story.

[Valissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The digital version of Always offers two choices for young readers. You can have the story read to you, or you can read it yourself. When you opt to have the story read to you, the chunk of text that is being read is colored red. All of the text that appears on each page stays there until the page turns. The read to me version has simple but fun cartoonish elements and minimal sound effects that enhance the story. The read by myself version was disappointing. The picture book is basically just scanned in, showing 4 small pages at a time, with no way to only look at one page at a time. There are no other supplemental features. I feel like they really missed an opportunity to have some interactive activities for vocabulary, because the story does contain interesting and exciting words.

[TA Children's Lit Profile · Rating 2 out of 5]

I "read" this book as an enhanced book through TumbleBooks. The story, about a dog who loves his human, is cute, though there wasn't much of a plot. Though the words appear on the screen, the presence of a voice reading aloud and moving illustrations makes me think that most kids probably wouldn't actually be reading at all while they watched this. I suppose it would be fine for this to take the place of a read-aloud (not always, but as necessary), but I don't think the enhanced book could take the place of actually reading. I might recommend this enhanced book to young kids (PK-1) who have strong relationships with pets.

[S Collins]

McGhee, A. (2009). Always. Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books.

Library of Virginia

Tumblebooks

This is a charming story about love and service. The main character is a cute little dog who absolutely adores his owner and pledges to protect her and his home. Always is an awesome book for early readers and can be viewed as a Tumblebook online through the Library of Virginia’s site. When you viewed online readers are able to see the main character and the setting come to life; which make the experience more enjoyable. Readers are able to read at their own pace or have the story automatically play through until its end.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more, because it had a cute premise--that a dog is so loyal to its owner that it will do anything to "protect the castle". I would have been happy if the text and pictures had just depicted real "threats", like the squirrel and the spider. Protecting the blanket was SO cute! But when text and pictures started to talk about deflecting meteors and blocking lightning, I lost interest. I didn't like the mixture of real and fantasy. Just my preference, I guess.
It was OK.

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover and title led me to think this story would be something different than what it really is. I expected a sentimental story about how much a girl loves her puppy. Instead I experienced a sweet list of ways that a dog will protect the castle (because the girl lives there). The list begins with realistic dangers (squirrels and bugs) and quickly becomes silly (meteors, lightening, the sea). The story will be enjoyed by both boys and girls, but the cover will make this a hard sell for some of my boys.

[Harue Fiedler · Rating 3 out of 5]

息子（3才10ヶ月）は、日本語版（タイトル：どんなときも　きみを）を先に読んだせいか英語版にはあまり興味を示さない。日本語版のリズムに慣れているからだろう。言葉的には、日本語版の方が２〜３才向きだと思う。英語版では次の様なフレーズや単語が難しいのではないかと思う。

I will tame the squirrels. （あるときは　おしろを　おそう　リスと　たたかい）
I will halt the avalanche. （また　あるときは　せまりくる　なだれを　ぴたりと　とめて）
I will ambush enemies. （まっしぐらに　つきすすむ）
I will patrol for intruders. （いつも　おしろの　なかを　みてまわり）
I will stop savage beasts. (わるい　やつらが　やってきたら）
I will divert meteors. （ほしが　おちてきたら　かっとばし）
I will contain the wind. （かぜが　ふくときは　しーっと　しずかにさせる）

平均１〜２ページにつき、１フレーズですぐ読み終わるので、０才からの読み聞かせにはお勧めです。

[Amber Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

McGhee, Alison. (2009). Always. New York: Simon & Shuster.

TumbleBooks

LOV

This is an adorable book about just how far a dog will go to protect a child that is his owner. The dog believes he is the "keeper of the castle" and describes everything he would do to make sure he protects the child in the story. Using this story on TumbleBooks would be great because it is interactive and even highlights the text on the page for the reader. This gives the student a different way to hear and read a story.

[Youth Services · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adorable little dog tells his owner that he will always protect her and their "castle" -- the pictures and situations become more and more grand and silly, while all based off of reality. For example, he scares away a pack of horrible monsters (gray mice in bandit masks) -- funny and heartwarming!

Lisle Library Call #: E MCG

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to pass a half an hour waiting for my work at Staples to be ready, so I read children's books at Mr. Paperback looking for a special birth day book for Natalie.

Very cute story of about how a tiny dog defends his home because he loves his owner. Cute illustrations enhanced the story.

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cute pictures, but the title does not match the book in anyway

[Lupine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for everyone -- it's super tender. As with some of her other books (Someday) this one is almost more appropriate (and meaningful) for grown ups than for kids. A good gift for a doglover.