One Last Snoot Boop
The Story of a Good Dog
After fifteen years together, family members agree to love their dog forever in the moving picture book One Last Snoot Boop.
John Graff’s heartfelt picture book One Last Snoot Boop pays tribute to a beloved family dog, Cuthbert.
When Matt and JJ bring their three-month-old puppy home, he chews chairs, tugs his leash, and whines all night. Still, he becomes a cherished member of the family with ease. His fifteen years are marked by long walks through the streets of Hollywood and romps along California’s beaches. When his naps grow longer and his walks slower, Matt and JJ understand that it’s time to say goodbye. Still, they agree they will love Cuthbert forever.
Its rhyme schemes consistent and rhythmic, the text consists of just a few lines per page. Some of the rhymes are too forced, though: When Matt and JJ first bring Cuthbert home, for instance, “the ride was long, the city near, but Cuthbert’s tummy wasn’t clear.” Elsewhere, obscure turns of phrase like “a Rum Tum, regal, noble span” hold the audience at a distance. Further, the book moves at a breakneck pace, and its conclusion is vague: There is an abrupt mention of it being “time to go” that implies the end of Cuthbert’s life, though the final pages mention that he “runs still” and is “gone from view,” leaving the situation vague.
Still, the story is illumined by moments of humor, such as Cuthbert eating goose poop on the beach. And its more serious scenes are touching, as when JJ carries Cuthbert’s crate up the stairs so that he may sleep in the same room at night for comfort. Indeed, the emotional breadth of Cuthbert’s happy, fulfilling life is well attended to.
The atmospheric watercolor illustrations are lovely and lively. Cuthbert is drawn with adorable floppy ears that are shown to move as he chases squirrels, who run from him with their mouths agape. The soft, muted colors are evocative too. Gentle renderings of the characters, landscape, and Matt and JJ’s home complement the book’s expression of adoration for Cuthbert.
The sweet picture book One Last Snoot Boop celebrates the life of a jovial family dog.
Reviewed by
Aimee Jodoin
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
