Fetch - by Jorey Hurley (Hardcover)

About the Book

Illustrations and simple text follow a dog as it chases a ball at the beach.

Book Synopsis

Experience the simple joy of a dog's day at the beach in this vibrant picture book from the acclaimed author-illustrator of Nest, which the New York Times Book Review said was "certain to please aesthetically minded children and adults" and that Shelf Awareness called "a quiet masterpiece."

As with her debut picture book, Nest, "Hurley lets her bright, clean illustrations do her storytelling, limiting the text on each page to a single, evocative word" (Publishers Weekly) in this delightful depiction of a dog's day at the beach and the joy a simple ball can bring.

With minimal prose and illustrations that echo the patterns of nature, Fetch is a story of the thrill of adventure and the joy of returning home.

Review Quotes

From the author of Nest (S. & S., 2014) comes another spare and beautiful outdoor adventure....Using only 15 words in total, Hurley takes the canine and readers on a delightful and fanciful romp....Whether this book is enjoyed one-on-one or with a group, requests for repeated readings are sure to follow. Recommended for all, but a must where Hurley's previous book is popular.--School Library Journal

"Jorey Hurley follows up her astonishing picture book Nest, about a robin's life cycle, with a joyful investigation of a dog at play . . . A playful followup."-- "Shelf Awareness"

A day at the seaside is a joyous adventure for the Labrador retriever protagonist of this restricted-vocabulary picture book. Each spread has a verb describing the pooch's action as she chases after her beloved red ball; "fetch" when it's tossed, "search" when she's hunting for the ball bobbing on the waves, "splash" when she paddles out toward it, etc. As the dog pursues the prize, she engages with local wildlife, passing a moment with some seagulls and sporting with some dolphins, until finally she brings the ball back to her beloved little girl for an inevitable eager "again?" While there's plenty of readaloud hay to be made of this (a "guess the word" challenge would elicit some energetic participation), it's beginning readers who will really appreciate the easy gamesmanship of figuring out the single word per spread and the genuine story behind the spare text. Digital art has the smooth solidity of cut-paper collage shapes, especially in the sandy figure of the dog, whose poses are well-observed authentic canine moves...the surprise discovery of various marine animals will provide audi- ences/readers with added diversion. This is rife with language arts potential, and it'll make a lively next step after Sullivan's one-word wonder, Ball (BCCB 5/13). DS--Bulletin

At the beach, a dog's game of fetch becomes an exploration of the natural environment....Hurley limits herself to one word per spread, each one thoughtfully designed and executed....there is much for the dog lover and coastal dweller to enjoy. Attractive and crisp.--Kirkus Reviews

Attractive and crisp. -- KIRKUS REVIEWS--Kirkus Reviews "November 15, 2014"

In Nest, Hurley offered a close study of a robin family and its habitat; here, she takes a more playful tack, following a dog's pursuit of a ball at the beach, while maintaining the aesthetic precision of the previous book. Expanses of creamy blue and taupe instantly establish the seaside setting, and Hurley again keeps her text to one word per scene: a vertically oriented spread that reads "swim" shows the dog paddling after the ball while clownfish dart below. Seals, gulls, and even a shark make appearances, but the dog's joyful frolics are the story's focus and delight.--Publishers Weekly, *STARRED REVIEW "January 5, 2015"

About the Author

Jorey Hurley studied art history at Princeton, received her law degree at Stanford, and studied design at FIT. She worked as a textile designer for Hable Construction in New York City and is now based in San Francisco, where she lives with her husband and their two small children. Nest, her debut, was called "stunning" in a starred review from School Library Journal. Fetch, her second book, was called a "delight" by Publishers Weekly in a starred review. She is also the author of Every Color Soup, Skyscraper, and Beehive. Visit her at JoreyHurley.com.