A Dog’s Tale Brooksville artist’s first published children’s book taught her as much as it has to teach youngsters

Poor Bobo.

He can’t do anything right.

He likes to raid the refrigerator, sleep on the couch – even eat homework.

Bobo is a bad dog. But he wants to be good. So he enlists the help of Cat. Together they find a way to get him out of the doghouse – and into the good graces of his owner, Mrs. Birdhead.

So goes the story “How To Be a Good Dog,” written and illustrated by Brooksville artist Gail Page. Recently published by Bloomsbury, the book has already earned quite a reputation among kids and grown-ups alike. One California bookseller described Bobo’s adventure as “the perfect children’s book.” Daniel Pinkwater, author of more than 50 children’s books, read the book aloud on National Public Radio in February.

“The pictures [in this book] are pleasing and, to my eye, beautiful,” Pinkwater said in a related NPR interview. “At the same time, they’re genuinely funny. This, to me, is the best thing possible. And it’s hard to do.”

To understand how right he is, just ask Page, a fashion designer turned painter and author. “How To Be a Good Dog” may be her publishing debut, but she’s been writing children’s books for the last 25 years. Her illustrated manuscript “Three Men in a Cloud” came in second in a Dr. Seuss writing contest 14 years ago. But it took this sweet little story about a sweet big dog to really grab the attention of editors.

“Obviously people are crazy about dogs,” Page said over tea in her spacious, sunny studio overlooking the woods near Bagaduce Falls. “And people who aren’t crazy about dogs like cats. … There’s something for everybody in this book.”

Page loves dogs and cats. When visitors arrive at her home, they are greeted by Gimpel, a huge, floppy, brown-eyed sheepdog who wants to be loved. She likes to curl up on the couch, preferably with her head on someone’s lap. Page used to have an orange cat named Egypt, and like Bobo and Cat, Gimpel and Egypt were good friends.

“I had no idea I was writing a story about my dog,” she said, smiling.

The manuscript for “How To Be a Good Dog,” which Page put together nearly seven years ago, differs quite substantially from the book. The original consisted of black-and-white line drawings, as opposed to the bright, colorful pages that mirror Page’s whimsical paintings. And that was just the beginning of the changes in Bobo’s tale.

“Even though there’s no formula, there is a particular format and questions your book has to answer,” Page said. “Children have such vivid imaginations. They can make up their own answers,” Page said. “But you have to give them enough information to make the book viable – ‘Why is the dog in the house?’ I always thought anything goes.”

Her editor, Melanie Cecka, had other ideas. She gently guided Page through countless revisions. Every time Page thought she had it nailed, she had more work to do, which was a bit frustrating. And each time she revised the text, the image needed to change, too.

“I think when you have an idea and you like your idea, whenever anybody else makes a suggestion, it’s like, ‘Who owns this dog?'” Page said. “It’s always a surprise. It takes time to adjust to the idea.”

But she adjusted. Though the idea of adding color to her manuscript was jarring at first, it has become one of the book’s selling points. Readers have reacted to the buttery yellows, periwinkle blues and brilliant oranges she uses.

She’s no stranger to the power of color. A breast cancer survivor, Page used color therapy as an alternative means of healing. Before that, as a fashion designer, color shaped her world. And her glossy, playful paintings of teapots, dogs, cats and birds always feature a vibrant palette.

“Even if the story didn’t work, I thought if I could get the colors right, that would affect people.”

As it turns out, the story does work – so well that Page is at work on a sequel. Maybe the next time around, Bobo will teach Cat a few things. But regardless of the story line, one thing’s certain: It won’t take 25 years – or even another seven – to get to “The End.” Page jokes that the writing and editing process was like a graduate program in creative writing.

In other words, she learned a few new tricks.

“Everything about this, it’s so humbling when something that you do takes off and people respond favorably to it,” Page said. “I feel like it’s a kite and I need to ground myself.”

Kristen Andresen can be reached at 990-8287 and kandresen@bangordailynews.net.