Martha Calling

Susan Meddaugh was born and raised in Montclair, New Jersey. She graduated from Wheaton College, where she studied French literature and fine arts. After working briefly with an advertising agency in New York, she moved to Boston and worked at a publishing company for ten years, first as a designer, then art editor, and finally as art director. While there, she did the illustrations for GOOD STONES (Houghton Mifflin) by Anne Epstein, and then decided to strike out on her own as a freelance illustrator and creator of children's books. Since that time, Susan has written and illustrated many popular books for children, including MARTHA SPEAKS, which was chosen as a NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Book for 1992. In 1998 she was awarded the New England Book Award, given by the New England Booksellers Association to recognize a body of work. Her work also was acknowledged with a New York Times Best Illustrated Award. She lives in Sherborn, Massachusetts.

Ages 4-8. What a dog! Martha was introduced in Martha Speaks (1992), in which she swallows a can of alphabet soup. The letters go to her brain instead of her stomach, Martha starts talking, and now she won't shut up: "Me . . . meat . . . meatloaf, I like those words." But there are three words Martha hates, "No Dogs Allowed." When Martha wins a trip to the Come-On-Inn, the family have to dress her as their grandmother to avoid the no-pets rule. Martha makes a few faux pas like jumping up to catch a Frisbee, but mostly she remains undercover--and bored. With nothing to do, she orders in a pile of meat from room service and becomes so sleepy and bloated that when she's spotted by guests, someone yells, "A dog has eaten Grandma!" The commotion raises Martha from her stupor, and she makes an impassioned plea: "No Dogs Allowed! I can't believe it! Dogs have been by your side since you were in caves . . . and we still can't go into a restaurant and order a steak." The guests are moved. The Come-On-Inn changes policy, changes its name to the Sit-n-Stay Inn, and now pets are allowed, and business is "grreat!" The bright cartoon-style art is incredibly clever, both in execution and the way Meddaugh uses balloons to convey textual asides. A droll doggie delight that isn't just for the picture-book crowd. Ilene Cooper