This book is aimed at children four to eight years old, although parents and weird adults like me should also get a kick out of it. The letters are funny, and one could - if one were so inclined - make an object lesson out of comparing Ike's situation with that of a misbehaving child, but the big sell here is really the pictures. Each page is graced with vivid illustrations contrasting the reality of Ike's life at the Academy with the melodramatic visions of oppression and misery he tries to convey in his letters to Mrs. LaRue. If you are looking for that special book to convince your young child that reading is fun, Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School may well be that book.

13 of 14 found the following review helpful:

This book is hysterical!  Sep 14, 2002

My husband and I LOVED this book... it's a treat for readers of all ages! Anyone who has ever owned a pet... had a child... or BEEN a child... can relate all too well to Ike's melodramatic reimaginings of reality. No detail in this book has been overlooked... Ike's tone in every letter is perfect and true. The illustrations are packed with funny details. This is the perfect book for the child or dog-lover in anyone's life -- I've found the perfect Christmas stocking stuffer for about 8 people on my list!

14 of 16 found the following review helpful:

It's a Dog's Life.....  Nov 18, 2002
By Roz Levine
As the local newpaper reports: "Citing a long list of behavioral problems, Snort City resident Gertrude R. LaRue yesterday enrolled her dog, Ike, in the Igor Brotweiler Canine Academy. Established in 1953, the Academy has a history of dealing with such issues..." Poor Ike, as he tells it, in clever letters home to his mistress, his unfortunate incarceration is all a big mistake. Brotweiler is filled with bad dogs, and he doesn't fit in. He is very unhappy and just doesn't deserve this gross injustice. But as we take a peek at his life in obedience school, one thing becomes immediately apparent, Ike's not living a cruel doggy jailhouse existence as he claims, but is spending his days in the lap of luxury at what appears to be a plush canine spa, complete with pool, sauna, and waiter served gourmet meals..... Mark Teague's engaging text, with its dry, dead-pan delivery, is peppered with hilarious, guilt-laden hyperbole. But it's his marvelously creative and imaginative illustrations, rich in witty, eye-catching detail, that really make this book stand out and sparkle. Each two page spread shows Ike in bold color, leading the life of a pampered dog at "Club Pet" juxtaposed with the black and white jailhouse scenes of his letters, and kids will revel in being in on the joke. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Dear Mrs. LaRue is an entertaining, fun-filled romp that shouldn't be missed, and definitely one of the best new books of 2002.

10 of 11 found the following review helpful:

That's one irrepressible pooch!  Sep 16, 2003
By Daniel L Edelen
Ike LaRue is a dog wronged. Accused of eating a chicken pie without permission, scaring the neighbor's cats, and tearing his owner's camel hair coat, he finds himself shipped off to a posh obedience school. But Ike, being quite the ham, exaggerates his "imprisonment" in a series of letters to his accusing owner, Mrs. LaRue. Despite his protestations concerning the food, the "guards", and the lousy medical care he receives (being unfairly labeled a "hypochondriac") while in the clutches of the Igor Brotweiler school, his judgmental owner never springs the poor pooch.

Mark Teague brings his pretentious pup to glowing life in a series of truth vs. fiction illustrations that show Ike's reality in contrast with the imagined conditions he portrays in his notes home. It's difficult not to smile at the lengths Ike goes to in order to prove himself innocent, while pleading for his owner to rescue him from a fate worse than death.

Is Ike justified in the end? Let's just say that all dogs have their day and Ike's is better than most.

This is one of those exceedingly rare books that will appeal to children AND parents. The large, lively graphics, wit, and overall cleverness in concept make this an endearing classic already. Even my three year old son, who can in no way understand many of the sly jokes, repeatedly wished to have us read this one - always a great endorsement. On first reading I thought the book was a little much, but it grows on you, getting funnier with each reading. I've never really seen a children's book like this one before and for sheer flair "Dear Mrs. LaRue" gets a big thumbs up.

7 of 7 found the following review helpful:

Snoopy's successor  Feb 15, 2004
By E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird"
Not since Snoopy himself penned those famous words, "It was a dark and stormy night", has a canine been so eloquent on paper. Having been sent to obedience school for what he deems minor infractions, Ike LaRue finds himself writing pitiful letters to his owner afar. Kids reading this book will have to distinguish between the overdramatic things Ike says and the colorful pictures that display how life really is. As they read the book, children will see that while Ike may state some over-exaggerations, he truly does feel affection for his owner, Mrs. LaRue.

Author Mark Teague is hardly unknown to the world of children's illustrations. The ever-popular "How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?" featured his own unique illustrating methods. But he is just as able an author. "Dear Mrs. LaRue", is an adept melding of text and artistry. In each scene the viewer sees the truth in color, and Ike's fabulous imaginations in bleak black and white. Interestingly enough, it is difficult to say exactly how much Ike says is fanciful. For example, Ike's insistence that he has saved his owner numerable times from speeding vehicles turns out to be more than true at the end of the story. Also, a final shot of the cats Ike has hounded suggests that they may not be the angelic creatures so believed of their owners.

The book is an excellent one for children, containing more than a few visual jokes for adults. Parents can choose whether or not to explain what Ike's diagnosis of "hypochondria" really means or why they laughed when one of the final pictures displayed a jubilant display of people carrying "I like Ike" signs.

Mark Teague notes on the book flap that when his own dog wanted attention it would feign a limp, "But if he was distracted by something - a squirrel or an interesting smell - he was likely to forget which paw was supposedly hurt and give himself away". With such an inspiration, this book wasn't necessarily bound to be good. It just happened to work out nicely that way.

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