Buy new:
$17.90
FREE delivery Monday, May 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$17.90
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 13 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 9. Order within 20 hrs 51 mins
Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).
$$17.90 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.90
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.69
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Saturday, May 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery Thursday, May 9. Order within 20 hrs 51 mins
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$17.90 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$17.90
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Marla Frazee
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Little Brown Hardcover – Picture Book, October 2, 2018

by Marla Frazee (Author, Illustrator)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 36 ratings
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$17.90","priceAmount":17.90,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"17","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"90","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"qFNPgKjcj0odPwNiJ7JRQTass2AbgHZ%2BF1bOCSWn7osoq1h88ovv6VhexG8xRDuzFgH2luxVcQ8Oo0JbNS3QRIHdhduvOqw8k1rnoZGNAzmL1eB2gRuhkW4JFc0J9ontcba2rCrpP4uCa19KeJzfRQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.69","priceAmount":9.69,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"69","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"qFNPgKjcj0odPwNiJ7JRQTass2AbgHZ%2BQq0rgip8Y2DLlSI%2FOZz9YL2StTb6f2%2FTrvRo%2Bl64FDCkpJHT%2BNghP7vAy9jaImVncMDCJhGXI%2FnuBHZZONtjkSvN5mu48oqBn9ogObvBw%2FyK2FUCMc%2FAWNWZj6RSiAdyVv1vlCHh9ri3f0Re4kORf%2BG7hgV9Tz7B","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“An open-ended story that creates a great starting point for meaningful discussion with young children about bullying and inclusion.” —School Library Journal (starred review)

A grumpy and lonely little dog at the animal shelter decides to take matters into his own paws in this though-provoking and sublime picture book from the award-winning author and illustrator of The Boss Baby!

Little Brown is one cranky canine because no one ever plays with him at the animal shelter. Or maybe no one ever plays with him because he is cranky. Either way, Little Brown decides today is the day to take action, so he takes all of the toys and sticks and blankets from all of the dogs at the shelter and won’t give them back. But what will happen now?
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    Baby - 8 years
  2. Print length
    40 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Lexile measure
    AD530L
  6. Dimensions
    8 x 0.4 x 12 inches
  7. Publisher
    Beach Lane Books
  8. Publication date
    October 2, 2018
  9. ISBN-10
    1481425226
  10. ISBN-13
    978-1481425223
  11. See all details
Next page
The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Frequently bought together

Little Brown
$17.90
Get it as soon as Monday, May 13
Only 1 left in stock (more on the way).
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
In Every Life: (Caldecott Honor)
$11.96
Get it as soon as Saturday, May 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
One of these items ships sooner than the other.
Show details Hide details
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-Little Brown feels isolated at the dog park. The other dogs play and communicate with one another while he sits alone next to the chain-link fence. Frazee poses the conundrum: is his grouchiness the reason he's left alone or does being friendless put him in a perpetually bad mood? Fed up with being ignored, Little Brown suddenly and methodically seizes all the toys the other animals have been enjoying. Astounded at his actions, they all sit and stare at him in confusion as he perches, King of the Mountain-style, on top of his toy-hostage haul. Illustrations in gouache and black Prismacolor are in muted shades of gray, tan and rust. Thought bubbles let readers in on the dogs' bewilderment and indecision on what to do about their situation. And their decision is classic. The endpapers show every one of the 17 dogs pictured and labeled with its name, except for Little Brown whose photo has a question mark attached to it. VERDICT An open-ended story that creates a great starting point for meaningful discussion with young children about bullying and inclusion.-Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WIα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

PreS-Gr 2–Little Brown feels isolated at the dog park. The other dogs play and communicate with one another while he sits alone next to the chain-link fence. Frazee poses the conundrum: is his grouchiness the reason he’s left alone or does being friendless put him in a perpetually bad mood? Fed up with being ignored, Little Brown suddenly and methodically seizes all the toys the other animals have been enjoying. Astounded at his actions, they all sit and stare at him in confusion as he perches, King of the Mountain–style, on top of his toy-hostage haul. Illustrations in gouache and black Prismacolor are in muted shades of gray, tan and rust. Thought bubbles let readers in on the dogs’ bewilderment and indecision on what to do about their situation. And their decision is classic. The endpapers show every one of the 17 dogs pictured and labeled with its name, except for Little Brown whose photo has a question mark attached to it. VERDICT An open-ended story that creates a great starting point for meaningful discussion with young children about bullying and inclusion.–Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library WI -- School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW ― November 2018

Frazee interestingly leaves the conclusion open-ended, with no dog managing to break the standoff....offers easy discussion prompts (the dogs’ questions could be posed to the audience verbatim) for some empathy-building and social consideration, while the adults can consider larger political symbolism. Frazee’s pencil and gouache illustrations draw on a somber earth-toned palette, and poor hunched-over Little Brown is the picture of unhappy distrust as he lurks against the chain-link fence. The absence of humans to bring higher authority emphasizes the playground aspects of the scene, and kids who’ve struggled to negotiate interpersonal dynamics there will find this a useful invitation to talk them through.
-- BCCB ― October 2018

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Beach Lane Books (October 2, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 40 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1481425226
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1481425223
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ Baby - 8 years
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ AD530L
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.4 x 12 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 36 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Marla Frazee

Marla Frazee

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Marla Frazee (born January 16, 1958) is an American author and illustrator of children's literature. She has won two Caldecott Honors for picture book illustration.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Greg Preston Photography [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
36 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Translate all reviews to English
Maricela
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved!!
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
A mi hijo le encantó este libro.
Helpful
 Report
Linda Herreid
5.0 out of 5 stars Little dog learns about friendship
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2018
Verified Purchase
Thought provoking story about friendship.
Helpful
 Report
Paula B
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book that will stimulate discussion!
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2019
Little Brown is cranky. But the question is, is he cranky because no one will play with him, or will no one play with him because he is cranky? Marla Frazee creates a beautiful picture book that will help kids grapple with big questions like this one around cause and effect. She also doesn't give readers a clean cut and tidy answer, but leaves them to think about it for themselves. A great book for generating conversation and thinking deeply-or for just the simple enjoyment of a terrific picture book
Helpful
 Report
Judy Houser, Lower School Librarian, Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, Melbourne, FL
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this book!
Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2019
I love Marla Frazee's Little Brown (she also wrote The Boss Baby and many other great children's books). Perfect for helping young children understand how loneliness fuels crankiness and can lead to bullying. Can't wait to share it with my students. Anticipate great discussion. I didn't purchase my copy from Amazon--I am a school librarian and received it through a subscription service, so it won't show as a verified purchase. It's just such a perfect book, I have to encourage everyone to read it.
Helpful
 Report
Tonja Drecker
4.0 out of 5 stars A book which opens to discussions
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2018
This is the sweetest, cranky doggy with a very difficult dilemma.

Little Brown is a cranky dog and none of the other dogs want to play with him. Whether it is because he is cranky, or whether he's become cranky since none of the other dogs play with him is something none of them can remember. He watches them play and wishes he could have fun too...if they would play with him. One day, when a ball rolls by, Little Brown has an idea.

The story touches the heart. Little Brown is cranky, but the circumstances surrounding his crankiness make him easy to identify with. It's hard not to wish that he'd find a friend to play with...or that the other dogs would give him a chance. It's the kind of character which immediately draws the reader in. The text flows nicely, and although some words might be a little difficult for the intended audience, it's a great way to expand the vocabulary.

The illustrations are well done and show as much emotion as the story itself. The dark, dreary colors add the perfect atmosphere, yet still allow the sweetness of the dogs to shine through. It's fun to see each dog with their own personality and watch how they interact...something kids will enjoy flipping through on their own.

The only thing which made me hesitate on this book is the ending. It's a cliff-hanger—one without any closure. The dogs face an important dilemma, one with a very important message, and it's dropped there. While this does open up for discussion and can be seen as a great way to launch kids into an exploration of how they would handle the situation, it doesn't work as a picture book for a normal story time or bedtime read...and this is something readers/parents/guardians should be aware of before purchasing the book. If you are open to using this as a launch pad to discussion (which is also a great thing), then this is a very lovely read and wonderfully done.

I received a complimentary copy and found Little Brown to be such a lovely character that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
7 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Bridget Middaugh
5.0 out of 5 stars Little brown and teaching
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2019
I’m a special educator in an elementary school. This story allows for point of view conversations and gives an opportunity for students to chose their own ending. What an amazing little book.
One person found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
A. M. P.
5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative and beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2018
This isn't a picture book for the very young child. It's thought-provoking and almost depressing (at least for me personally). And yet, there's a sliver of hope and desire--it's tiny and you have to look for it--that makes this book something I had to own and will never forget. Phenomenally beautiful.
Helpful
 Report
Erin Buhr
4.0 out of 5 stars A great discussion starter
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2018
This book is more about not having friends and the lengths that one might go to in order to have friends. Little Brown, a dog, is cranky. It might be because no one plays with him. It might be that no one plays with him because he's cranky. Regardless, today he decides to do something about it but....it might not be the best approach. I like that this book doesn't really answer any questions, but it raises good ones and will start a conversation about this ordinary childhood event. 
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Bonita pero triste historia. Algo caro.
Reviewed in Mexico on December 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
Los gráficos y texto son sencillos en este breve relato sobre un perrito poco sociable. Al leerlo para niños pequeños es necesario que los adultos expliquemos a los infantes lo que pasa en la historia y las causas. ME GUSTÓ MUCHO aunque me enristeció.
Report