The Muttley Crue
The Never Stories Children’s Book Series continues with Never Call Bitingo ‘a Mutt’. Never Call Bitingo ‘a Mutt’is Book 4 of the series written by Rivka Simons & Maurice DeFalco Stuckey. Never Call Bitingo ‘a Mutt’ is also illustrator Richard Rodriguez’s 4th book.
The adventures of Carl and Jessica continue the local dog park. Carl plays with his dog, Max. Max is a happy, silly terrier. Max is a rescue dog. Jessica plays with her dog, Bitingo. Bitingo is a happy, mixed-breed. He is a rescue dog, too. Ken has a terrier, too. Her name is Mya. Mya is a pedigree, Carin Terrier. Mya is happy and athletic. She catches everything Ken throws to her and brings it back to him. Evan brings his dog, Miss Puddin Pie. Miss Puddin Pie is a fluffy, bright white dog. Miss Puddin Pie wears pretty little frilly clothes with matching bows in her hair and jewelry around her neck. Evan does not play with Miss Puddin Pie, because she could get dirty.
Lex and Luther are Mr. Soul Bunny’s dogs. They are the gentle giants of The Muttley Crue. Mrs. B’s dog is the old lady of the pack. Her name is Summer. She moves more slowly than the other dogs. The same group of dogs often play together at the park. Carl and Jessica call them, “The Muttley Crue”.
A child without a dog named, Gavin, comes along. He compares the dogs. He decides that he like Little Mya, the pedigree, the best. Gavin thinks that Miss Puddin Pie is too much work. Gavin likes the antics of silly, Max, but likes Mya the best. Then he refers to Jessica’s dog, Bitingo, as Bitingo, the Mutt Dog. Jessica loves her rescue dog, Bitingo. She is hurt by the boy’s words. Jessica is a bold, little girl. She stands up for her recue dog, Bitingo. Jessica tells Gavin to ‘never call Bitingo, ‘a Mutt’. Carl tries to make peace. He tells Gavin that dogs are as different as people. He also explains that ‘mutt’ is a mean word.
Bitingo the Mutt Dog Rescue Dog
Never Call Bitingo ‘a Mutt’ is a story within a story. Jessica told Gavin if he knew Bitingo’s story, he would never call Bitingo, ‘Bitingo, the Mutt Dog’. The children want to hear the story of Bitingo.
When Hurricane Florence struck Pamplico, South Carolina, it flooded the low country. Bitingo was a junkyard dog. His master was an old man called, Mr. Junkyard Jim. He owned the junkyard and Bitingo. In the flood, Bitingo barked and howled atop a stack of junked cars until help came. People tried to save Bitingo. Bitingo would not leave without Mr. Junkyard Jim. He led a boat of First Responders to his master, trapped in a trailer. Bitingo saved his life. Bitingo was a hero. Because of Bitingo, a person lived another day.
Never Call Bitingo, ‘a Mutt’ is the old lesson to never judge a book by its cover. Carl and Jessica, and The Muttley Crue show Gavin he was wrong. Gavin is sorry for calling the rescue dog ‘Bitingo, the Mutt Dog’.
Illustrated by Richard Rodriguez, humor and drama come to life. Artwork of the friends and their dogs must be seen. He shows the power of Hurricane Florence. He shows the heroes of that time. Not everyone will think that Bitingo can be one of the heroes.
In the book, Never Call Bitingo, ‘a Mutt’, children will learn about a day at the dog park. They will learn about love and respect. They will learn about differences. They will fall in love with The Muttley Crue. They will all love a rescue dog named, “Bitingo”.
