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The Sailor Dog
A classic Little Golden Book by Goodnight Moon author Margaret Wise Brown and beloved illustrator Garth Williams.
Scuppers the Dog wants to be a sailor. He was born at sea and he wants nothing more than to return to water. Finally, after a long time, Scuppers gets the chance to go out into the deep blue ocean—but his ship gets wrecked! Oh no! But Scuppers won’t let that bother him. He fixes his boat and gets right back to it!
Scuppers the Dog wants to be a sailor. He was born at sea and he wants nothing more than to return to water. Finally, after a long time, Scuppers gets the chance to go out into the deep blue ocean—but his ship gets wrecked! Oh no! But Scuppers won’t let that bother him. He fixes his boat and gets right back to it!
24 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1953
About the author
Margaret Wise Brown
348 books1,078 followersMargaret Wise Brown wrote hundreds of books and stories during her life, but she is best known for Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Even though she died nearly 70 years ago, her books still sell very well.
Margaret loved animals. Most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She liked to write books that had a rhythm to them. Sometimes she would put a hard word into the story or poem. She thought this made children think harder when they are reading.
She wrote all the time. There are many scraps of paper where she quickly wrote down a story idea or a poem. She said she dreamed stories and then had to write them down in the morning before she forgot them.
She tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story, which often isn't the same way an adult would tell a story. She also taught illustrators to draw the way a child saw things. One time she gave two puppies to someone who was going to draw a book with that kind of dog. The illustrator painted many pictures one day and then fell asleep. When he woke up, the papers he painted on were bare. The puppies had licked all the paint off the paper.
Margaret died after surgery for a bursting appendix while in France. She had many friends who still miss her. They say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. Margaret saw herself as something else - a writer of songs and nonsense.
Margaret loved animals. Most of her books have animals as characters in the story. She liked to write books that had a rhythm to them. Sometimes she would put a hard word into the story or poem. She thought this made children think harder when they are reading.
She wrote all the time. There are many scraps of paper where she quickly wrote down a story idea or a poem. She said she dreamed stories and then had to write them down in the morning before she forgot them.
She tried to write the way children wanted to hear a story, which often isn't the same way an adult would tell a story. She also taught illustrators to draw the way a child saw things. One time she gave two puppies to someone who was going to draw a book with that kind of dog. The illustrator painted many pictures one day and then fell asleep. When he woke up, the papers he painted on were bare. The puppies had licked all the paint off the paper.
Margaret died after surgery for a bursting appendix while in France. She had many friends who still miss her. They say she was a creative genius who made a room come to life with her excitement. Margaret saw herself as something else - a writer of songs and nonsense.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 7, 2014
The Sailor Dog
This book has it all - travel, adventure, life choices, being decisive, being resourceful, transport options, shipwreck, buried treasure, fashion statements, sartorial splendour, boats, the high seas, ship repairing, building a beach house. And Scuppers The Sailor Dog has his own song to sing at the end.
All this packed into 24 pages. This is the skill of writing for young kids - not as easy as it looks.
Through the story there it has, woven rhythmic word reinforcement that repeats words, essential and valuable for children to learn to read and learn to love reading. Get 'em while they're young, I say. Are children's books the most important books of all? There's a question to think about.
I love this book. I've read it a gazillion times to my kids, now all grown up.
The Sailor Dog is a picture book. With picture books the pictures are as important as, and integral to the story. The pictures, which are in pen and ink and watercolour are illustrated by Garth Williams.
Scuppers is the ultimate Salty Dog!
My youngest son had a pet duck, and Indian Runner, which he names Scuppers. We had Scuppers for 8 years before he was taken by a fox.
This book has it all - travel, adventure, life choices, being decisive, being resourceful, transport options, shipwreck, buried treasure, fashion statements, sartorial splendour, boats, the high seas, ship repairing, building a beach house. And Scuppers The Sailor Dog has his own song to sing at the end.
All this packed into 24 pages. This is the skill of writing for young kids - not as easy as it looks.
Through the story there it has, woven rhythmic word reinforcement that repeats words, essential and valuable for children to learn to read and learn to love reading. Get 'em while they're young, I say. Are children's books the most important books of all? There's a question to think about.
I love this book. I've read it a gazillion times to my kids, now all grown up.
The Sailor Dog is a picture book. With picture books the pictures are as important as, and integral to the story. The pictures, which are in pen and ink and watercolour are illustrated by Garth Williams.
Scuppers is the ultimate Salty Dog!
My youngest son had a pet duck, and Indian Runner, which he names Scuppers. We had Scuppers for 8 years before he was taken by a fox.
Read
June 1, 2017I got this book as a present for Sam a while ago because apparently it was really formative for him as a kid! Specifically this page:
Ever since he read that, he has been obsessed with hooks and having a place for everything and everything in its place. Once we read the actual book, we found that it's actually pretty strange and has some major plot holes. These golden books weren't really meant to be great literature.
Ever since he read that, he has been obsessed with hooks and having a place for everything and everything in its place. Once we read the actual book, we found that it's actually pretty strange and has some major plot holes. These golden books weren't really meant to be great literature.
October 9, 2018
This is the ultimate children's book about resilience! So, he was shipwrecked? He builds a house and catches his supper from the sea.
I'm a 63 year old pediatrician, and can still recite this story, because of the number of times children have asked me to tell it to them. I've coached them through chemotherapy and asthma attacks with the words, that both interest and calm small people. Gorgeous illustrations by Garth Williams and story/lyrics by Margaret Wise Brown.
I'm a 63 year old pediatrician, and can still recite this story, because of the number of times children have asked me to tell it to them. I've coached them through chemotherapy and asthma attacks with the words, that both interest and calm small people. Gorgeous illustrations by Garth Williams and story/lyrics by Margaret Wise Brown.
January 4, 2021
@ Alexa Lee, this dog lives our DREAM
December 27, 2014
"The Sailor Dog" is a less well known work by the author of "Goodnight Moon". Scupper, the title character is born on a boat. He spends the early part of the book deciding he doesn't want to ride in a plane or train or car. He's from the sea and that's where he belongs. He returns to the sea, but is shipwrecked. Through his resourcefulness he endures isolation on an abandoned island where he repairs his boat. Once his boat is repaired he travels to many strange and different lands. Through his resourcefulness, open mind and perseverance Scupper is able to discover who he truly is.
February 1, 2013
Granted I'm not a child and I read this for the first time 5 minutes ago, but I've never read a children's book so boring and tedious as this one. I hope the homeless child my mother bought this for will enjoy it more than I.
June 8, 2015
I'm sorry, but this is too far away from my knowledge/comfort level. Why does the sailor have to be a dog? Why does he dress in British colonial gear? Exactly whose boat is he sailing on (or did he steal it?)? Too many questions!
June 5, 2008
My husband's very favorite book. We named our dog after the main character!
May 3, 2010
My brother and I loved this just to bits when we were kids, and I got to read it to my cousin's little girl while in Florida! A very sweet thing, that.
August 21, 2023
I don't usually rate kids books, but eesh. Every other page is a paragraph long unbroken sentence about nothing. It's like a bad LLM wrote this.
On the plus side, the dog is cute and the 'song' at the end is decent.
On the plus side, the dog is cute and the 'song' at the end is decent.
May 21, 2023
I really think this is one of the best kids books out there. I mean, it still holds up. The writing is so lyrical, which isn't always the case for children's books, just because the language is often simplified so they can comprehend it. But this book is entertaining and read-able for really young kids while still having a sense of poetry about it that I just love. I loved it when my grandma read it to me before I could read myself, and I love it now.
January 10, 2014
My husband and I agree this is one of the worst children's books we've read. The prose is weird… stilted and rambling… there are plot holes, the narrative is almost incoherent… and the song is kind of terrible. This isn't a case of expecting too much from a children's book--we have dozens and have read hundreds and trust me, there are way better books.
Having said that, of course some children still love it. It's about a dog, and sailing, and the illustrations are colorful and pretty decent. But we quickly gave our copy away before our daughter got too attached…
Having said that, of course some children still love it. It's about a dog, and sailing, and the illustrations are colorful and pretty decent. But we quickly gave our copy away before our daughter got too attached…
September 23, 2017
The Sailor Dog by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrated by Garth Williams, is an adorable story about Scuppers the Dog and his adventure across the sea!
Oh my goodness, this book is adorable! The storyline is short and sweet, but also very exciting! Scuppers goes on quite the adventure. The illustrations are also very lovely!
A very enjoyable read as an adult... but I cannot wait to read this one to my future kiddos to see their reactions!
Oh my goodness, this book is adorable! The storyline is short and sweet, but also very exciting! Scuppers goes on quite the adventure. The illustrations are also very lovely!
A very enjoyable read as an adult... but I cannot wait to read this one to my future kiddos to see their reactions!
March 3, 2022
Nostalgi
December 31, 2019
great illustrations by Garth Williams.
August 26, 2015
This is one of the greatest children's books. I have always loved it.
I did not realize, until I was looking for a copy to gift my younger cousins, that it was written by Margaret Wise Brown of Goodnight Moon, or that it was illustrated by the wonderful Garth Williams who illustrated Little House on the Prairie.
Due to my hearing loss, I did not realize the dog was named "Scuppers," though- all these years I thought he was called "Scupper!"
What I did remember was the song: "Scuppers the Sailor Dog." My siblings and I used to alter the lyrics to be about our dog, to describe whatever unbearably cute thing she might be doing.
Scuppers the Sailor Dog has adventures all over the world, sure to inspire wanderlust and curiosity in little ones. The illustrations are just beautiful and inspiring as well.
I did not realize, until I was looking for a copy to gift my younger cousins, that it was written by Margaret Wise Brown of Goodnight Moon, or that it was illustrated by the wonderful Garth Williams who illustrated Little House on the Prairie.
Due to my hearing loss, I did not realize the dog was named "Scuppers," though- all these years I thought he was called "Scupper!"
What I did remember was the song: "Scuppers the Sailor Dog." My siblings and I used to alter the lyrics to be about our dog, to describe whatever unbearably cute thing she might be doing.
Scuppers the Sailor Dog has adventures all over the world, sure to inspire wanderlust and curiosity in little ones. The illustrations are just beautiful and inspiring as well.
August 13, 2017
This is an odd story, but we were enticed by the picture of the puppy on the cover and the fact that it was written by Margaret Wise Brown. It's interesting, but rambles.
Scupper's song at the end of the book is humorous and reminds me of the theme song from the Popeye cartoon.
The illustrations are fun, with interesting details. We enjoyed reading this book together, even if it can't compare to Goodnight Moon in our esteem.
August 2017 update: discovered this book in a bookswap bin and just had to read it again. It's still a pretty odd story, but would likely appeal to younger children.
Scupper's song at the end of the book is humorous and reminds me of the theme song from the Popeye cartoon.
The illustrations are fun, with interesting details. We enjoyed reading this book together, even if it can't compare to Goodnight Moon in our esteem.
August 2017 update: discovered this book in a bookswap bin and just had to read it again. It's still a pretty odd story, but would likely appeal to younger children.
February 17, 2008
This was my first book! In 1953, my mom read it to me daily. The illustrations are embedding deep in my memory after a thousand sittings.
Garth Williams, the illustrator, was on his way to a fulfilling career. He illustrated the Little House series, Stuart Little, Cricket in Time Square, Charlotte's Web, and many other children's books.
He write and illustrated The Rabbit's Wedding in 1958. It proved controversial with the topic of a wedding between two rabbits, one white and the other black.
Williams died in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1996. He's buried in Aspen, Colorado. I will discover his grave someday and pay homage to his awakening of my love of books.
Garth Williams, the illustrator, was on his way to a fulfilling career. He illustrated the Little House series, Stuart Little, Cricket in Time Square, Charlotte's Web, and many other children's books.
He write and illustrated The Rabbit's Wedding in 1958. It proved controversial with the topic of a wedding between two rabbits, one white and the other black.
Williams died in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1996. He's buried in Aspen, Colorado. I will discover his grave someday and pay homage to his awakening of my love of books.
May 13, 2014
How can a Little Golden Book that was written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Garth Williams be anything less than perfect?
Margaret Wise Brown wrote poetry -- not the forced rhythm, attempted rhyming couplets (or quatrains) that so often results in doggerel poetry -- not necessarily with a rhyme at all, but it was poetry none-the-less. Her writing, for the most part, should be read out loud and savored.
I grew up with Garth Williams' illustrations. From the time I was about six, we had all the "Little House" books in our house, and I devoured them. His work shaped the way I thought about illustrations.
Margaret Wise Brown wrote poetry -- not the forced rhythm, attempted rhyming couplets (or quatrains) that so often results in doggerel poetry -- not necessarily with a rhyme at all, but it was poetry none-the-less. Her writing, for the most part, should be read out loud and savored.
I grew up with Garth Williams' illustrations. From the time I was about six, we had all the "Little House" books in our house, and I devoured them. His work shaped the way I thought about illustrations.
July 11, 2022
This book drives me crazy. Several plot holes. On page 3 he sees a submarine that goes under the sea. Then on page 5 he goes over the hills and far away until he gets to the sea?? Presumably the captain of the ship says, “All aboard!” But then for the rest of the book Scuppers is on the ship by himself. He finds bricks on the beach?? It’s also awkwardly written. “Too big a storm” blew in? It reads like a dream where things happen that make no sense but no one seems to be surprised.
Shelved as 'read-to-bobby'
April 1, 2024Some colonialist aesthetic vibes but this was an absolute favorite for me. Esp the pine boughs bed.
January 23, 2018
I won't have a bad word said against that dog. All the human virtues, I learned from scuppers. Strangely moving to a child.
February 22, 2021
Another pleasant little story from Wise Brown - she really knew how to write this style of book, and this is further evidence of that.
I shall continue with the Wise Brown journey!
I shall continue with the Wise Brown journey!
March 28, 2023
The five-star rating really applies to the original version of this book, which is indeed as wonderful as the reviews indicate. The thing to watch out for in newer editions is that four pages of illustration and some text from the original edition are left out--the airplane scene, fishing scene, and the little house at night with smoke coming out of the chimney. If you have a beloved, tattered old copy from your childhood, by all means buy this new edition as a copy for your kids to chew on. But don't throw the old one away! And, if you love Garth Williams or Helen Wise Brown, look for a copy of the original edition in a used book store or web equivalent to get the whole story. Of course, if you have never seen the original, you won't miss a thing. The story and illustrations are still wonderful.
January 26, 2023
I re-read this last night. It was my favourite childhood book.
I still love the deep colours of the pictures, the snugness of Scuppers' berth on his boat, his excitement at running down to the sea to set off on his voyage, his resourcefulness when shipwrecked, his bed of pine branches, the bizarre collection of shoes and the strange violet hat that the mariners' outfitters' has, and the final page where Scuppers is sailing off on further, stirring adventures scanning the horizon with his telescope, searching for wonders.
I can still sing the song, too.
Somewhere I have a French version as well - Le Chien-Matelot - in which Scuppers is named as Hublot.
I still love the deep colours of the pictures, the snugness of Scuppers' berth on his boat, his excitement at running down to the sea to set off on his voyage, his resourcefulness when shipwrecked, his bed of pine branches, the bizarre collection of shoes and the strange violet hat that the mariners' outfitters' has, and the final page where Scuppers is sailing off on further, stirring adventures scanning the horizon with his telescope, searching for wonders.
I can still sing the song, too.
Somewhere I have a French version as well - Le Chien-Matelot - in which Scuppers is named as Hublot.
May 12, 2020
I was cleaning out some old plastic bins the other day and found some of my old children's books. Re-reading some of them was a real joy, revisiting old memories.
This was one of my favorite stories as a child. I loved journeying and adventuring with Scuppers. He was brave, inventive and downright adorable. The illustrations really brought his journey to life. Plus, the song at the end, that really makes the book fun and enjoyable!
Great story for any child, or anyone, who loves ships, dogs or adventure!
This was one of my favorite stories as a child. I loved journeying and adventuring with Scuppers. He was brave, inventive and downright adorable. The illustrations really brought his journey to life. Plus, the song at the end, that really makes the book fun and enjoyable!
Great story for any child, or anyone, who loves ships, dogs or adventure!
November 18, 2024
Some imaginative art where dogs are just like people, except when they sleep, and a great, original name for a dog ...
But there isn't a story. Just things that happened to Scuppers. Why is he a sailor? How is he making money? He's not transporting anything. He's not fishing. This feels like the first of a series ... or that the author got drunk right before a deadline.
And was I the only one sad to see female dogs in burkhas? Dogs are too smart to be religious.
Glad I skipped this one as a kid and kinda wish I hadn't found it on The Internet Archive.
But there isn't a story. Just things that happened to Scuppers. Why is he a sailor? How is he making money? He's not transporting anything. He's not fishing. This feels like the first of a series ... or that the author got drunk right before a deadline.
And was I the only one sad to see female dogs in burkhas? Dogs are too smart to be religious.
Glad I skipped this one as a kid and kinda wish I hadn't found it on The Internet Archive.
January 10, 2025
Scuppers was born at sea, but he grew up on a farm. He travels far and away to get back to the sea and go sailing on his own. He is shipwrecked and has to repair his damaged ship. Scuppers doesn't mind storms, as long as he can continue sailing on the sea.
This book is so cute! I love that there are a lot of details about Scuppers' hat and coat and spyglass, etc... and how he organizes his cabin onboard the ship. Adorable!
This book is so cute! I love that there are a lot of details about Scuppers' hat and coat and spyglass, etc... and how he organizes his cabin onboard the ship. Adorable!
October 3, 2018
Scuppers is a dog who wanted to beva sailor, which he does. He is shipwrecked and washed onto shore. He usesvdriftwood and some tools he found to build a house "all by himself." He starts a fire and builds himself a bed. Then he repairs his ship and sails back out to sea which is where he wants to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2024
The title pretty much says it all - Scuppers is a dog who likes to sail. I think I would have liked this a bit more if the pooch had more dog-like traits, like begging for treats, or chasing cars. As it is, he could have been a mouse or a badger, or a human. Sailing is really all that matters . . .
He does look darned cute in that rain gear, though.
He does look darned cute in that rain gear, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews