The Many Adventures of GoGo, Yip and Dave, Vol. 1, by Linda S. Klibanow (illustrations by Natalie J. Klibanow (c) 2022; privately published; $18.99 may be obtained by sending check to GGYD, 466 Foothill Blvd. #419; La Canada, CA 91011. Contact: Lindaklibanow@gmail.com
SAN DIEGO — GoGo, Yip and Dave are three dogs who are very much like humans — that is, the variety of humans who are gentle, kind, and care about others. Author Linda S. Klibanow and her illustrator daughter Natalie J. Klibanow have conjured for young readers a world where dogs talk to other animals, as well as to people, and live by themselves in houses very similar to human abodes.
There are five stories in this volume, some of which carry moral lessons and others which are just plain fun.
In the first category are GoGo, Yip and Dave and the Summer Hideaway; GoGo, Yip and Dave Plant Trees; and Marching for Miracles. Less didactic are GoGo, Yip, and Dave and the Very Silly Tea Party and GoGo, Yip & Dave and the Hootenanny at Hickory Hill.
The three dogs’ summer hideaway is in the Angeles Forest, a short distance by California standards from where the Klibanows have their homes.
From the dogs’ hiding spot, they observe skunks, raccoons, a cougar, and coyotes while they enjoy shade from the trees and cooling drinks from a mountain stream.
They worry that the city below might someday encroach upon these woods. Their suggestion for improving the world, or as we might call it, for tikkun olam: Support groups like Greenpeace and Save the Earth.
Dogs apparently are keen environmentalists. In GoGo, Yip and Dave Plant Trees, each of them brings home a seed–one maple, one gingko, and one oak–and plant them according to directions, in little pots. As they are eating breakfast, they note that the syrup they put on their waffles comes from a maple tree; that the vitamin they take is from gingko, and the table at which they are eating is made from oak.
The sprouts of the maple and the gingko emerge from their pots relatively quickly but the oak takes much longer, causing Dave to fret that maybe he didn’t water it correctly, or that the seed was bad, or that maybe he planted it too deep. Patience, a voice emanating from their home’s glass chimes correctly counseled. And sure enough, an oak sprouted.
The third story concerned a human friend of theirs whose playful monkey named Miracles helped him scratch out a bare living. However, when the monkey took sick, Tony sadly told the dogs that he didn’t have enough money to take Miracles to the veterinarian. The dogs conferred and decided to get a dragon costume from friends in Chinatown and stage a parade for Miracles’ benefit. GoGo wore the head, Yip wore the tail, and a shopkeeper gave Dave a basket with which to collect contributions.
Miracle was a very popular monkey and everywhere they went, people not only donated money, but dressed themselves in costumes so that the parade got longer and longer. Before long enough tzedakah was raised to pay for Miracles’ visit to the veterinarian, where he was given just the right medicine. “How can I thank you?” Miracles asked the three dogs. They answered that every time Miracles entertains with Tony, she’d be thanking them. And besides, helping others are “what friends are for.”
The other two stories explain how friends can have lots of fun together if they use their imaginations. At their very silly tea party the dogs found odds and ends with which to make costumes–a white ostrich plume, a large pair of sunglasses, and four high-heeled shoes, for example. Pretending to be silly characters, they headed for the park where they had advertised there would be a silly party. One animal guest wore a scarf, another wore suspenders, and another disguised himself as a fish piñata.
In much the same way, the three dogs decided to attend a hootenanny in celebration of autumn. They found makeshift instruments in their home — a drum, cymbals and a bell — and invited their friend Tuna the Cat to come with them. When they asked Tuna what kind of instrument she would play, Tuna responded that she carries one with her all the time. It was her voice. Together, with people and other animals, they all sang, clanged, rang, and drummed, having for themselves a very merry time.
Author Klibanow is an attorney whose specialty is labor arbitration. Her artist daughter is an equestrian instructor. GoGo, Yip, and Dave are based on real dogs in the Klibanow family, who have successfully insisted that part of the proceeds from the sale of this book be donated to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
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Donald H. Harrison is editor emeritus of San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted via donald.harrison@sdjewishworld.com