Book Descriptions
for Why Dogs Have Wet Noses by Øyvind Torseter and Kenneth Steven
From The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY)
A Tablet Magazine Best Jewish Children's Book of 2015, USBBY Outstanding International Books, 2016. Norwegian Critics Prize for Children's Literature (Kritikerprisen for beste barne- og ungdomsbok) Nominee (2012).
Author is an award-winning Norwegian artist and illustrator.
Norway. Originally published in Norwegian as Historia Om Korleis Hunden Fekk Våt Snute by Det Norske Samlaget in 2012. English translation by Kenneth Steven published in the United States by Enchanted Lion in 2015.
From the Publisher
Comprised of fun and playfully surprising contemporary illustrations and a satisfying tall tale, Why Dogs Have Wet Noses is a refreshing and memorable take on an old story. Told with dry humor, this is a secular story of how, not long after the world began, it started to rain, and it was the kind of rain that pounds down and never stops. Wise as he was, a man named Noah decided to build a lifeboat, and he set about gathering as many kinds of creatures as he could think of. And he had the good sense to invite slugs, spiders, and the other slimy, creepy-crawly creatures that most people try to get rid of by spraying or stepping on. He also let a funny looking dog with a big soft nose trudge on board all by himself. Had he not done so, the Ark, as you may not know, would definitely have sunk. A lively tale of man and dog, Why Dogs Have Wet Noses, with its quirky, highly witty illustrations, is sure to delight
Born in 1972, yvind Torseter is an artist, cartoonist, and one of Norway's most acclaimed illustrators. He uses both traditional and digital picture techniques to create his illustrations and has created many picture books on his own, as well as several with different authors. As a cartoonist, he creates books for both adults and children. He has received numerous prizes and awards for his books.
Kenneth Steven was born in Glasgow in 1968 but moved to Highland Perthshire during his schooldays. He is a widely published poet, novelist, and children's author. He has also studied and taught in Norway and translates from both Norwegian and Sami.