Famous for driving through town with Scarface Claw on top of his car. Spoiler, he is not the toughest Tom in town. New Zealand bloody loves Hairy Maclary. We’ve made films about his life, erected statues in his honour, and turned Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy into the bestselling book of last decade. The prime minister once read a Hairy Maclary book on national television, and we all know a small kid who can’t put their pants on properly but can drop a casual “cacophony” or “skedaddle” into the conversation like a total boss. This is of course all thanks to Dame Lynley Dodd, who writes sweet, simple stories about a mischievous terrier and his gang of doggy mates.

The character Hairy Maclary made his first appearance in 1983 in the book titled Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy. [1] He is the protagonist in twelve books in the series, and there are a further nine books about his friends. [1] Although the books are designed to entertain young children, they are not intended as "early readers", as are, for example, the " Cat in the Hat" books by Dr. Seuss which have a very basic and largely phonic vocabulary. The Hairy Maclary books, despite their simple stories, introduce the listening child to some long but very expressive words, which are not part of the average preschooler vocabulary but must be understood by the child in the context in which they occur. For example, the noise made by a stranded cat and the excited dogs who discover it is described as a "cacophony". Bitzer Maloney is the only other member of Hairy Maclary‘s gang that, like Hairy Maclary, is of mixed-breed parentage. With his large bright eyes, long legs, finely boned thin frame and snaky tail, he is definitely part greyhound. Once gave Hairy Maclary the prize for the Scruffiest Cat, which is an outrageous slight against our valiant hero. Should expect to be rolled at the next AGM. We can all agree that one fussy budgie is trouble enough, but four? FOUR?! Four fussy budgies could rule the world.

Lynley Dodd is an award-winning author/illustrator who lives in New Zealand. She is enormously popular for her rhyming stories of the unforgettable HAIRY MACLARY and his friends. She worked as a teacher before beginning to write her own books in 1974.

We barely had a chance to know Ray, given all he did was wave a hat at Scarface Claw once. But, what a hat! What a wave! Don’t be a stranger, Ray. I too have a very low tum and struggle to climb over walls, so SVK and I share a bond that can never be broken.

Books Multibuys

Hairy Maclary's adventures are usually in the company of his other dog friends who include the Dachshund Schnitzel von Krumm, the Dalmatian Bottomley Potts, the Greyhound Bitzer Maloney, the English Mastiff Hercules Morse and the Old English Sheepdog Muffin McLay. The series also features cats Scarface Claw, their formidable opponent, and Slinky Malinki. Slinky Malinki’s partner in crime. Don’t let the impressive plumage confuse you, this beaker is ready to cause carnage 24/7. This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. ( January 2023) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Books like Hairy Maclary’s Caterwaul Caper and Slinky Malinki Catflaps are literary classics, but has anyone ever ranked every single cat, dog, bird and human in the Hairy Maclary stories in a completely arbitrary way? Which is the strongest and the shaggiest? Whomst is most likely to appear from nowhere with a ladder? It’s hard to believe such a ranking hasn’t happened before, and yet, here we are.

Schnitzel von Krumm is the star of several of his own adventures as well as appearing in Hairy Maclary's. A red standard smooth-haired Dachshund, Schnitzel's legs are the shortest in the gang. With cumulative rhymes and sunny ink and watercolor illustrations, this international favorite chronicles the escapades of our hero Hairy and his crew of five kooky canines. Here every dog-from big-as-a-horse Hercules Morse to Schnitzel von Krumm with the very low tum-tries to have his day with HAIRY MACLARY'S BONE, but guess who triumphs! Hairy Maclary and Friends is a series of children's picture books created by New Zealand author and illustrator Dame Lynley Dodd. The popular series has sold over five million copies worldwide. [1]Hairy Maclary books are designed to be read by an adult to a child. The plots are simple, keeping with the comprehension-level of the age group for which they are written. They generally involve Hairy and his friends in adventurous scenarios pitched against local cats. The animals in this series, unlike the creatures of Beatrix Potter's stories, are not given human thoughts and motives, their actions tell the stories, and reflect their animal natures. Hercules Morse is an Old English Mastiff and, 'As big as a horse' just about says it all. Hercules is mostly a sleepy gentle giant. He is loyal to his friends and kind and gentle. Sculpture of Hairy Maclary and other characters from the books in Tauranga, New Zealand on the waterfront