What happens to the boys right before the craziest part of the book? They fall asleep in the hole. If TV, movies, and books have taught me anything, it’s that if a character falls asleep and crazy stuff starts happening, it might be a dream. Also supporting this theory is the fact that the boys go from filthy clothes to slightly less filthy clothes as they fall and land in the yard. I was rereading Sam and Dave again today after seeing a great interview of Jon and Mac at http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2014/10/author-illustrator-chat-giveaway-mac.html The beauty of this story is that it articulates something kids seem to intuitively know, but can’t really explain with language. The way that Klassen’s illustrations tell as much of the story as Barnett’s words is absolutely brilliant." Hope also has a post about the conspiracy theories that have popped up around what happen to Sam and Dave Dig A Hole. Which is exactly why Mac and Jon are right to keep the ‘real ending’ to themselves. They’d only pop that bubble!

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole is a hilarious, mind-bending book about two boys (and a dog) looking for something exciting—but they keep missing. Klassen’s style is a perfect fit for Barnett’s understated text. My kids love this, over and over and over.” An understated, humorous, and charmingly perplexing tale. … What works spectacularly is the clever play between words and pictures. As in Klassen’s "This Is Not My Hat," readers are in on a joke to which the characters are oblivious. Namely, that each time the boys change direction, they narrowly miss discovering increasingly enormous jewels hidden in the earth. .. Klassen’s use of muted earth tones and uncomplicated compositions is paired well with Barnett’s deadpan humor. A kid asked [Mac Barnett] if the ending was a dream, and to me at least, Mac refuted this. He said, “Look at the dog’s eyes. Always look at the eyes in Jon Klassen books. The dog never goes to sleep.” To me, while it may not completely refute the dream theory, it at least tells me that Mac doesn’t think they were dreaming. from I’ve accepted the fact that I’m never going to find out what really happened at the end of Sam and Dave Dig A Hole from Hope Westeer Maybe the dog is a figment of the reader’s imagination, or maybe the reader is the dog (the all knowing entity outside of the story itself who knows where the jewels are because, as the reader, he/she can clearly see them in Klassen’s illustrations). One of the many things I love about this text is its intentionality. Every decision seems to have a purpose, while still allowing the text to remain open ended in its avenues for interpretation (as this post and the subsequent comments have shown).A visually appealing underground adventure… Kids will love to read, reread and just look at this book. Klassen’s pebbly, earth-toned, colored-pencil and digital illustrations of Sam and Dave’s dig are exaggerated to comic effect, especially when coupled with Barnett’s dry, simple text. Subtle visual clues (the final absence of dirt on Sam’s and Dave’s clothes; a closing house that’s just slightly different from the opening one) suggest there’s more to the story than meets the eye, and canny little ones will likely be delighted by the beguiling ending." Sometimes stories star a cast of characters and they are all main characters. Not many stories do this, but Sam and Dave Dig A Hole happens to be one example. Sam and Dave are in the title, but the dog is also part of this cast. The dog stars equally, even though he or she doesn’t say anything. One apple for each of the characters.

Sam and Dave happen to be very similar. They are basically the same person in duplicate, and we can consider them in this way. Sam+Dave contrast with the dog. They may even be twins. They share the same grandfather, so they are at least cousins of about the same age. Part wry comedy of errors, part Twilight Zone, this book feels timeless in that it could have been from 50 years ago, or from 50 years in the future (and possibly from another dimension). The beauty of this story is that it articulates something kids seem to intuitively know, but can’t really explain with language. The way that Klassen’s illustrations tel as much of the story as Barnett’s words is absolutely brilliant. One of my students suggested that the bone is a port key (yes, like in Harry Potter) and it took them to a new place, even though I tried to show her that the dog didn’t grab the bone until after they started falling. What happens to the boys right before the craziest part of the book? They fall asleep in the hole. If TV, movies, and books have taught me anything, it’s that if a character falls asleep and crazy stuff starts happening, it might be a dream. Also supporting this theory is the fact that the boys go from filthy clothes to slightly less filthy clothes as they fall and land in the yard. Theory #6: The Alternate Reality Theory

Books & Authors

A wryly subtle, unexpectedly funny picture book about two brothers in search of something extraordinary. ... As they dig deeper and deeper (and get dirtier and dirtier), readers will delight in spotting the spectacular items that lie just outside their shovels’ reach. Barnett’s deadpan text and Klassen’s equally restrained illustrations (the dog’s facial expressions alone are priceless) combine to create a picture book rich in dramatic irony and understated hilarity. The limited color palette (heavy on the earth tones, of course), imaginative text and surprising ending combine to create a collaboration that is itself nothing short of spectacular." An understated, humorous, and charmingly perplexing tale. ...What works spectacularly is the clever play between words and pictures. As in Klassen’s "This Is Not My Hat," readers are in on a joke to which the characters are oblivious. Namely, that each time the boys change direction, they narrowly miss discovering increasingly enormous jewels hidden in the earth. ... Klassen’s use of muted earth tones and uncomplicated compositions is paired well with Barnett’s deadpan humor."