My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks

And Other Funny Family Portraits

Written and illustrated by Hanoch Piven

Most enjoyed by all ages

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not try a fun art project inspired by the book 'My Dog is as Smelly as Dirty Socks'?

Our narrator is a young girl who isn't satisfied with the pencil drawing of her family her teacher asked her to create. Instead, she makes her own portraits using objects she's found that describe her family members. Dad is as jumpy as a spring and as fun as a party favor. Guess what shows up in her portrait of Dad? His eyebrows are real springs and a party favor creates one of his eyes. The family dog referred to in the title is created by things that he smells like, such as a sock and a can of tuna. Everyone in the family has their own portrait, brought to life by the things that characterize that person in the narrator's mind.

The end pages of the book give examples of actual portraits created by children in the cancer ward of Schneider Children's Medical Center in Israel. They're fun to look at and provide lots of inspiration. Dig through the recycling bin and raid the cupboards to see what you can use to create your own family portrait!