Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 17))
In a sort of Three Pigs lite, a Jack Russell terrier makes mincemeat out of four familiar folk tales as its ever-more-exasperated owner tries to tell them. So, a bucolic countryside scene reveals three goats grazing as the narration reads, "Once upon a time there were three Billy goats named Gruff." With a turn of the page, a little dynamo of a dog emerges, barking furiously at the surprised goats while the narrator desperately tries to get him to mind: "Ivan! You naughty dog! You're ruining the story!" Ivan does the same to "The Three Bears," "The Three Little Pigs" and "The Gingerbread Boy," before the narrator gives up and focuses all attention on him—only to be ignored in favor of a nap. Catalanotto uses both keen understanding of terrier behavior and design to deliver the humor, full-bleed spreads giving way to more and more white space as Ivan intrudes and drives both characters and stories away from the page. It's something of a one-note joke, however successful, and serves more as a primer for the Wiesner masterpiece than a companion—but there's nothing wrong with that. 2007, Richard Jackson/Atheneum, 32p, $16.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 2 to 5. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Eileen Kern (Kutztown Book Review, Spring 2008)
Ivan, a high-spirited terrier, interrupts a narrator who is trying to tell four bedtime fairy tales. The terrier plays havoc with the Three Billy Goats Gruff, Three Bears, Three Little Pigs and the Gingerbread Boy. Ivan’s interaction with the gingerbread boy is incomplete prior to the narrator deciding to tell a story about the dog. Ivan is too tired to be the main character of the story so he goes to bed. Readers will enjoy predicting in which fairy tale Ivan will create pandemonium. Category: Picture Book. 2007, Atheneum. Ages 3 to 8.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2008)
What appears to be a folktale retelling turns into a story hour gone amok after terrier Ivan bursts onto the scene. An unseen storyteller cries, "You naughty dog!" and starts over with a different story. Readers will enjoy pointing out signs of Ivan's imminent arrival. Finally, the storytelling focus turns to the terrier, but it's too late: Ivan's all pooped out. Category: Picture Books. 2007, Atheneum/Jackson, 40pp, 16.99. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

Jeanne McCaffrey (The Lorgnette - Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 20, No. 4))
Mr. Catalanotto is a genius! This delightful picture book is a perfect read-aloud story for the PreK classroom. Ivan, a raucous, feisty, Jack Russell terrier, continually interrupts the storyteller as he attempts to retell classic tales: “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” “The Three Bears,” “The Three Pigs,” and “The Gingerbread Man.” Differing text size and placement on each page provides visual clues for a young reader’s sense of focus and voice. The full-page, watercolor illustrations are sure to capture the imagination of even the youngest listener. And all adult dog owners, more specifically owners of Jack Russell terriers, will relate to the delightful antics of Ivan, The Terrier! Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades PreK and up. 2007, Richard Jackson/Atheneum, Unpaged., $16.99. Ages 3 up.