Martha Speaks, So Listen!

You may know “Martha Speaks” as the animated children’s program on PBS KIDS, but did you know that Martha’s adventures originated in a book? Author and illustrator Susan Meddaugh penned the initial story about a talking pooch in 1992. Hilarious situations arise when ten-year-old Helen feeds her dog Martha some alphabet soup that travels to Martha's brain instead of her stomach, resulting in her ability to speak.

Sometimes chatting for hours, “Martha Calling” finds the talkative pup on the phone. One day Martha wins a call-in radio contest. Her prize vacation may be ruined by a ‘no dogs allowed’ policy at the hotel. The controversy concludes cleverly as the captivating canine convinces the crowd that companionship beats the kennel. In “Perfectly Martha,” the title hound becomes suspicious of the methods used at a dog training school. Martha investigates and turns the tables on the dog trainer, which provides a laugh out loud ending.

“Martha and Skits,” “Martha Walks the Dog,” and “Martha Blah Blah” deliver additional problems with fun solutions. Meddaugh’s amusing illustrations compliment the antics and may make you want to reach inside the book to pet this lovable tail-wagger. All of the above mentioned titles are available at the Lakewood Public Library for you to check out and enjoy with your children.

The library also has "Martha Speaks" Beginner Reader titles (for students in kindergarten and first grade) that are based on the characters created by Susan Meddaugh.