Martha Speaks (book)

This article is about the book. For the TV series, see Martha Speaks (TV series).

Martha Speaks is a children's picture book written and illustrated by Susan Meddaugh and published by Houghton Mifflin in September 1992. It is the first in a series of six books featuring a young girl named Helen Finney and her pet dog named Martha.

Martha Speaks

Author	Susan Meddaugh
Illustrator	Susan Meddaugh
Series	Martha Speaks
Genre	Children's picture book
Publisher	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date	September 1992[1]
Publication place	United States
Media type	Paper
Pages	32 pp
Followed by	Martha Calling

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Plot

The book follows the adventures of the dog Martha, who could speak after being fed alphabet soup. The family complains about Martha being talkative and she stops eating her soup. When a burglar breaks into the family's house, Martha was unable to call for help. When the burglar gives her alphabet soup, Martha calls the police and the family appreciates her for speaking again.

Reception

The Horn Book Magazine said the book was "Good-natured and amusing, with cheerful illustrations"^[2] and Patricia Tauzer writing for Common Sense Media wrote in a four star (out of five) review that, "the story is clever."^[3]

In popular culture

• Prior to an adaptation into a TV series of the same name in 2008, the book was featured on an episode of Reading Rainbow and was also featured (but not read) on an episode of Kino's Storytime.