I, Toto: The Autobiography of Terry, the Dog Who Was Toto

by Willard Carroll

During the expansion of the Ventura Freeway in Los Angeles, Willard Carroll unearthed a leatherbound scrapbook from a site that was once a pet cemetery. To his amazement, its yellowing pages contained the rags-to-riches story of Terry, the cairn terrier who played Toto in the enduring film The Wizard of Oz . Reprinted here in its entirety, I, Toto traces the canine star's tragic beginnings, her exhilarating film career, and her happy retirement in...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1419709836
• ISBN13: 9781419709838
• Release Date: September 2013
• Publisher: Abrams Image
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.9" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

adorable tale of Terry, aka Toto the dog

I, Toto is a delightfully well written book by Willard Carroll about the life of Terry, a Cairn Terrier who became famous in movies. The book is based on a scrapbook Willard Carroll found that documented the life and movie career of this well trained dog; and the book is primarily set up to look just like a book typed on an old typewriter--written, of course, by the dog itself. The book starts with the story of how Terry was born, adopted and eventually given up by her owners because of her troubles with housetraining; and we learn how Carl Spitz professionally trained dogs to perform in movies. Spitz, an excellent trainer who worked with many dogs, wound up training Terry professionally. Spitz used both kindness and discipline to train his dogs, including Terry, very well; his talents are obvious when we consider that Terry (aka Toto) appeared in at least fourteen major motion pictures including The Wizard Of Oz. Carroll cleverly writes the memoirs of Terry, or Toto, in the first person as if the dog herself had written the book. This provides the reader with an extra slice of humor when Carroll writes about things that happened on the sets of pictures or in Carl Spitz's training camp for dogs. Carroll does an excellent job of getting readers to be charmed out of their trees by Terry who eventually becomes renamed Toto for the sake of her career. A movie star dog has to consider Hollywood politics, after all! The book is filled with wonderful reproductions of ads for the movies Terry was in; and we see numerous publicity shots from movies including Bright Eyes with Shirley Temple and Terry as Rags the dog. Of course, we get plenty of stills from The Wizard Of Oz and there are very nicely done "hand written" asides to the reader that also appear to be written by Terry. The result is a charming look back at the life of Terry, the dog who became Toto and enjoyed great movie fame--and treats along the way! Overall, classic movie buffs will enjoy this book; and people who love The Wizard Of Oz will appreciate this book very much since so little was known about Terry before Willard Carroll wrote this book. The book is well written and a real page turner; it grabs your attention and never lets it go. Great job, Willard Carroll!

Heartwarming and Inspiring

This heartwarming, charming book tells the real story of Terry, a once-abandoned cairn terrier, who became Toto in the Wizard of Oz movie. Rescued from an uncertain future by dog trainer Carl Spitz, the story is told from Terry's point of view. The "auto-biography" is written in such a charming way we can believe that Terry did write it. The discovery of Terry's scrapbook, kept safe for 50 years in a tin box, in a pile of rubble that would soon become part of the Ventura Freeway, is akin to the magic of Oz. Lovingly created (we assume) by Terry/Toto's "guardians," the Spitz's, we rejoice in its recovery and are glad Mr. Carroll has shared Terry's story with the world. As a Cairn Terrier owner, and grieving the recent loss of a 17-year companion, this book lifted my heart. The Toto in my life, Andy, is memorialized forever. The book inspired me to open my heart and share my life with another Cairn Terrier. If you love cairn terriers, dogs, Toto, or Oz, you MUST read this book. A wonderful gift for any dog lover.

sweet little book

I read this in an evening. Really enjoyed it as I am the owner of 2 Cairns and a lifelong fan of the Wizard of OZ.

The BEST Oz book ever!

If you want an Oz book that is fun to read to yourself or to children, this is the ticket! Page after page, I said to myself "this is just darling!" Toto is America's favorite canine and The Wizard of Oz is the most endearing movie of all time. I am so glad that Willard Carroll put this book together it is just terrific.Hollywood's Golden Era is captured so well as you easily travel through page after page. I promise that you won't put it down until you're finished and the kids (especially the ones who watch the movie on a daily basis) will love for you to read this to them.Congratulations to Author Carroll, who has Oz in his heart and soul and managed to put it down on paper for all of us to enjoy. How many times I've watched that movie and simply focused on Toto, who was just the cutest dog in the world. He makes everybody want to adopt him, well, now this is the next best thing.Elaine WillinghamSt. Louis, MO

What a treasure!!

As a Cairn Terrier "mom" of many many years, I had to have this book, no matter how good or not good it may turn out to be. As it turns out, it is PRICELESS! So many pictures, clips, factoids, behind the scenes stuff...more like a well done scrapbook than a straight book. This is a must have! I will treasure it always.