Waiting on Wednesday: Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown, Book 2) by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown, Book 2) by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. Illustrated by Wallace West. 336 p. Feiwel & Friends/ Macmillan, September 17, 2024. 9781250345004.

Happy Wednesday! And the heat goes on here in northern NJ! I am limiting the amount of time my dogs are outside and trying to stay off the hot, hot, hot pavement. Waiting on Wednesday features Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. 

From the publisher: Mouse lives in Dogtown, a shelter for real dogs and robot dogs, where the kibble is plentiful, and the rafters hide a secret community of mice. His unlikely best friend is Buster, a big-hearted real dog who attracts trouble like a burr to fur.

Determined to help Buster find his forever home, even if means losing his best pal, Mouse embarks on a bold quest with three of Dogtown’s “unadoptables”: Buster, Stewie--a huge, lovable dog whose ex-owner said he was mean, and Smokey--a robot dog hardwired with a smoke alarm he can’t control.

But Mouse is just a mouse, and the world is big and complicated. How’s a little guy supposed to find homes for the dogs he loves?

DogTown is a TMS favorite and I just know my students will clamor for this installment. It's due out on September 17.

#tbt: Notes from a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko. 216 p. Putnam's, 2001.

#tbt features Notes from a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko. This was Ms. Choldenko's debut middle grade novel and was published in 2001. Twelve-year-old Antonia MacPherson (Ant) is convinced she's adopted. She's a middle child, stuck between two perfect sisters and everyone in her family is blond with light complexion. So she writes letters to her "real" parents and she lies. She cares about two beings, her elderly dog, Pistachio and her best friend, Harrison. She's prickly and holds everyone at arm's length until her art teacher, "Just Carol" tries to break through Ant's facade. Ant's first-person narration will make readers alternately laugh-out-loud and cringe, especially when her lies become dangerous.

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog was named a School Library Journal best book. Her next book, Al Capone Does My Shirts was published in 2004 and won a Newbery Honor. She's written three sequels to Al Capone Does My Shirts as well as picture books and other novels. She and Katherine Applegate are co-authors of Dogtown, which is the first book in the Dogtown series. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan

Image: Simon & Schuster

New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan. 288 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, October, 2022. 9781534496408. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Middle Grade Monday features New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan. Robyn Kellen is preparing to be the "new kid" yet again. Her mom's a biology professor and they have moved around for her job a lot. This move to San Luis Obispo promises to be permanent though. Still, Robyn creates ten rules for being the new kid and decides to follow them. Things at her new school start out okay. She's befriended by two girls, Lulu and Marshan, who warn her away from Alejandra, who wears purple every day. She also seems to catch the attention of a blond haired boy who reminds Robyn of a snake and makes snide comments. 

When she and her mom pass by an agility training class while on a walk in a nearby park, Robyn is intrigued enough to ask about lessons for her two special needs rescues, Sundae and Fudge. The trainer abruptly nixes the idea and Robyn is disappointed. But the trainer's grandson, Nestor, is in her class at school, and he's willing to train her dogs, for a price. Both Robyn and Nestor need help with math and Alejandra, who skipped a grade volunteers to tutor them if she can join the training and Robyn brings the snacks. Can Robyn keep this a secret from Lulu and Marshan? 

There's a lot to like about this book. The dog training angle adds a fresh twist to the moving house theme. The dogs, especially Robyn's rescues, Sundae and Fudge are engaging characters with distinct personalities. I love the fact that they were not only rescues, but also had special needs. The dog training/ care was seamlessly woven into the narrative. I also appreciate that Robyn's parents were friendly and equally committed to raising their daughter.

The dialogue and school situations ring true. Readers will ache for Robyn as she navigates her rules, some of which contradict each other. Tween readers who enjoy gentle stories with realistic relatable issues will embrace New Kids and Underdogs. 

Picture Book Review: Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose by Lauren Tarshis

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose by Lauren Tarshis. Illustrated by Lisa Bronson Mezoff. unpgd. Orchard Books/ Scholastic Inc., October, 2021. 9781338680256. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Beware the perfect child! This is an adorable story about a little boy who isn't all he appears to be. Does he really eat his broccoli? Does he really brush his teeth? His dog keeps his secrets and loves him unconditionally. The cartoon illustrations, comprised of vignettes and single- and double-page spreads convey warmth and humor. This should become a story time favorite.

Picture Book Review: Cat & Dog: a Tale of Opposites by Tullio Corda

Image: Red Comet Press

Cat & Dog: a Tale of Opposites by Tullio Corda. unpgd. Red Comet Press, September, 2021. 9781636550022. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

I just started my 13th year as a middle school librarian after spending 10 years as a K-8 librarian. Even though #nevertoooldforpicturebooks is my motto, I admit I haven't been keeping up with concept books. 

I cannot recall a book of opposites that actually tells a story with a beginning, middle and end. Red cat and blue dog romp on plenty of white space and the text color cues young readers who is doing what. And while there are the expected opposites, there are a couple of surprises - "Oops!" and "Phew!" Then, there's a pair on the cover of the book under the jacket, which parents may not think to look under and which will create a dilemma for librarians who tape those jackets down!

Fun, fun, fun! This one's sure to be a favorite.

My apologies for the tardiness of this review. I read this book back in late July, just as my husband's condition was taking a turn for the worse. He died within the week and I have been trying to adjust to my new reality. My ability to concentrate, focus and be organized has really taken a hit. I hope Cat & Dog gets the readers it deserves.

Middle Grade Monday Arc Review: Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated by Melissa Manwill. 250 p. Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins Publishers, July 6, 2021. 9780062989208. (Review of arc courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Happy first Monday of summer break! How's your summer reading going so far? Middle Grade Monday features Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi and illustrated by Melissa Manwill. This heartwarming story is told in the third-person from multiple points of view-canine, feline and human. Miss Lottie has opened her home and her heart to shelter animals. Quinn is the neighborhood boy who often helps Miss Lottie and is dealing with grief over the death of his father as well as a pack of bullies that includes his older brother. There's Gus, whom Miss Lottie adopted first, Ghost, a reclusive cat, Tank, Roo and Moon Pie, the youngest of the bunch.  Moon Pie is missing his owner, Gertie. He thinks Gertie is away on vacation. Unfortunately, she died and Miss Lottie and the pack want to protect Moon Pie. 

When Miss Lottie brings Decker home, it is with the understanding that Gus needs to approve the new addition. There's something about Decker that doesn't sit well with Gus, but Miss Lottie seems to have her heart set on adopting Decker, so he acquiesces. It doesn't take Decker long to begin undermining the happiness of the pack and setting in motion a plan to get rid of the rest of the pack.

What a gift of a book for dog lovers young and old. I just loved this. As the POV shifts, the reader gains insight into the personality and past of each character. The illustrations were unfinished in the arc I read, but help convey the personalities of the characters and tension in the story. Decker is one dangerous dude. Don't miss Secondhand Dogs if you love a good dog story. It publishes July 6.

Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: Switched by Bruce Hale

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Switched by Bruce Hale. 248 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 6, 2021. 9781338645910. (Review of arc courtesy of author giveaway.)

Middle Grade Monday features Switched by Bruce Hale. Twelve-year-old Parker Pitts can control very little in his life especially since his grandmother, Mimi died, so he cleans. Some might say, obsessively. He also goes to great lengths to avoid Deke, the school bully and won't even speak to Gabriella, his crush. 

Now his half-sister, Billie is heading overseas to attend art school and leaving behind her golden doodle, Boof. Boof is an ill-mannered boor who leaves a trail of destruction everywhere he goes. It's bad enough that he ruined Billie's going away party, but then he gets his paws on the last gift Mimi had given Parker- a statue of the trickster, Eshu from Yoruba mythology. Parker refuses to let Boof get away with his precious gift from Mimi, gets into a tug-of-war with Boof and the two collide head first. No damage appears to be done. Until...

Parker awakens the next morning to find his sense of smell overwhelming and is panicked to find he can no longer see color! Boof awakens dismayed to find his sniffer doesn't work that great but thrilled to find he has hands and is able to get into that big box of food (the refrigerator).

This delightful switched-identity story switches point-of-view between Boof and Parker as each tries to adjust to his new reality. The hijinks that ensue are hilarious, but there's depth here as well. Boof as Parker approaches the mystery of middle school with doggie determination and openness and Parker as Boof learns to appreciate digging in the dirt and a good butt-sniff. 

I know I will need multiple copies of Switched! Just like Boof, it definitely won't sit! Readers who adore books like Switched at Birthday by Natalie Standiford and The Swap by Erin Shull, will clamor for Switched as will readers who love a good dog book.

Switched releases next week!

Friday Memes: Switched by Bruce Hale

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Switched by Bruce Hale. 250 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. April 6, 2021. 9781338702552.

Publisher synopsis: Who's a good boy?

Twelve-year-old Parker Pitts hates a mess. Ever since his grandmother died, he's much more comfortable when things are organized: He scrubs the kitchen counters at home, avoids the school bully at all costs, and never even speaks to Gabriella Cortez, the most interesting girl in the sixth grade. No muss, no fuss, no complicated feelings to worry about.

But now Parker's older sister is traveling abroad for the semester, leaving behind her obnoxious and extremely disorderly goldendoodle, Boof, for Parker to manage. Man's best friend? More like boy's worst nightmare!

When an intense round of tug-of-war leaves both dog and boy with bumped heads, Parker and Boof wake up to the biggest disaster yet: they've switched bodies! Suddenly Boof has to find his way through a school day and Parker has to...eat dog food?!

It's a mess of truly epic proportions. Can Parker and Boof clean it up -- together?

First Line: It had taken all afternoon to set up, but it only took five minutes for the dog to destroy everything.

Page 56: "Do you even know how to use the toilet?" Parker scrambled to catch up.

     As they entered, his nose wrinkled in disgust. Whew. The bathroom reeked. Wh'd have ever guessed it was this filthy? H fought the urge to break out the cleanser and a sponge.

     "What's to know? said Book. "You point and shoot." 

I won this by responding a tweet by the author! When I worked in a K-8 library, his Chet Gecko books were very popular. In my 5-8 grade library, his School for S.P.I.E.S. series is. I am sure this one will be appealing as well. Many of my students love these switched bodies books. 

#tbt: Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Image: Candlewick Press

Happy Thursday! #tbt celebrates the 20th anniversary of one of my favorite books! It was twenty years ago this past Tuesday that Kate DiCamillo's debut, Because of Winn-Dixie was published! 

Motherless Opal Buloni moves to a trailer park in Naomi, Florida with her father, The Preacher. Opal spies a dog tearing up and down the aisles of the Winn-Dixie supermarket wrecking things and causing mayhem. On impulse, she claims the dog is hers and takes him home. She names him Winn-Dixie; the two form a strong bond and Winn-Dixie helps Opal to settle in to her new home and meet new friends, many of whom are older members of the community.

Because of Winn-Dixie was named a Newbery Honor (not bad for a debut), and received the Josette Frank Award as well as the Twain Award. The NEA put it on its list of 100 Top Books for Children and it won numerous State Reading Awards. It certainly is a favorite at TMS. It was adapted for film in 2007.

If you love character-driven stories that have a leisurely pace and tug at the heartstrings, Because of Winn-Dixie is the book for you. I am so happy this book is in the world. I think I saw that there is an anniversary edition available, but haven't been able to find it yet. 

Picture Book Review: Ollie and Augustus by Gabriel Evans

Image: Candlewick Press.

Ollie and Augustus by Gabriel Evans. unpgd. Candlewick Press, May, 2020. 9781536209679. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Ollie and Augustus are bffs. Like most bffs, they occasionally clash, but always make up before lunch. Like most bffs, they do everything together. Ollie is small. Augustus is huge. They make it work. But. Ollie is about to begin school and he's worried that Augustus will be lonely without him all day, so he sets about finding a new friend for his pal. Did I mention that Augustus is a dog? 

This adorable friendship/ school anxiety story is both humorous and gently reassuring in the best possible ways. The pencil and watercolor vignettes charm from end-page to end-page. I just loved this one!

#tbt: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. 320 p. HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2012. 9780061992254. (Own)

#tbt features The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. I'm breaking my ten-year or older rule again to pair this beloved title with its companion, The One and Only Bob, which was featured on Middle Grade Monday. The One and Only Ivan was published in 2012 and won the 2013 Newbery Medal. The novel is based on a true story and is told from Ivan's point of view in short chapters and gorgeous figurative language. 

As I mentioned on Monday, the book was adapted for film and will stream on Disney+ in August. The book remains popular as more than half of the copies owned by BCCLS libraries are currently checked out. Our local public library owns two copies that are both checked out. Our electronic collection has a waiting list for both the e-book and e-audio. I've read the book both with my eyes and ears. In this instance, my preference is for print due to the darling illustrations and interesting use of white space.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate. Unabridged audiobook on three compact discs. 3 3/4 hours. Read by Danny DiVito. HarperAudio, May, 2020. 9780063012646. Review of purchased audiobook.

Happy Monday TMS Readers! I hope your summer is going well and you are reading! Middle Grade Monday features The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate. You may recall that I sported a giant "Ask me about Bob" pin on my lanyard before our shift to virtual learning. 

Bob was a character in Ms. Applegate's Newbery Medal-winning, The One and Only Ivan. This companion novel picks up where Ivan left off. You need not have read The One and Only Ivan. The One and Only Bob stands alone nicely. Like Ivan, Bob is told in short chapters and paragraphs with plenty of white space. It is illustrated by Patricia Casteleo.

Bob is happy in his new life having been adopted by Julia and her family. He's loved and fed regularly; but best of all, he still gets to see Ivan and Ruby in their new home. He's a dog with few regrets except he often thinks about his sister, his littermate who was dumped with him next to a highway. When a tornado damages the zoo, Bob is ready to rise to the challenge.

This first-person, er, first-dog narration charms and excites as readers learn to love Bob as much as they do Ivan. Here is a link to Ms. Applegate reading the beginning of The One and Only Bob. Here is also a link to the movie trailer for The One and Only Ivan, which will stream on Disney+ starting August 18. 

I think I would've enjoyed The One and Only Bob more had I read it with my eyes. I learned of the audiobook and film while listening to a webcast a month or so ago. I thought it would be charming and delightful. Instead, I found Danny DiVito's narration a tad over-the-top and the pace choppy. 

Danny DiVito was the voice of Bob in the movie and so seemed to be a natural choice as narrator of the audio version. I didn't really love the audio version of The One and Only Ivan either. I read that with my eyes first and loved it. I had a voice in my head and the narrator didn't match it. I also talked about the powerful use of white space in my review that the audio cannot convey. 

In the movie trailer, DiVito's voice seemed perfect for Bob. Over the long haul of the book, it just sort of grated for me. Stick with reading this one with your eyes. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Lesley Connor

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

A Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Lesley Connor. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~8 hours. Read by Patricia Santomasso. HarperAudio, February, 2020/ 9780062971449. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Middle Grade Monday features A Home for Goddesses and Dogs by Leslie Connor. Thirteen-year-old Lydia and her mother were very close. So close that her mother homeschooled Lydia in order to maximize the time they spent together before she died of a progressive heart condition. Arrangements had been made for Lydia to live with her Aunt Brat and her wife Eileen. The two live on a farm in rural Connecticut with Elleroy, their landlord. Lydia is grateful that this aunt, her "last of kin," is willing to take her in and resolves to be helpful and accommodating. When Aunt Brat and Eileen adopt a difficult dog a week after Lydia's arrival, Lydia can't help but wonder whether the two have a habit of rescuing lost things. Lydia's not a dog person and Guffer is a difficult dog to love. He runs off into the woods and has accidents in the house. She also needs to attend school for the first time in ages and make friends.

As with all of Ms. Connor's books, the pace is leisurely and the focus is on the characters. Each character is interesting and fully realized. Lydia is wise beyond her years, introspective and so kind and open. While animal abuse is a painful topic, I appreciated the detailed description of recovery and healing and how complicated it is. Lydia's road to recovery and healing was not without complications either. New-to-me narrator, Patricia Santomasso's performance was engaging and her pacing reflected the pace of the narrative. Readers looking for a sad book with a resilient narrator will love A Home for Goddesses and Dogs.

Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger

Image: Scholastic

Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger. 250 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 7, 2020. 9781338306118. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

Middle Grade Monday features Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger. Let me just start by saying that I love this book with all my heart. Our narrator, Hadley, is a prickly girl. She has a lot to be angry about though. She has an eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa that is slowly stealing her eyesight. Her single-mom had been pushing Hadley to enroll in mobility classes for that day when her eyesight disappears. Hadley wants no part of it. Now, her mother is being sent to prison and Hadley is being sent to live with her sister, who abruptly left the family five years earlier and whom Hadley barely knows. Now, she's living an entire state away and has to start school after the summer break as "the blind girl."

Hadley's sister, Beth, is a dog trainer. She works with dog rescues to help their dogs become more adoptable. Hadley accompanies her one day even though she "ain't a dog person." She's annoyed by the eager, barking dogs scrambling for attention as she walks by their cages. Then she spies Lila, who lies in the corner of her cage, not paying attention to anyone. To the astonishment of Hadley's sister and the rescue director, Lila shows interest in Hadley. The two sisters take her home to foster even though Hadley "ain't a dog person."

I was instantly captivated by Hadley's voice and my heart ached for her even as I cringed at her rudeness. Beth is a rock. She's patient and accommodating. Her mom is flawed, but trying to do right. The story will cultivate empathy. Readers will learn about the challenges a blind person faces in an organic way.

I love everything about this book from it's striking and perfect cover through to the tearjerker ending. I can't wait to get this book into my students' hands when we get back to school! Lila and Hadley is a first purchase! I cannot recommend this enough. 

#tbt: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Image: Simon & Schuster

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. 144 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Shuster, September, 1991. 9780689316142. (Own)

#tbt features Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Shiloh, published in 1991 was Naylor's 65th book! It won numerous state book awards as well as the Newbery Medal. The story centers on Marty, an eleven-yer-old boy living in Friendly, West Virginia who finds a stray beagle, who was obviously abused. The dog is owned by Judd Travers, Marty's neighbor and town grump. Marty has to return the dog, but he's not happy about it. The story was inspired by Naylor's encounter with a real beagle while visiting friends in Friendly, West Virginia. Shiloh was followed by three sequels, Shiloh Season, Saving Shiloh, and Shiloh Christmas. I have to say, though I adored the book, I was never a fan of the cover, so I didn't choose an image of the original cover, but of a reissue edition.

Middle Grade Monday: Cog by Greg van Eekhout

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Cog by Greg van Eekhout. 206 p. Harper/ HarperCollins Publishers, October, 2019. 9780062687077. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features Cog by Greg van Eekhout. Cog may appear to be a twelve-year-old boy. In actuality, he's a six-month-old android. Cog, short for Cognitive Development is the brainchild of Gina, a scientist for UniMind. The two live together in a house where, Gina teaches Cog. Cog is hilariously literal. "I live in a room with a bed where I lie down. It is called a bedroom." Or, "The dishwashing machine just washes dishes. It is not good at conversation." 

Cog is encouraged to learn from his mistakes. After he learns that good judgment comes from learning from mistakes, he decides to go out without Gina to make a lot of mistakes and learn from them. This results in disaster, for when he regains consciousness, he finds he is trapped inside the UniMind complex and Gina has disappeared. The scientists there are not as nice as Gina. They keep performing experiments on him, looking for something called the X-Module. He does not like these experiments and finds a way to escape the complex with the help of ADA, the sister he never knew he had, a trash-robot, a dog-robot and a robotic car. 

This fast-paced adventure is often hilarious and very suspenseful. It is also surprisingly deep, prompting the reader to ponder philosophical questions like, what it means to be human and whether free will actually exists. 

Hand Cog to a reader who wants action or a reader who wants to laugh or a reader who is into AI or...really, any reader. There's something to please all kinds. Oh! How I loved this book!

Picture Book Review: Honey, the dog who saved Abe Lincoln by Shari Swanson

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Honey, the dog who saved Abe Lincoln by Shari Swanson. Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. unpgd. HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2020. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

What better day is there than President Lincoln's actual birthday to review a sweet picture book about him as a young boy? Stories of young Abe Lincoln abound. Lincoln was a storyteller who charmed everywhere he went. Honey, the dog who saved Abe Lincoln is a story not told by himself, but based on the recollection of his childhood best friend, Austin Gollaher according to the Author's Note.

Young Abraham Lincoln loved his Kentucky home. He especially loved exploring the woods. One day, while on the way home from the mill with a sack of ground corn, Abe heard a noise in the brush. It was a dog whose front leg was broken. He quickly improvised a splint and made his way home with the dog doing its best to follow him. He was late and his mother was worried. He asked to keep the dog, promising that the dog, whom he named Honey would "do lots of good things for me." Indeed, they became inseparable. When Abe and Honey were exploring a cave, Abraham got stuck. When he couldn't extricate himself, Honey left him to run to get help. He was able to lead Abe's parents and the worried townsfolk to the cave where Abe was rescued. The rescued became the rescuer.

The digital illustrations are softly rendered and quite child-centric. Spot art illustrations lovingly portray the strong bond that developed between a boy and his dog. While cartoonish, faces are expressive. The cave seems ominous. The narrative flows nicely making it a good choice to read aloud. Young readers will be riveted then relieved.

Back matter includes a detailed timeline of the future president's life along with the Author's Note. But wait, there's more! There is an Activity Guide as well as a Curriculum Guide for teachers and librarians interested in sharing Honey, the dog who saved Abraham Lincoln with their charges. 

Shari Swanson is a lawyer, middle school language arts teacher turned author. She earned an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Honey the dog who saved Abe Lincoln is her debut picture book. Visit her at www.shariswanson.com.

Chuck Groenink is from the Netherlands but now lives in New York. Visit him at www.chuckgroenink.com.

Picture Book Review: Dog Breath: the horrible trouble with Hally Tosis by Dav Pilkey

Image: Scholastic 

Dog Breath: the horrible trouble with Hally Tosis by Dav Pilkey. upgd. Scholastic Inc., October, 2019. 9781338539233. (Review of finished copy courtesy of reviewer.)

I admit to being a tad puzzled to find this in my review box. Then, it occurred to me that 2019 might be an anniversary. Happy 25th anniversary Hally Tosis and Dav Pilkey! So this post is sort of a bonus #tbt, only with a re-issue.

Poor Hally! She has such bad breath that Mr. & Mrs. Tosis see no other alternative than adoption. Their children, on the other hand, try everything in their power to save her but nothing worked. Luckily for the Tosis family, her breath was the key to foiling a pair of burglars and Hally's place in the family was secured. (And so were clothes pins.)

Colorful, energetic humorous cartoon art entertains, groan worthy puns and word play propel the dialogue. Pilkey is a perennial favorite in most school and classroom libraries with good reason. This paper on board edition should be a welcome addition. 

Fact Friday: Dogs on Duty: soldiers; best friends on the battlefield and beyond by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent

Image: Bloomsbury

Dogs on Duty: soldiers' best friends on the battlefield and beyond by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. 48 p. Walker & Company, September, 2012. 9780802728456. (Review of purchased copy.)

Fact Friday features Dogs on Duty: soldiers' best friends on the battlefield and beyond by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. If you are thinking that I really love books about dogs, especially dogs in the military, you would be correct. As I re-shelved a recent Fact Friday feature, I spotted this book sitting right next to it. I pulled it out and wondered why I had never read it. It wasn't until I added the book to my Goodreads shelf that I learned that I had! In March of 2013, some 2000 books ago. 2,279 to be exact. 

My love for the book holds up. Spectacular photos complement the fascinating, accessible text. Hinshaw Patent relates the history of dogs and war, dwelling a bit on the Vietnam War and the many dogs who were left behind as "equipment" much to the heartbreak of their handlers. She ends with the training and use of WMDs, Working Military Dogs, in present times. Back matter includes suggestions for further reading and a glossary. 

All this serves as a reminder to me that I should not forget to display older titles. I do admit to getting a bit lazy this year by displaying mostly new additions to the collection. Hand this to your fans of dog books, military history and just about anyone who wants an interesting read. 

Picture Book Review: Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo

Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Harry Bliss. unpgd. Candlewick Press, September 4, 2018. 9780763689797. (Review from finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

First things first, I am a sucker for a dog story. Especially if the dog doesn't die. But, it's not a deal breaker if it does. Second, I think Kate DiCamillo is a brave author who is unafraid to take risks and experiment. 

Rosie is a good dog. She lives with George and has a nice life. But, truth be told, she is a bit lonely. Maybe George is too. When George takes a bit of initiative and takes Rosie to a dog park, she really doesn't know what to do! Even though she is lonely and would really want a friend, she is not sure what to do! This is all so strange!

When Maurice lumbers over, Rosie is not pleased. When Fifi yips over and tries to play, she ends up in Maurice's mouth and he shakes Fifi like his bunny. Not a good start. Maurice and George intervene. Phew!

My, my. This. Is.The. Best. Book! If you are a teacher looking for books about friendship, look no further. This is the book for you. There is not one wasted word and every illustration enhances those words. Making friends is an art form that not all master. Kate DiCamillo helps crystalize what it takes in a loving way

While it's a picture book, it's also an introduction to the graphic novel format. Bliss' watercolor illustrations perfectly portray Rosie's life - with George and with her newfound friends realistically and adorably. 

Make some time to share Rosie with your favorite child, your favorite class, or your favorite storytime group. Good Rosie is meant to be shared. Loved this so much!