Notes from the Dog

July 20, 2009
Paulsen (Mudshark
) writes another touching story about human kindness and humanity. Reclusive and insecure, Finn lives with his father, his dog and his friend Matthew, whose parents are divorcing. Being 14 isn't easy for Finn (“I feel like an alien dropped onto a strange planet and that I always have to be on the lookout for clues and cues on how to act and what to say,” he muses), and his plan for summer is to talk to “fewer than a dozen people” and read as many books as possible. However, his intentions are thwarted when 24-year-old Johanna shows up to house-sit for his neighbors. She is lighthearted, imaginative, optimistic and has breast cancer. While Finn is usually overwhelmed by human contact, Johanna's sensitivity is disarming, and she hires him to plant a garden for her as a distraction from her illness. The plot is straightforward, but Paulsen's thoughtful characters are compelling and their interactions realistic. This emotional, coming-of-age journey about taking responsibility for one's own happiness and making personal connections will not disappoint. Ages 12–up.

September 1, 2009
Gr 5-9-Fourteen-year-old Finn is terrified of meeting new people, and conversation is painful. His true friend, Matthew, is talkative, overly confident, and sometimes a thorn in his side. The boy is content with books and Dylan, his canine companion. He's determined that his summer vacation will not be marred by the intrusion of people, and thus, the discomfort they cause him. Then he meets his pretty new neighbor, 24-year-old Johanna, who shares her joy of life with Finn and Matthew and employs Finn to help her create gardens in his sorrowful-looking backyard. Johanna's enthusiasm for research, compost, fertilizer, and all things garden break down Finn's barriers. When she tells the boys that she is a breast-cancer survivor, their initial trepidation shifts to friendship. As she trains for a triathlon to raise money for cancer awareness, Finn and Matthew join her team. Right before the race, more adverse reactions to chemotherapy thwart her run, and the two boys take up the torch. Johanna's spirit and optimism infuse Finn with courage and love, and he finds his voice. Paulsen's fans may miss his trademarks: the notorious exploits of boys, the page-turning wilderness adventures, or the sled dogs that often take center stage. Yet this candid and tender tale, told with his signature humor, is a salute to the bravest of the brave."Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2009
Grades 4-7 Paulsens latest is the subtle, sensitive tale of 14-year-old Finn and the summer he spends connecting with his next-door neighbor, Johannaa grad student battling breast cancer. Finns not much of a people person; in fact, he was hoping he could get through summer without speaking to more than 12 individuals. But Johanna ropes him into working on her garden, and manure incidents and rabbit attacks aside, its not unpleasant work. Soon Finn finds himself drawn into Johannas family, which is everything Finns is not: large, boisterous, and emotional. He ultimately recognizes his time with her as a gift of self-confidence and purpose. This quiet, steady story is light on surprises, but that doesnt mean there arent moments of power. Johannas chemo-related vomiting is chillingly offhand, leaving readers to share Finns mixed sense of embarrassment and horror. The only misstep is the purposefully narrative device of Finns dog delivering inspirational messages from Johanna. Still, this is an effective homage to cancer survivors everywhereand the people of all ages who love them.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)