Because of Shoe and Other Dog Stories

April 30, 2012
Beginning with a preface “by” editor Martin’s dog, Sadie, this compilation offers dog tales by nine authors including Pam Muñoz Ryan, Thacher Hurd, and Margarita Engle. Selections range from Mark Teague’s SF comedy about a budding scientist who genetically engineers himself into a dog to Jon J Muth’s atmospheric historic piece, told from the point of view of sculptor Constantin Brancusi’s pet, Polaire. Straightforward plots and explicit conflicts will appeal to fledgling readers, but the depth of emotion felt by canines and their owners will be universally understood. Readers will identify with the uneasiness of Martin’s 12-year-old heroine, Delilah, when she is left home alone for the first time and discovers that she’s lost track of Picasso, the family pet. Hearts will also go out to Chico, a boy who faces a difficult adjustment to a new school while also having to give up his aging mutt in Matt de la Peña’s “Things People Can’t See.” Spot art by some authors, as well as by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov, capture the personalities of the characters, all of whom find joyful resolutions to their dilemmas. Ages 8–12.

May 15, 2012
Nine brief, sometimes pithy short stories explore children's interactions with man's (and kids') best friend. Martin has gathered together a set of engaging tales by well-known children's authors, each averaging just under 30 pages of text and accompanied by a few attractive black-and-white illustrations. Tyler, with the help of Max, his good-natured "weiner dog," finds and defeats a dognapper. An 11-year-old girl explains to a judge in humorously round-about fashion how her shoe-stealing dog has caused her to appear in the courtroom. A very competitive but nerdy boy accidentally turns himself into a dog when trying to accomplish too much with a science-fair project. An impoverished boy attending a fancy school on scholarship loses his dog, and eventually that leads to a welcome bonding experience with his classmates. A young figure skater has to protect her chicken-stealing dog from the farmer next door. The best of the group is the one by the editor; 12-year-old Delilah, left home alone, accidentally loses her dog Picasso and singlehandedly launches a neighborhood search. Her first-person narration is often hilarious, creating a memorable character readers will wish to spend more time with. These amusing tales, all of them strong and distinct, total up to a nice, easily accessible package that will be a hit with dog lovers. (Short stories. 9-12)

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July 1, 2012

Gr 3-6-Wendy Orr, Pam Munoz Ryan, Thacher Hurd, Ann M. Martin, Valerie Hobbs, Matt de la Pena, and Jon J. Muth are among the writers included in this anthology. Students looking for a hilarious story will enjoy Mark Teague's "Science Fair" in which a nerdy science whiz is determined to take first place in this year's fair. He's convinced he is a genius, and he can't understand why his solar-powered pooper-scooper hasn't netted him top honors in the past. In "Trail Magic," Margarita Engle writes evocative verse about a boy whose horrific early life revolved around his mother's cruel dogfighting business. When she is sent to prison, the boy goes to live with his forest-ranger uncle and his dog. The natural world and his inspiring relative help heal him from his nightmarish past, as does his bonding adventures with Gabe. There's sure to be a story here to please any dog lover, whether it's a mystery about a poodle napper, a realistic tale about a picked-on Latino boy with a "wolfigator" mutt, or a thrilling adventure in which a lovable but chicken-killing dog has been given his last warning. Occasional black-and-white spot art by various illustrators captures the personalities of the canines and their antics.-Diane McCabe, Loyola Village Elementary School, Los Angeles H

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