Rotten

March 4, 2013
Sixteen-year-old Jimmer Dobbs, known to his friends as JD, returns from a vague absence “upstate” to find that his mother has replaced him with a Rottweiler from a rescue shelter. JD christens the dog Johnny Rotten (after the Sex Pistols singer), but because the dog has been abused, it takes a while for Johnny Rotten to trust the new man around the house. When Johnny Rotten bites one of JD’s friends, the friend’s family smells a payday and files suit. Because the dog has bitten before, his days are likely numbered. This JD cannot abide. He attempts to bribe the friend into dropping the lawsuit by coming clean about his summer away. Northrop (Trapped) has a keen eye for the way teens move through the world (one of JD’s buddies never parks when picking him up. He “just rolls to a stop along the side of the road, like it’s a bank heist”) and for the mix of bravado and vulnerability that can drive boys’ friendships and interactions. A sure bet for any reader who loves an underdog, human or canine. Ages 12–up. Agent: Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger.

March 15, 2013
Sixteen-year-old Jimmer "JD" Dobbs returns from a summer "upstate" and struggles to get his bearings at home and stay out of trouble. But trouble finds JD. His mother has adopted a seriously mistreated rescue dog, figuring JD and the dog "could both get new starts." But JD knows that "clean starts are a frickin' myth," that the past has a way of following them. JD names the Rottweiler Johnny Rotten, after the lead singer of the Sex Pistols. He's JR for short, with a head the size of a cinder block and the amazing ability to leap through the air like the sharks he saw on Air Jaws, snatching biscuits and partially devouring them before landing. However, JR bites Jimmer's friend Mars, and Mars' mother decides to sue, putting at risk the Dobbs' house and the life of the dog. Readers may well wonder why no information about JD's clearly euphemistic summer "upstate" is forthcoming, but the novel is cleverly orchestrated, and his secret is eventually revealed as he looks for a way to save the dog he has come to love. JD's voice rings true, as does his occasional bonehead decision-making and his tentative steps toward empathy. A fine portrayal of a boy, a dog and the ties of friends. (Fiction. 12-16)

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June 1, 2013

Gr 8 Up-JD Dobbs must pull his life back together after a summer spent "visiting his aunt," a story no one in town believes. While he was away, his mother acquired a rescued Rottweiler they decide to call Johnny Rotten-an initially surly dog JD unexpectedly comes to love. The 16-year-old sets out to get back into his old crowd of friends, and maybe even win back his old girlfriend, but he's still keeping secrets about his summer. When Johnny Rotten bites one of his friends, JD's world comes crashing down. Mars's parents sue; JD's mother may lose their house, and Johnny Rotten faces a likely death sentence. Plenty of teenage-boy humor keeps the tone relatively light, despite JD's troubles. Readers will root for Johnny Rotten, who was abused by his last owner, and hope for the truth to come out about what really caused the dog to bite. JD alternates between bravado and foolishness, but he's a sympathetic character, able to laugh at himself. The bond between boy and dog develops slowly and is well described. Readers will identify with JD and also recognize their own friendships and dynamics as the four male friends interact. JD's relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Jane, is not well fleshed out, nor is romance the focus of the book, but his feelings for her are clear. The ending is satisfying without feeling forced or predictable. This is a compelling read, sure to appeal to boys with its humor, music references, and realistic characters.-Miranda Doyle, Lake Oswego School District, OR

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