Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango is a touching story about a 12 year old girl who has been separated from her parents by child services. It is also a Rhode Island Children's Book Nominee. As Laura tries to get used to living with her Aunt, we read along in simple verse structure about how lonely and sad she feels. 

Fortunately she makes a few friends that help her. She finds a puppy and brings him home with her. Will her aunt let her keep him? It's obvious that he needs love and Laura might be the perfect person to care for him. Sometimes caring for an animal helps us deal with our own overwhelming feelings.

By Mrs. Castro

The Eyes & the Impossible by Dave Eggers

The 2024 Newbery winner is The Eyes & the Impossible by Dave Eggers. I just finished reading it and it made me laugh out loud several times. If you like books about animals who converse like humans, you might enjoy reading this out loud to your class.

It's about an art loving dog and a bunch of his animal friends who live in a park. They have all kinds of adventures, but the main theme is that they need each other to work together and solve their problems. One scene has a group of raccoons trying to create a diversion as part of their plan. They attack one of the park ranger's vehicles and are jumping up and down on it to set the alarm off, and then urinating on it while standing on the roof. All while the humans are running around the car saying, "Oh my God!, Oh My God!, OH MY GOD! The raccoons have gone nuts!"

Also as a little perk, all "the illustrations are classical paintings by artists long departed".

By Mrs. Castro

Ghost Dog Secrets by Peg Kehret

Ghost Dog Secrets is written by Peg Kehret. I specifically picked this book because the understanding and descriptions are great. This is personally one of my favorite books knowing that they are trying to save someone. Rusty and his friend, Andrew attempt to save a dog that wasn’t treated properly by its owner. There was a house in a neighborhood that Rusty stumbled across and saw a dog that looked very skinny and badly treated. Rusty took pictures of the dog for evidence to prove the dog was poorly treated. Although Andrew's little sister found out and told her parents….

I have quite a good connection with this book because my family and I actually rescued our dog. My dog was in need of help when my mom and dad found her at an abandoned place near where my grandpa works. They then decided to surprise us with the dog around four weeks later as a present after we got home from a friend’s birthday party.

Review by-R0sey

 

The story, Ghost Dog Secrets, by Peg Kehret is about Rusty and his friend, Andrew, saving an abused dog. Every day Rusty feeds a skinny dog chained up with no shelter or food. His friend, Andrew, soon helps. After several days of feeding this dog they decided to take it home but try to hide it from his mother.  Wendy, (Andrews' little sister) is following him around and figured out that they have a dog, and she told on them. There had been a ghost dog trying to get Rusty to follow him. Eventually, Rusty followed him and encountered Ra’s mean owner, who was making terrible threats.

This book reminds of something going on in real life, because dog abuse does happen in real life. This book is fiction, but I think some parts are very realistic.

Review by Layla

Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy by Barbara Park is about Junie B. Jones when she gets stuck on Pet Day with no dogs allowed! But that’s the only kind of pet Junie B. has! Read the book to find out what crazy stuff Junie B. does to try and get a pet to school! Also, she tries to keep her grandma’s fish she had caught at a lake. When Junie B. tries to take the fish to school UH-OH! She luckily found a pet, a surprise in front of her eyes. This book is a mix of fiction and fantasy, and of course Junie B. is my favorite character because she adds a lot of humor and action to the story. My favorite event of the book is when Junie B. finds out there is Pet Day and her face starts to become angry, because she only had a dog. The genre is realistic fiction.

This book is absolutely amazing and super funny. Unlike other Junie B. Jones’ books, this is the only ideal book that features any animals. I would recommend this book because it always makes me break out in tears. When I read this book for the first time, it reminded me of when I was 5, my preschool also had a Pet Day, and I also did not have a pet just like Junie B. So, I had to make a yellow snake out of clay and brought some ants in a jar. I was pretty proud of myself that day. But, I laugh at the silly memory now. This book mostly reminds me of my childhood and my early first grade year. I absolutely LOVE these books SO much. When my mom tells me to read something else, I say,”I love these books, I'm going to read them.” My mom doesn’t mind, and lets me read them. I also love the few pictures, because they show the main events. These are a few reasons I would recommend this book.

 Reviewed by: Nature Lover

A Dog’s Life by Ann Martin

The book I will review for the blog is A Dog’s Life by Ann Martin. This book tells the story from the dog’s point of view. Here is an example of a dog's point of view. In the story I lost Bone my brother and I was alone, then I found a dog named Moon and we became friends. We went to the junkyard together and we lived together and we were super best friends.

I love this story because I relate to it. I have my own dogs and I love them. I found this story and started reading it. It was so good I kept reading it and than before I knew it, I was on page 60. So I think you should read this book if you’re into this kind of story. It’s a great story by the way.                             

Review by kwezzyy_twitch

A Dog’s Purpose by Cameron W. Bruce

In A Dog’s Purpose by Cameron W. Bruce the dog goes through four reincarnations. In the first reincarnation his name was Bailey and his owner’s name was Ethan. He loves Ethan. Ethan fell in love with this girl. Her name was Hannah and they dated for a while. Later Ethan found out that Hannah had a different boyfriend. Ethan was sad and  then he was lonely for a while, but at least he still had Bailey. Bailey gets sick so he didn’t have anybody. So then when Bailey dies he goes into a different dog. That was the first reincarnation.  Read to find out about his other reincarnations.

I like this book because I like dogs a lot. I don’t have a dog but I get to visit with my grandmother’s dog. Also, I like this book because it reminded me of my other grandmother’s dog who died on Christmas. That’s sad. But now I hope he might get reincarnated.
Review by mantha23

The Legend of the Ghost Dog is by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel

The Legend of the Ghost Dog is by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, it starts with the first sentence,  ‘’ I am old now, and I live in an old house in Alaska.” Definitely a great start to a book.

I like books about  ghosts. I enjoy books, such as Big Nate and shows like the Ghost Adventure.

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey is a book about when Dog Man comes back to town, not alone, but with a furry feline called Cat Kid. They came at the right time. Dog Man needs to help when a new Kitty sitter comes to town and a glamorous movie starlet goes missing. Will Dog man and Cat Kid find the new Kitty sitter or will they never find the glamorous movie starlet.

Personally I like this book because it is a graphic novel. I also like Dog Man because it has some adventure. I like pictures and the author of this series of books has a lot of detail in his pictures. I like the the characters that he makes, because they have good personalities.

Review by PizzaGuy12345

Dog Man and Cat Kid was written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey. Dog Man is a graphic novel about Dog Man. He adopted a kitten named Lil Petey who was on the streets because,  (by the way Lil Petey is a clone) his creator Petey left for the bathroom. 

Anyway it's a good book. I really enjoyed it. It was funny. It's a comic/graphic novel, but with chapters. My cousins, one is 13 and the other is 24, they love it. This book is for people of all ages.

Review by fortnite battle pass

Movie For Dogs by Lois Duncan

In Movie For Dogs by Lois Duncan, Andi wrote a book to Pet Press to enter a contest. She won second place, but Jerry Gordon, her nemesis, won first place.  Andi was furious. Soon, there was another contest for a short movie about dogs and she was going to help her brother win. Their movie made it to the final three and they went to Hollywood to talk about their movie. What will happen next? Will they win? Did Jerry Gordon enter this contest too? You’ll have to read it to find out.

Wow! I think Movie for Dogs was amazing and so much fun to read. At the end of every chapter it was like a new beginning to the story. This book reminds of when I entered a contest. I didn’t win and I was a little sad. This book is realistic fiction. Movie for Dogs was a book where you don’t want to put it down. I loved it.

Review by Pugstar583

Dog Man the Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey

Dog Man the Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey is about a cat who is in cat prison. He has escaped 6/7 times. A doctor comes to see him and it turns out to be a friend that used to be in a group called Critter Scouts. Piggy is trying to get revenge on Petey the cat, who is evil. Piggy is trying to get revenge on Petey because he erased his badges. Petey’s badges were erased too. Petey will have a decision to make. Will he try to change and be a hero, or will he be the same old evil cat he always was? Find out in the story, Dog Man the Lord of the Fleas.

I have a connection with the book because it was funny in a lot of ways. It was a cool book, and it had cool characters. The book was a graphic novel and I like comic books. It was also a very creative book and it was a good story.

By, The Person That Is a Person

Bailey’s Story by W.Bruce Cameron

Bailey’s Story by W.Bruce Cameron, is a very exciting story that leaves you wanting more. Bailey is a dog who escaped from a shelter never to see his mother or siblings ever again. After escaping, he explored the outside world, wandering on streets and going down grassy paths. He then was found by a boy who took him in to stay with him as his forever home. That’s where Bailey was cared for and loved for years, until one day Bailey  and his new family experience things so unbelievable it almost leaves them close to death.

I can connect to this story in many ways. For one, it reminds me of myself, an adventurous person with tons of personality, not always wanting to do what everyone else does! This book is something that made me feel so many different emotions. When it ends you’ll go looking for and wanting more. Bailey’s Story is one of my favorites of all of the Bruce Cameron books and always will be.

Reviewed by: Paisley_Luna_Camelot

The Wizard's Dog by Eric Kahn Gale

The Wizard's Dog by Eric Kahn Gale is a RICBA Nominee for 2019. Nosewise is a dog who belongs to Merlin the Magician. Nosewise knows lots of tricks, like sit and stay, but what he wants to learn are the magic tricks that Merlin teaches to his apprentice Morgana. When Nosewise accidently ends up with Morgana's magic stone around his neck, he can suddenly speak, in words! But before Nosewise can learn any magic, Merlin is taken away by an evil Fae, who wants to use Merlin's magic to become King of the humans. It is up to Nosewise to save his beloved master, with a little help from a boy named Arthur.

I am a big fan of the King Arthur legends and love reading this new take on the  story from the point of view of Nosewise the dog. Nosewise is quite funny and it's cute to see into the mind of a dog, "stupid doors"! Watch a trailer for the book.

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro

The Trail by Meika Hashimoto

The Trail by Meika Hashimoto is another RICBA Nominee for 2019. It is about a boy named Toby who is attempting to hike a section of the Appalachian Trail.... alone. He has run away from his grandmother and he knows she will be worried about him. He's frightened a lot of the time. There are bears in the woods and he feels bad luck seems to follow him wherever he goes. But, he is one determined boy. Can he succeed in accomplishing the goal he set with his best friend Lucas? Lucas, who should be hiking right along with him, but is not.

I love hiking and have traveled most of the trails in Rhode Island, so this book appealed to me. I like how Toby faces his fears when he is feeling completely overwhelmed, always trying to remember the rules of survival he learned from Lucas's father. I also enjoyed the characters Toby meets along the way, the other hikers, and a very hungry dog who needs a friend just as much as Toby does.

Review by Mrs. Castro

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey

In the book Dog Man by Dav Pilkey, George and Harold are thinking of a new comic to write and they come up with dog man. Dog Man is part human and part dog. He turned into this because he was hunting a criminal with his human friend and the criminal set down dynamite and blew them up. The doctors said the only way he would survive is if they put the dog’s head on the human’s body. Dog Man fights crime with his super sense and he also has super strength.

I thought this book was funny and fun to read. It is a graphic novel. The pictures are meant to look like a 9 year old drew them, because George and Harold are 9 and 8. And did you know that Dav Pilkey wrote the Captain Underpants books?

Review by Ath1eticbeast15

Ellie's Story: A Dog's Purpose Novel by W. Bruce Cameron

Ellie's Story: A Dog's Purpose Novel by W. Bruce Cameron is a 2017 RICBA nominee. You may have heard of the bestseller A Dog's Purpose? Well, this is the same story, same author, but adapted for young readers. It is about a dog named Ellie, who becomes a search and rescue dog. The story is told from the point of view of the dog. I personally am not crazy about adaptations, and was a little disappointed by the writing in this book. What I can say positively is that the book does a great job informing the reader about the training that a search and rescue dog goes through to become good at their work. If you are crazy about dogs and curious about search and rescue dog training, you will love it.

Mrs. Castro

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

Ever since Mark was a little boy, he had planned to climb Mount Rainier with his grandfather. But one thing stood in the way. Mark was a very sick boy but was tired of being just the sick kid. He was determined to make his grandfather proud. Mark could do it with his dog, Beau, by his side. Climbing up is one thing, but climbing down is another. His whole life, Mark has overcome many things. Will this add to the list of accomplishments, or be the last thing he ever does? Read The Honest Truth to join Mark up the mountain and find out what his fate will be.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I appreciated the cliff-hangers and could never put it down. The Honest Truth  made me happy, sad and nervous all at the same time. The author paints a great picture in the reader's mind which makes you really get to know Mark, Beau, and the rest of the crew. I strongly recommend reading The Honest Truth. It’s a great book!

Reading this book reminded me of when I saw a story on the news about a 14 year old girl who trained for years to climb Mount Everest. Even though Mark didn’t train for years, both of them had a passion for adventure. The girl had Mount Everest on her bucket list for a long time and when she accomplished it, she felt that she made her dad proud.  When Mark was climbing Mount Rainier, he wanted to make his grandfather proud. The 14 year old girl and Mark have a lot in common in my opinion.

Reviewed By-Soccergirl16

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart was not an easy book to read. I cried pretty much through the whole thing. Mark is a young boy who runs away from home. He takes his dog Beau with him. Beau is a loyal, smart dog and Mark is lucky he is at his side. Mark heads toward his goal Mount Rainier. He and Beau will travel by bus, train, and foot. He is often in danger and is terribly sick and hungry. There is a winter storm coming and his family and best friend Jessie are worried. You will be too. I certainly was.

Mrs. Castro

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord

A Handful of Stars by Cynthia Lord is a book about friendship. Lily is a young girl in a small town in Maine, living with her grandparents and her blind dog Lucky. Salma is a migrant worker, in Maine with her family to pick blueberries for the season. The two girls don't seem to have much in common, but they both have things to learn from each other about standing up to prejudice and about the loyalty of a good friend.

Cynthia Lord is the author of Rules, which is one of my favorite books. I really liked this one too. I think the author is excellent at understanding friendships and sometimes the difficulties that come with them. I especially liked the character of Lucky the dog. He is so sweet and Lily and Salma bond over their love for him and their worries about his loss of sight. Good dog, good book.

Mrs. Castro

Riley Mack by Chris Grabenstein

Have you ever got in trouble for helping people? Riley Mack by Chris Grabenstein, is about a fifth grader who helps those who are in need of help. A kid named Jamal gets bullied a lot in school by a sixth grader named Gavin Brown, but Gavin Brown’s father is the sheriff of the town. So when his dad is in the army in Afghanistan, he has to be a man and help others who are in need, alone with his friends, and no adults.

             I like this book because I can relate to it. Grownups do not listen to me at times, they never believe me. I try to help people, but normally succeed.

Reviewed By  _PotLag_

Hero by Sara Lean

In the book Hero by Sara Lean, a little boy was in a store called Sonic Boom, when suddenly he felt the ground shake.  His dog was right next to him. He ran outside, but then the ground collapsed, the dog fell into the sinkhole.  The little boy stayed at the side of the sinkhole with his dog.  Read the book Hero, to find out what happened to the poor dog in the sinkhole.  

This book reminds me of a something that I read in a newspaper.  It was about when a sinkhole happened in Pennsylvania.  Nobody died, but several people were injured and they had to close the road for more than 5 months.  

-popcorn8585

Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan

Dogs of War by Sheila Keenan is a great book for dog lovers. It shows that dogs do a lot for our country.  The book tells the stories of amazing war dogs. War dogs are more than helpers they also give soldiers comfort. The three dogs in the book are inspiring even though they’re dogs. They go through the war with their heads held high. The book also has a variation of settings from tundra to jungle.

 The book is both intense and loving. I give the book five stars for its amazing pictures and the great description of the character’s feelings. I’ve never read a book more loving than this one. If you are a lover of action then this book is for YOU! You should definitely read this book. So next time you’re  looking for an action book take a look at Dogs of War.

-Chcolate4life