Family Reads

A Dog Called Grk

A Dog Called Grk

by Joshua Doder © 2005, 241 pages Level 4 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

When Timothy Malt finds a stray dog outside his home in suburban London, he has no idea of the adventures in store for him. It all begins with a simple enough task: locate the dog's owners and conduct a canine reunion. According to his tag, the dog is named Grk and lives at an English address which turns out to be the Stanislavian Embassy. But when Tim and his family show up to return the dog, they stumble upon international turmoil as the ambassador and his family (who happen to be Grk's owners) have just been deported back to Stanislavia amidst a military coup.

Tim's parents are content to leave Grk at a local dog pound so that his owners can eventually catch up with him or he can be adopted by a new family. But Tim knows what can happen at the pound, and he also knows Grk is a special dog that no one would ever leave behind by choice. He's determined to find Grk's family, and his mission leads him on a solo international voyage full of danger and intrigue.

A Dog Called Grk is almost purely plot and reads much like an action movie. In fact, a web search on the title revealed an entry by the same name on IMDb. This book would be a great choice for a reader who likes to keep things moving without getting sidetracked by character development, setting descriptions, etc. Be aware that there is some violence, probably along the same lines as a book like Artemis Fowl.

Lori

This book might not have been the best choice for Ben and I to read together. It takes us a while to get through a book since our time for reading aloud is limited. I think he would have gulped this down in a few days if he was on his own. He seemed to like it more than me, but sometimes that's just part of sharing books with your child—taking pleasure from their enjoyment of the story. We laughed together quite a bit as we read, however, and that's always a sweet experience.

I didn't appreciate the author misusing God's name in this book, so I edited those parts on the fly as I read them to Ben. I wonder if that's more acceptable in books that are published in England. Regardless, it seemed like an unnecessary distraction.

Ben

This was a very fast-paced and good book. I especially liked how the author tied in references to typical dog behavior in the novel, adding hilarity to an otherwise action-packed story. This book also touches a bit on politics. I recommend this book to any fans of action.

Hachiko - The True Story of a Loyal Dog

Hachiko - The True Story of a Loyal Dog

by Pamela S. Turner
© 2004, 27 pages Level 2 (all about levels) Learn More on Amazon Reviewed by Emily Morgan

 

Narrated by a fictitious 6-year-old boy, this book tells the true story of Hachiko, a dog who faithfully waits at a busy Tokyo train station for his master to return home from work. The unusual part of the story is that the dog continues to wait, at the same place, for nearly a decade after his master's death. The story is beautifully told and simply illustrated, allowing its reader to take in some Japanese culture and history. The author includes "the story behind the story" at the end, with interesting facts about Hachiko and his influence on the people whose paths included Shibuya Station in Tokyo. The story is, in the author's words, "both sad and wonderful".

This book would be a terrific addition to a study of Japanese geography and culture and is appropriate reading for first through sixth grades. I enjoyed it and am not surprised that I found such a gem on our state's picture book award shelf.

Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School

Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School

by Mark Teague
© 2002, 32 pages Level 2 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

Just a soul whose intentions are good, Mrs. LaRue’s dog, Ike, is sorely misunderstood. If he had known that the chicken pie was off limits, he wouldn’t have pilfered a piece. As for the time he ripped Mrs. LaRue’s coat, it was only because she was about to cross the street without looking.  He had to do something to stop her from stepping in front of that car, so he grabbed her coat with his teeth.  And as for those neighbors who complain about his infrequent howling?  Have they ever stopped to think how their vacuuming interrupts his mid-day naps?

In Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters from Obedience School, we get a humorous look at life from Ike’s perspective. He’s justifiably miffed at being sent off to what he sees as dog prison. During his two-month sentence, he writes letters home to his owner explaining his actions and describing the harsh conditions he must endure. The illustrations cleverly contrast his full-color, fairly happy stay at the school with his black-and-white perceived world in prison. You can almost hear the whimpers and whines!

After every appeal he can conjure up, Ike finally decides to make a break for it. He plans a daring escape from doggy detention so he can live a life of freedom…and probably hunger. Will he be successful in his attempt? And what will happen to Mrs. LaRue? The exciting ending to this book finally delivers Ike his just desserts.

Each Little Bird that Sings

Each Little Bird That Sings

by Deborah Wiles © 2005, 247 pages Level 4 (tell me about levels)

 

Set in Snapfinger, Mississippi, Each Little Bird That Sings has a graceful yet spunky Southern mentality that permeates the dialogue, characters, events and mood of the book. Somehow this environment makes the heavy themes of death, grief and forgiveness much easier to swallow – the proverbial spoonful of sugar. But don’t dismiss this book as syrupy. The main character, ten-year-old Comfort Snowberger, is a strong yet flawed, very real individual, and I couldn’t help thinking of Scout Finch as I read about her. The Snowberger family runs a funeral home in their small town, so Comfort is well-acquainted with death. But when loss hits her personally, she finds a new range of emotions mixed in with the familiar routine of funeral proceedings. With powerful spiritual lessons to learn, we’re with Comfort every step of the way as she lives out her beloved great-uncle Edisto's motto, "It takes courage to look life in the eye and say yes to the messy glory."

Dispersed throughout the book are Comfort's writing endeavors, which feature her unique brand of insights on topics such as Top Ten Tips for First-rate Funeral Behavior (with the byline, "Life Notices and Tips by Comfort Snowberger: Explorer, Recipe Tester, and Funeral Reporter.") She's also working on A Short History of a Small Place: Snapfinger, Mississippi, as well as Fantastic (and Fun) Funeral Food for Family and Friends.

Spoiler alert: Without wanting to give too much away, it is important to know what you’re getting into when dealing with the subject of death in juvenile fiction. Since it takes place in a funeral home, this book is fairly matter-of-fact about dying as a part of life. It might not be a wise choice for children who are experiencing severe anxiety about this topic (though there is a character in the book who battles and overcomes this very fear). But it is very well done, and appropriate for children who range from slightly scared to mildly curious about death. This was a two-tissue book for me, more in the vein of Where the Red Fern Grows than Bridge to Terabithia. It is a perfect candidate for reading aloud, both to gauge reactions to the subject matter and discuss accordingly, as well as to have fun perfecting your Southern drawl.

Finders, Keepers

Finders, Keepers

by William Lipkind and Nicolas Mordvinoff © 1952, 32 pages Level 2 (tell me about levels)

 

I picked Finders Keepers off the shelf at our library this weekend almost out of pity. Our town's copy is a super slim volume, so much so that you can barely see the spine shoved in amongst all the bolder, brighter, fatter books. And it is old. The one I checked out actually had a library card pocket in the back. But with a soft spot for well-worn vintage books (and library cards), I added this Caldecott winner to my bag.
 
On first reading, I thought, "Huh, that's kind of a quirky, yet funny old book," and figured I would take a pass on reviewing it. But after thinking about it for five minutes, the story settled in and I began to grow enamored with it.

In stark three-color illustrations, Finders Keepers tells us the tale of two dogs who dig up a bone and can't decide which one of them is the rightful owner. The book follows their quest to find a fair judge, but all the animals and townspeople they meet are too wrapped up in their own lives to listen to their story. When they finally happen upon an interested party, they realize he's a little too interested and scurry away to resolve the problem, fairly, and on their own. Along the way, the two dogs (bonus points for their fun names, Nap and Winkle) are willing to set aside their problem and help the individuals they meet, all the while remaining friendly with each other. What a perfect book to read to your kids after a long day of settling sibling disputes!