Feb 27, 2013

The Good Dog

by Avi

McKinley is a trusted sled dog, a malamute with top status among all the dogs in his town. He protects his human family and takes it upon himself help dogs in need. His biggest problem is an upstart Irish setter who wants to take McKinley's place as top dog. But things get more complicated when McKinley tries to help a runaway dog and meets a wolf. He decides to help the injured wolf, too. The wolf scorns the life and subservience of dogs and encourages McKinley and his followers to join her pack in the forest and live a free, wild life. McKinley is tempted and torn between his loyalties and the stirring words of the wolf.

Aimed at middle-grade readers, I thought this book did a pretty good job of showing things through the dog's eyes. He sees things differently than people do, has his own animal way of thinking and invented words for human objects. It's got a fairly interesting storyline, too.

Rating: 3/5                 256 pages, 2003

more opinions:
Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tales

1 comment:

Comments are screened due to spam.