Dog Gone
Grade 5–8—Twelve-year-old Dylan is miserable—her mother has died, her father is working all the time, her beloved grandfather is getting sick, grown-ups are giving her pity looks, the rich boy at the stables where she works for lessons is being a jerk, and, to top it all off, her mother's dog is disappearing at the same time there are reports of dogs attacking livestock. She is totally in denial about her mother's death and the possibility that Dead End could be a killer. Luckily, Dylan has a true friend in her longtime buddy Cub, who has a more realistic approach to life. The author keeps readers in suspense about Dead End's fate until the very end, which drives the novel, although they will figure out that he is the culprit long before Dylan will even entertain the idea. Dylan and Cub are well-developed characters, and youngsters will come to care about and understand them. The author belabors her message of the need to face reality, and the book drags in parts because of it, but it could spark discussion with children dealing with difficult situations.—Nancy P. Reeder, Heathwood Hall Episcopal School, Columbia, SCCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.