2012 Puddly Awards
 
 
Follow us on TwitterFollow us on FacebookFollow us on TumblrSubscribe to RSS


Recently Viewed clear list


Guests | January 18, 2012

Alexis Smith: IMG In the Kitchen with a Deadline



When I have a writing deadline approaching, you'll probably find me in the kitchen. It's horrible, I know, but when I work with a deadline, I tend... Continue »
  1. $7.67 Sale Trade Paper add to wish list

    Glaciers (Tin House New Voice)

    Alexis Smith 9781935639206

spacer
Free Shipping!

Ships free on qualified orders.
$16.00
New Hardcover
Ships in 1 to 3 days
Add to Wishlist
Qty Store Section
4 Local Warehouse Children's Young Adult- Social Issue Fiction
2 Remote Warehouse Children's Young Adult- Social Issue Fiction

More copies of this ISBN

eBook editions

How to Steal a Dog

by Barbara O'connor

How to Steal a Dog Cover

ISBN13: 9780374334970
ISBN10: 0374334978
All Product Details

 

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Half of me was thinking, Georgina, dont do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong. The other half of me was thinking, Georgina, youre in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it.

Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is “borrow” the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.

 
How to Steal a Dog is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Review:

"'O'Connor (Me and Rupert Goody) blends her usual poignancy and insight in another tale set in a small North Carolina town. 'The day I decided to steal a dog was the same day my best friend, Luanne Godfrey, found out I lived in a car,' begins plucky Georgina. After her father 'just waltzed off and left us with nothing but three rolls of quarters and a mayonnaise jar full of wadded-up dollar bills,' Georgina, her mother and younger brother, Toby, were evicted from their apartment. The three now sleep in their old Chevy. Since her mother works two jobs, saving up for a place to live, Georgina takes care of Toby after school, while carefree Luanne attends ballet class and Girl Scouts with her new best friend. A poster announcing a $500 reward for a missing dog gives the heroine an idea for helping to secure lodging. She diligently writes in her notebook rules for stealing a dog, but they turn out to be more complicated than she anticipates. The devastated woman whose pet Georgina purloins (and who is not wealthy enough to furnish a reward) and a wise and caring homeless man Georgina meets also affect her plan. Speaking with at times heartbreaking honesty, this likable young narrator convincingly articulates her frustration, resentment and confusion as she comes to her decisions. O'Connor once again smoothly balances challenging themes with her heroine's strength and sense of humor. Ages 8-12.' Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Synopsis:

Georgina Hayes may be homeless, but shes not hopeless.

About the Author

Barbara O’Connor is the author of several notable books for children, including Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia and Me and Rupert Goody, an ALA Notable Book. Her next book, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, will be available from FSG in Fall 2009. She was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, and now lives in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!
Average customer rating based on 1 comment:

Jeane, March 29, 2008 (view all comments by Jeane)
This story is about Georgina's issues with her family's homelessness, and her determination to change their situation. Her father's abandoned them, they've been evicted and are living out of a car while their mother struggles with two low-paying jobs, trying to save enough to get a new place to live. Georgiana is highly embarrassed and frustrated by their situation. One day she sees a lost-dog sign and makes up a plan to steal someone's dog, then collect the reward money. But her plan doesn't unfold smoothly, and she continually runs up against her conscience. Faced with the question: is it okay to do something wrong in dire circumstances? Georgina learns some powerful lessons about honesty, friendship, and that money isn't everything. A great read, thought-provoking and funny.
Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(13 of 27 readers found this comment helpful)

Product Details

ISBN:
9780374334970
Author:
O'connor, Barbara
Publisher:
Farrar Straus Giroux
Author:
O'Connor, Barbara
Subject:
Dogs
Subject:
Conduct of life
Subject:
Situations / Values
Subject:
Social Issues - Values
Subject:
Social Issues - Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Subject:
Social Issues - Homelessness & Poverty
Subject:
Family - General
Subject:
Homeless persons
Subject:
Animals - Dogs
Subject:
Social Issues/Homelessness
Subject:
Poverty
Subject:
Virtues
Subject:
Social Issues/Self-Esteem
Subject:
Self-reliance
Subject:
Social Issues - Values & Virtues
Subject:
Children s Young Adult-Social Issue Fiction-Values and Virtues
Subject:
Children s Young Adult-Social Issue Fiction
Edition Description:
Trade Cloth
Publication Date:
20070331
Binding:
HARDCOVER
Grade Level:
from 3 to 7
Language:
English
Pages:
192
Dimensions:
8.56x5.82x.73 in. .69 lbs.
Age Level:
08-12

Other books you might like

  1. $17.50 Used Hardcover add to wish list

    The Invention of Hugo Cabret

    Brian Selznick 9780439813785
  2. $6.43 Google eBooks add to wish list

    Peak

    Roland Smith 9780547417172
  3. $4.95 Used Trade Paper add to wish list
  4. $6.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

    Shakespeare's Secret

    Elise Broach 9781429976848
  5. $7.99 Google eBooks add to wish list

    Feathers

    Jacqueline Woodson 9781101019832
  6. $9.95 Used Hardcover add to wish list

Related Aisles

How to Steal a Dog New Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$16.00 In Stock
Product details 192 pages Farrar Straus Giroux - English 9780374334970 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "'O'Connor (Me and Rupert Goody) blends her usual poignancy and insight in another tale set in a small North Carolina town. 'The day I decided to steal a dog was the same day my best friend, Luanne Godfrey, found out I lived in a car,' begins plucky Georgina. After her father 'just waltzed off and left us with nothing but three rolls of quarters and a mayonnaise jar full of wadded-up dollar bills,' Georgina, her mother and younger brother, Toby, were evicted from their apartment. The three now sleep in their old Chevy. Since her mother works two jobs, saving up for a place to live, Georgina takes care of Toby after school, while carefree Luanne attends ballet class and Girl Scouts with her new best friend. A poster announcing a $500 reward for a missing dog gives the heroine an idea for helping to secure lodging. She diligently writes in her notebook rules for stealing a dog, but they turn out to be more complicated than she anticipates. The devastated woman whose pet Georgina purloins (and who is not wealthy enough to furnish a reward) and a wise and caring homeless man Georgina meets also affect her plan. Speaking with at times heartbreaking honesty, this likable young narrator convincingly articulates her frustration, resentment and confusion as she comes to her decisions. O'Connor once again smoothly balances challenging themes with her heroine's strength and sense of humor. Ages 8-12.' Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Synopsis" by ,
Georgina Hayes may be homeless, but shes not hopeless.
spacer
spacer
  • back to top
Follow us on...


Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and eBooks — here at Powells.com.