Synopses & Reviews
andlt;Bandgt;A and#8220;wholly satisfyingand#8221; andlt;I andgt;(Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/Iandgt;, starred review) novel in verse starring a boy, a lost dog, and a lonely old man, from Newbery Honoree Marion Dane Bauerandlt;/Bandgt;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Mark is a boy who andlt;I andgt;needsandlt;/Iandgt; a dog. But he canand#8217;t get his mom on board with his plan.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Buddy is a dog who needs a boy. Buddy has an owner already, but not one who understands what a dog andlt;I andgt;really andlt;/Iandgt;needs.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Mr. LaRue is a neighbor who needs a community. Heand#8217;s alone all the time in his huge old houseand#8212;and andlt;I andgt;everyoneandlt;/Iandgt; needs more than that.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Over the course of a summer thunderstorm and one chaotic town council meeting, these three characters cross paths and come together in a timeless tale ripe with emotions. Theyand#8217;ll realize they all need the same things: love, understanding, and a sense of belongingand#8212;plus a place to play a game of fetch!andlt;I andgt;andlt;/Iandgt;
Review
"Here is a tale that warms the heart from top to bottom and back again. This is storytelling in all its glory."--Kathi Appelt, author of the Newbery Honor Book andlt;iandgt;The Underneathandlt;/iandgt;
Review
* "Wholly satisfying.... A perfect selection for pet lovers new to chapter books and anyone who just enjoys a cheerful dog story."--andlt;iandgt;Kirkus Reviewsandlt;/iandgt;, starred review
Review
* and#8220;The rapid, immediate free verse will grab readers with first the longing and loneliness and then, on contrast, the boy and dog in bliss. Great for sharing with pet lovers.and#8221;--andlt;iandgt;Booklistandlt;/iandgt;, starred review
Review
and#8220;Marion Dane Bauer delicately showcases yearning in so many hearts, human and animal. Buddy, a female dog so named by her first owner because she was his buddy, loses one home and moves through another before emerging as a much-loved Ruby at the end. Telling the story in short poems, which highlight central characters, allows Bauer to make the story accessible to many different readers. The lines can dwell on Buddy's cute ears or the and#8220;eyes as blue as a Caribbean seaand#8221; of a lonely older man, or the wonderful dog-dominating skills of a cat named Fido. A great read-aloud.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;Mary Harris Russell,andlt;Iandgt; Chicago Tribuneandlt;/Iandgt;
Review
"Newbery Honor-author Bauer (On My Honor) crafts distinct voices for each character and develops a strong sense of place in the close-knit town of Erthly. . .
Review
"Written in poetry form, this title is a wonderful story for dog lovers and those who like a little mysteryand#8212;the reader does not find out until the end of the book how each characterand#8217;s story relates others. This is perfect for a read-aloud or to read alone."andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; -andlt;iandgt;--Library Media Connectionandlt;/iandgt;, October 2012
Review
andlt;bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; American Kennel Club Responsible Dog Ownership Monthandlt;BRandgt; andlt;/bandgt;andlt;BRandgt; American Kennel Club; http://www.akc.org/andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; Little Dog, Lost (Atheneum, 2012) by Newbery Honor winner Marion Dane Bauer is the heartwarming story of a boy who needs a dog, and a dog who needs a boyand#8212;a match made in heaven if only the two can meet! This touching novel in verse will captivate readers. A guide for the novel including discussion questions, simile and persuasive letter writing activities, and more is available free (andlt;a href="http://www.mariondanebauer.com/bkpages/bk_littledog.html"andgt;http://www.mariondanebauer.com/bkpages/bk_littledog.htmlandlt;/aandgt;). Grades 3-7.andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; andlt;iandgt;SLM, September 2012andlt;/iandgt;
Review
"Newbery Honorand#8211;author Bauer (andlt;iandgt;On My Honorandlt;/iandgt;) crafts distinct voices for each character and develops a strong sense of place in the close-knit town of Erthly. . . . Any child who has ever longed for a pet or tried to convince a parent to give in to a dear wish will identify with Mark."--andlt;iandgt;Publishers Weeklyandlt;/iandgt;
Synopsis
A “wholly satisfying” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) novel in verse starring a boy, a lost dog, and a lonely old man, from Newbery Honoree Marion Dane BauerMark is a boy who needs a dog. But he can’t get his mom on board with his plan.
Buddy is a dog who needs a boy. Buddy has an owner already, but not one who understands what a dog really needs.
Mr. LaRue is a neighbor who needs a community. He’s alone all the time in his huge old house—and everyone needs more than that.
Over the course of a summer thunderstorm and one chaotic town council meeting, these three characters cross paths and come together in a timeless tale ripe with emotions. They’ll realize they all need the same things: love, understanding, and a sense of belonging—plus a place to play a game of fetch!
About the Author
Marion Dane Bauer is the author of many books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor book andlt;iandgt;On My Honorandlt;/iandgt; and the andlt;iandgt;New York Timesandlt;/iandgt; bestseller andlt;iandgt;My Mother Is Mineandlt;/iandgt;. Her other titles include andlt;iandgt;A Mama for Owenandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; If You Were Born a Kittenandlt;/iandgt;,andlt;iandgt; Grandmotherand#39;s Songandlt;/iandgt;, andandnbsp;andlt;iandgt;Thank You for Me!andlt;/iandgt; She has retired from the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults where she was the first Faculty Chair. She lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and can be reached at MarionDaneBauer.com.Jennifer A. Bell is an illustrator whose work can be found on greeting cards, in magazines, and in over a dozen childrenand#39;s books. She lives with her husband, son, and cranky cat in Minneapolis, Minnesota.