Little Dog, Lost
Illustrated by Jennifer A Bell
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012
Find it at your local bookseller or order online from:
Now available in paperback
Synopsis
Mark 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 the kind of love and care—the “something more”—a dog 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 and told in verse that resolves with love, understanding, and a sense of belonging—plus a place to play a game of fetch!
Resources
Video for a School that chose this book for One Book, One School
Awards
2013 Austin Waldorf Children's Choice Award
Reviews
“Wholly satisfying ... A perfect selection for pet lovers new to chapter books and anyone who just enjoys a cheerful dog story.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review“…the rapid, immediate free verse will grab readers with first the longing and loneliness and then, in contrast, the boy and dog in bliss. Great for sharing with pet lovers.”—Hazel Rochman, Booklist, starred reviewMy four year old son and I are reading this book now for the 3rd or 4th time. He cries and laughs, and asks me to read it to him again and again. The first time we read it, we did so over three nights, and each morning he said, “I can't wait to find out what happens to Buddy and Mark!” This is a lovely lovely book.—Will's mom, Amazon.com
“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 The Underneath
“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 ... 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.”
—Publishers Weekly, April 2, 2012“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 “eyes as blue as a Caribbean sea” of a lonely older man, or the wonderful dog-dominating skills of a cat named Fido. A great read-aloud.”—Mary Harris Russell, Chicago Tribune“FOUR PAWS up for this delightful read. I know many readers who will like this book. I always have readers looking for novels in verse, and this one is perfect. I wonder if any of my students will recognize the alliteration, assonance, consonance, and repetition used in Little Dog Lost.
“I will be putting this book in the hands of as many readers as I can. A perfect book to read alone or to read aloud.”—Mrs. T, Chocolate AirYears ago I invited you to Ft. Wayne, IN to speak to SCBWI attendees on story structure. I was thrilled to meet you since I had enjoyed so many of your books. I've continued to read what you publish and am always amazed at your ability to craft books that grab the heart, entertain, and drop a resonating theme in the soul. Thank you.
Last night I read Little Dog Lost and was totally blown away. I wrote a short gushing recommendation on my webpage today: www.lolaschaefer.com—click on Reflections.
Thank you for this book, as well as all of your other picture books and novels. You are such a great teacher!—Lola M. Schaefer