A charming novel about a troubled young dog owner that will appeal to readers of all ages.
A YA novel about two unlikely friends, their dogs, and the competitions that bring them and their community together.
As Manning’s (Hill Country Teacher, 1990) entertaining novel opens, Benny Neusner, a 14-year-old boy in Redding, Conn., is dealing with emotional issues stemming from his parents’ divorce. He’s enrolled at New Hope, a school for children with behavioral challenges, and works with his therapist, Dr. Kate, to learn to better handle his emotions. He also has a crush on Steffie, one of his classmates. During an evening walk alone one night, he discovers Bess Rutledge, a former champion breeder and dog-show contestant, in her barn delivering new puppies. This litter, Bess says, will be her last; she’s decided to close her legendary Umpawaug Kennels and give up on her dream of winning best in show at the famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Benny likes Bess’ dog McCreery, the puppies’ sire, and although Bess won’t give up her beloved pet, she does offer to give the boy the puppy of his choice from her final litter. He picks Breaker, a beautiful, brown male puppy that resembles McCreery. Bess agrees to let Benny keep Breaker at her house, since he’s not allowed to have a dog at his own. Soon Benny grows close to Bess’ adult son, David, and together, they plot to get Bess back in the ring. They eventually convince her to let Benny show Breaker at dog shows. Breaker does remarkably well, winning his first competition, and showing the dog becomes a form of therapy for Benny. Slowly but surely, both his confidence and Bess’ return, and the two decide together that they should take their dreams more seriously. Manning’s book is heartwarming and informative, and it offers an intriguing look at children who suffer from different behavioral issues. Benny’s crush, Steffie, is said to have Asperger’s syndrome, and Benny offers an elucidating description of his own emotional challenges: “How’d you like to have so many feelings inside they make your head swim?” The book also addresses the healing and therapeutic nature of dogs, and would likely be a great read for any dog lover.
A charming novel about a troubled young dog owner that will appeal to readers of all ages.Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0578136394
Page Count: 330
Publisher: Beltor
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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