DYLAN'S DILEMMA

In this debut middle-grade novel, a mother and son’s new pooch throws their lives into a tailspin in countless, entertaining ways.

Aiden Donovan, an American film professor teaching in Daejeon, South Korea, makes room in his lonely apartment for a companion. He buys Dylan, an American cocker spaniel, whom he adores. But Aiden never trains Dylan, and the neighbors complain about the dog’s constant barking and rambunctious ways (for example, jumping up for crackers and knocking a boy to the ground). When his landlord gives him an ultimatum, Aiden, in typical fashion, passes his problem to someone else—in this case, his mother, Colleen, and his 12-year-old brother, Casey, in sunny Brea, California. Aiden sends Dylan (via air cargo) to Brea as a “gift” for Casey. Colleen reluctantly accepts the new four-legged family member, provided Casey is responsible for him and Dylan is a good boy. Thanks to Dylan’s inner voice, readers know exactly what he’s thinking, and sometimes he causes trouble when he’s sure he’s helping, such as creating his personal “crafts” that just look destructive to humans. Much to the chagrin of Colleen and the delight of readers, Dylan runs into his share of mishaps, from violating a park’s no-duck-chasing rule to what he leaves behind on a library floor. But Dylan captures the hearts of the people he meets, and he becomes rather popular in Brea, especially with the kids at a children’s hospital. While this sweet canine has rattled some folks along the way, dognappers possibly setting their sights on him is not something that he or Casey would have ever anticipated.

Troy’s feel-good book aptly reveals what it takes to care for a dog. Aiden is nothing but soft-spoken to Dylan, who’s very happy in his South Korean home. But the professor’s lazy dog parenting makes it impossible for Dylan to know when his behavior is bad. Still, Dylan is an unmitigated joy; his “dialogue” is charming even when his nonverbal cues are unmistakable, such as pawing Casey’s leg for a promised treat: “Forget something?” At the same time, dog lovers will recognize his quintessential canine etiquette, including that food directs many of his choices and the traditional position of his muzzle resting on his paws to indicate fatigue, boredom, or melancholy. While Colleen and Casey make a warm California home for Dylan, some of the tale’s other humans are a bit unsavory. A park ranger is unnecessarily cheeky; a respected dog trainer asserts Dylan is too “frou-frou” to instruct; and even Aiden is selfish and disrespectful in conversations with his family. Characters like these coincide with more serious and well-done plot turns, including people who aspire to abduct a beloved pet and a particularly vicious dog with an owner who can’t handle him. Nevertheless, the story’s overall tone stays upbeat, with Dylan providing copious visual humor—his “orange, tongue-falling-out-of-his-mouth smile” (courtesy of his love for Cheetos) and a furry butt that seems to be locked in a perpetual wiggle. The novel ends with Dylan facing perhaps the most important decision of his life.

A fun, warmhearted tale about the tough but worthwhile undertaking of raising a dog.