I ended my 2017 reading year with this book. And I could not have lucked out with a better one. Brodie is a dog - a very good dog - who has died. Rather than let go and move on to Forever, Brodie chooses to return to our world to save Aidan, his boy, from danger. What entails is an adventure so unique that I couldn’t put this book down. Good Dog is BEAUTIFUL. An omniscient narrator tells the story, occasionally breaking from his POV to address the reader, which connected me to Brodie and Aidan more and more. The flashbacks Brodie experienced as memories of his past with Aidan came flooding back were vivid, sometimes excruciating, and always intentional in ways that kept me guessing. Gemeinhart’s use of imagery only added to that vividness. But the best part? Brodie’s VOICE. So singular, original, and pure, highlighting the bond between this dog and his boy. I fell in love with Brodie from the jump, laughing and crying as he worked to complete his quest. He is a character I will remember forever. This book is, in my opinion, one for the middle-grade ages, teaching kids that heroism is a choice that can come in any form.
Good Dog
By Dan Gemeinhart
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grade 4 | n/a | 3.9 | 63606 |
Brodie was a good dog. And good dogs go to heaven.
Except Brodie can't move on. Not just yet. As wonderful as his glimpse of the afterlife is, he can't forget the boy he left behind. The boy he loved, and who loved him in return.
The boy who's still in danger.
So Brodie breaks the rules of heaven. He returns to Earth as a spirit. With the help of two other lost souls -- lovable pitbull Tuck and surly housecat Patsy -- he is determined to find his boy and to save him.
Even if it costs him paradise. Even if he loses his eternal soul.
Because it's what a good dog would do.
Except Brodie can't move on. Not just yet. As wonderful as his glimpse of the afterlife is, he can't forget the boy he left behind. The boy he loved, and who loved him in return.
The boy who's still in danger.
So Brodie breaks the rules of heaven. He returns to Earth as a spirit. With the help of two other lost souls -- lovable pitbull Tuck and surly housecat Patsy -- he is determined to find his boy and to save him.
Even if it costs him paradise. Even if he loses his eternal soul.
Because it's what a good dog would do.
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN-13: 9781338528756
ISBN-10: 1338528750
Published on 6/25/2019
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 304
Book Reviews (2)
So far what I had read is awesome and very descriptive (one of my favorite characteristics of books). I started reading it about a week ago and I will definitely finish it sometime soon.