Answers to Dog
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5.0 • 2 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
National Book Award winner Pete Hautman explores a friendship like no other—and the universal truth that dogs make life better, especially for underdogs. Evan doesn’t seem to fit in at school or at home. He goes out of his way to avoid attention. He sits at the back of the bus, keeps his head down in class, and keeps to himself. But when a burr-covered border collie—a survivor with a gut instinct about the Boy—starts following him around and joining him on his runs, Evan’s simple duck-and-dodge existence becomes a lot more complicated . . . a lot more like life. Evolving from wary companions to steadfast friends, Evan and the dog run fast and far together, thwart an abusive dog breeder and the school bully, and find the courage to stand up for themselves and to open up to those who matter most. Narrated in alternating viewpoints, this relatable contemporary novel with classic coming-of-age themes has all the hope, pathos, and emotional complexity that mark Pete Hautman’s books for middle-grade readers—and is a deeply satisfying read for animal lovers.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A wily border collie shakes up a boy's quiet life in this finely tuned, heartfelt novel by Hautman (The Rat Queen). Eighth grader Evan and his distracted parents lead a monotonous existence following a daily routine that includes a strictly regimented dinner menu and not much fun. He finds release in running, something that feels "effortless" to him, but when a white dog with two different-colored eyes and one black ear starts joining in his after-school jogs, Evan's world expands in a multitude of memorable ways. Via Evan and the pup's alternating POVs, Hautman weaves a slice-of-life tale populated by distinctively rendered characters living in a vividly described semi-rural backdrop. As the scrappy dog journeys through farm and wood, bolts across highways, and escapes capture by an animal control officer, Evan helps shut down an abusive, disreputable dog breeder, makes a new pooch-obsessed friend, and learns more about his mother and father as they rediscover their zest for living. True-to-life moments of humor and pathos further ground a story that's sure to win attention from misfits and dog people of all stripes. Main characters read as white. Ages 9–12.
