Felix Powell, Boy Dog
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2024
“A just-right book for a developing reader.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
In this funny young middle grade novel about friendship, family, and animals, Felix Powell is magically transformed from a boy into a dog. Illustrated with black-and-white drawings by two-time Newbery Medal winner and National Book Award finalist Erin Entrada Kelly on almost every page. Perfect for fans of Ivy + Bean, Merci Suárez, and Dory Fantasmagory.
Felix Powell can talk to animals. Just ask his dog, Mary Puppins! They talk all the time. When a mysterious, magical spell turns Felix into a dog, Mary Puppins is amazed. But not as much as Felix! Will his tail ever stop wagging? Will he ever see in full color again? How will he deal with Gumbo, the snobby neighborhood cat? Most importantly, will he ever return to being a regular boy?
With short, high-interest chapters and illustrations by the author on almost every page, Felix Powell, Boy Dog celebrates curiosity, ingenuity, imagination, and friendship. For readers of Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Meg Medina, and Megan McDonald and all kids who love animals.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this engaging novel by Kelly (The First State of Being), eminently likable, curious eight-year-old Felix, who cues as white, is inexplicably drawn to a seemingly nondescript blanket in a thrift shop. Bearing his purchase, he returns to the home he shares with his nan (the kind of grandmother who serves dessert as dinner once a month). While playing hide-and-seek with his faithful dog Mary Puppins, Felix crawls under the blanket, and when Puppins uncovers him, boy and pet are startled to discover Felix has become a dog. Beguiling descriptions of the expanded sensitivity of Felix's sense of smell and hearing as well as the joy of running on four legs follow as Puppins teaches him all about being a dog, including the subtleties of tail wagging. Though he's elated by his transformation, Felix worries about Nan and how she will feel when she can't find him. Meanwhile, Felix and Puppins's interactions with a snooty cat engage readers in a cat-vs.-dog superiority contest that tests Felix's understanding of friendship. Short chapters create a well-paced narrative with an appropriate amount of suspense, while Kelly's plentiful b&w drawings enhance the friendly ambiance, occasionally taking over the storytelling. Overall, it's a just-right book for a developing reader. Ages 8–12.
