Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with and advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Title: Dogtown
Authors: Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko
Illustrator: Wallace West
Publisher: MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 19, 2023
Description:
Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them.
Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since her owners unwittingly left her with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town.
Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home.
And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves.
When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses along the way.
My Thoughts:
Al Capone Does My Shirts and The One and Only Ivan are two of my favorite middle grade books. So, when I saw that the authors were collaborating, I had to have the book. But, I love the other books so much that I worried it might be a disappointment. I shouldn’t have doubted Applegate and Choldenko. This is one of the sweetest, cutest, funniest middle grade books I’ve read.
Like the Ivan series, the book is told in first point of view from an animal’s perspective, a dog named Chance. Chance is stuck in Dogtown, a shelter for both real and electronic dogs, after his owners leave him with an irresponsible dog-sitter and he is in an accident. Every dog there is hoping to find their forever home. But one dog, Metal Head, is determined to break out. Chance doesn’t usually like robot dogs, but he and Metal Head form a friendship as they go on an adventure.
I love the clever way she describes things focused on smell and how the dogs have a “group wag” to celebrate. Dogtown has a warm message friendship and using your heart. This book will pull on your heartstrings while making you laugh. The authors also include hints at the end about helping shelter dogs other than just adopting them. This is sure to be another classic added to these authors’ stellar lists.
This sounds like an awful lot of fun. I will check it out. Thanks for your review.