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Music Books > 3 Dog Night > Item 22
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Smart Dog
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by Vivian Vande Velde
Sales Rank: 451919
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$5.95
At Amazon
on 12-29-2007.
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Features
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: Magic Carpet Books; Reissue edition October 1, 2007
Language: English
ISBN-10: 015206172X
ISBN-13: 978-0152061722
Product Dimensions:
8.7 x 5 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
"The enduring fantasy of a talking pet is rendered with an abundance of charm and wit," said PW of this romp involving an English-speaking canine escapee from a research laboratory. Ages 9-12. (Apr.)n
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-To say that F-32 is a smart dog is a gross understatement. He is computer literate, articulate, and a good judge of human character. This subject of a brain-enhancing science experiment engineers his escape from a research college, selects his "best friend," unpopular fifth-grader Amy Prochenko, and follows her to school. Not since Officer Buckle's Gloria [Officer Buckle & Gloria (Putnam, 1995)] has a dog had such a profound impact on students. Amy finds new friends and inner resources as she helps save the pup from the clutches of the evil scientist plotting brain dissection. Readers rooting for this canine will enjoy the twists and turns in this fast-moving story. Granted that some characters are breezily drawn-sidekick Sean is too good to believe and Kaitlyn, the controlling Miss Popular Know-it-all, is hissingly evil-but the underlying message about popularity and true friendship has rarely been so gently conveyed. Sister Mary Grace, the fifth-grade teacher, is a pleasure to meet. The ending, with both young and old villains getting their just deserts, is deliciously satisfying. Vande Velde, who has written dark fantasies about magical beings for older readers, uses a lighter hand for younger audiences. This book would make a great introduction to Robert O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Atheneum, 1971), the perennial favorite about escaped science subjects.
Marilyn Payne Phillips, University City Public Library, MO
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
Owner Reviews, Ratings, Comments and Criticism
This review is from: Smart Dog (Paperback)
Sherlock is a dog who has escaped from a university lab where gene splicing and neuron stimulation have made him intelligent and able to talk. Fifth-grader Amy and her friends find that keeping the dog's identity secret from grown-ups results in all sorts of unforeseen and hilarious complications. "Smart Dog" doesn't quite measure up to Ms. Vande Velde's best ("A Hidden Magic," for example), but still I found it an enjoyable read: Sherlock and his rescuers are likable characters, the school bully gets her comeuppance, and all ends happily. If you like humorous dog stories, you might also want to read Peter Dickinson's "Chuck and Danielle."
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Smart Dog
Updated on 12-29-2007.
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