Module Eight: Dogs are Popular!

Avi. 2001. THE GOOD DOG. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.

*Plot Summary

McKinley, a dog who lives with his human family, must choose between continuing current lifestyle or leaving home to live in the wild with Lupin, a wolf.

*Impressions

McKinley is the protagonist of the story. His thoughts and actions move the plot along and make for an exciting story. Using McKinley, Avi lets us into the minds of dogs. Readers learn of the many different demeanors of the dogs in town and how they regard humans, including their owners. The plot is fast-paced and keeps readers intrigued from chapter to chapter. Simple but descriptive narration coupled with plenty of dialogue (both between humans and dogs) also adds to the effectiveness of the plot. The setting is both in town and in the nearby wilderness. This setting is essential to the plot and lends itself to McKinley’s ultimate problem and decision.

The style of the novel is straight-forward and full of action. Serious in tone, this novel portrays a story of truly difficult choices. Avi gives readers enough details to buy into the story, but keeps from giving too many. Finally, the themes of the novel include perseverance, friendship, decisions, and adventure.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I think students, especially those who love dogs and/or adventure stories, will especially enjoy reading it. Teachers or librarians might use this book as the subject of a literature circle.

*Review Excerpts

"The action moves along at a crackling pace, reaching a crescendo in a dramatic moonlight confrontation. The dog's-eye point of view allows for some creative touches, including insights into animal behavior and the vocabulary McKinley uses for various human objects ("eating sticks" for utensils; "a block of staring papers" for book; "glow box" for television), but most compelling of all is the transformation of McKinley's happy-go-lucky character into a truly majestic leader. "
Publishers Weekly

"A story with a decidedly canine point of view that will delight dog lovers."
School Library Journal

(Image from www.fantasticfiction.co.uk)