November 1, 2002
Gr. 3-5. A troubled boy trains himself as well as his dog in this novel first published in Canada. Dickon Fielding's parents are divorced, and his father has disappeared. His mother treats him like a little kid, not like a boy ready to start fourth grade; she calls him "Birdie" and worries about his weak eyes and hyperactivity. At least she doesn't know about the bullying and name-calling he endures at school. Dickon is thrilled when they move to a new home, which is near the Humane Society. He loves dogs, but his mother is afraid of them. While she is at work, he watches the children who have dogs in obedience-training programs, eventually makes friends with them, and is allowed to help train a dog that was abused by a former owner. As Dickon works to calm the dog and teach it to be obedient, he learns how to control himself. Little certainly knows what interests kids and how to tell a satisfying story, and young animal lovers will be secure in knowing that the ending is happy. Try this as a read-aloud.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)