- Paperback: 192 pages
- Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Reprint edition (Jan 1 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0439717000
- ISBN-13: 978-0439717007
- Product Dimensions: 20.3 x 12.4 x 1.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 159 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #90,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From School Library Journal
Grade 4-6–This is Ann Martins first person account of life as a stray dog (Scholastic, 2005). Squirrel and her brother Bone are pups living in a country estates garden shed. When their mother fails to return one day, Squirrel follows her brother to look for a new home. Mother had taught them basic survival skills–to hunt for food and beware of humans. On the road, they learn another life lesson–to be wary of highways with cars. Squirrel and Bone become separated, so Squirrel moves on alone. She befriends Moon, another stray. The two dogs watch out for each other, changing homes with the changing seasons. A fatal car accident separates the two. Squirrel again sets out again on her own, employing survival skills until she meets a woman named Susan and finds a stable home. Wendy Dillons warm, calm voice is the perfect match to tell the tale of the experience-worn Squirrel. She adds nuances of pitch and tension to her voice when reading the few passages of dialogue. This story begs to be listened to multiple times. A good choice for animal lovers.–Stephanie Bange, Wilmington-Stroop Branch, Dayton Metro Library, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. Novels for children rarely follow characters from birth to the threshold of the grave, but then again, most protagonists do not measure their life spans in dog years. In this "autobiography" of a dog named Squirrel, Newbery Honor Book author Martin imagines how a stray separated from its family in puppyhood finds its way in the world. Martin adjusts to her character's limited viewpoint by combining a retrospective structure--allowing an older, wiser Squirrel to shed light on things not within a puppy's purview--with graceful dog's-eye descriptions of nature, as when a moon waxes "from the tiny curl of a cat's claw to a half-closed eye." Less effective are the repetitive plot structure and the concluding focus on Squirrel's twilight years, lending the novel an elegiac tone that may not resonate with its target audience. Readers who love animal survival stories in the tradition of Anna Sewell's Black Beauty (1877) and Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey (1961) will embrace this for its convincing animal perspective, though some sad events may shock the softer hearted. Jennifer Mattson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
Lindenfield in the wintertime was a bleak place. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Lindenfield in the wintertime was a bleak place. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic!,
By Sherry D (Vernon, BC Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray (Paperback)
My 9 year old daughter insisted I read this book because according to her it was "the best book EVER". I just finished it and it was fantastic! As a busy mother who loves to read I was not exactly looking forward to spending my precious few moments of quite time reading a kids book, but from the first page I was hooked. Well written and thoroughly engaging. A+ from me, as well as a discriminating 9 year old!
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (90 customer reviews) 33 of 34 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good Dog!,
By Martha Quigley - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray (Hardcover)
Squirrel tells her story in simple, yet powerful language. The images are vivid. It is a testament to the heart of the will to survive, never giving up, and trying to remain optimistic. I would highly reccomend this book for pre-teens, teens, and adults. Some of the best literature out there is Juvenile/young adult fiction. The Autobiography of a Stray is one of those books. Make yourself a comfy bed, turn around on it 3 times and settle down contently to read this book.
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
For Dog Lovers Everywhere,
By Avid Reader - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray (Hardcover)
A Kid's Review:I think that anyone who loves dogs should read this book because it is just the best book I've ever read. I'm nine years old and I'm obsessed with dogs. A Dog's Life was so good I could hardly put it down. There were a lot of emotional ups and downs in the book. I think the writer gave very good details so you could see a really good picture in your mind. I was so inspired by this book that I have now written a book about the life of a horse! 43 of 48 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Best Books of 2005,
By Erika Sorocco - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray (Hardcover)
Puppies Squirrel and Bone come into this world in a toolshed behind a summer house. The toolshed already houses cats and birds, even some mice. But there's always room for another, so Squirrel and Bone, alongside their mother, take up residence in a wheelbarrow inside the toolshed. While food is scarce, and often hard to find, the family is warm, and safe from predators. During their short time in the toolshed, Squirrel and Bone learn the rules of hunting from their mother. But when she disappears one day, after setting out for food, Squirrel and Bone know that they must leave the shed in the hopes of finding a better life for themselves. But when the two siblings are separated, Squirrel must get used to being alone. That is, until she meets up with Moon, another dog who resembles Bone. Over the course of their time together, they meet up with humans - both good and bad - and many dangerous obstacles that stand in their way to make a better life for themselves, but they never give up hope, and keep trucking, dreaming of a day when things will be better for themselves.I have been a fan of Ann M. Martin for over thirteen-years, since her BABY-SITTERS CLUB days. And, as an avid animal lover, and the proud parent of three handicapped cats that I rescued from shelters, I was ecstatic to stumble upon A DOG'S LIFE. While it will bring a tear to your eye, and often cause you to put the book down for a breather, A DOG'S LIFE tells the brutal life of a stray animal. The abuse they take at the mercy of the hands of humans - both kind and unkind - and what they go through on a daily basis simply to find food. Told in first person - or dog - narrative by Squirrel, Martin has woven a remarkable novel for readers of all ages that will touch the hearts of all, and bring about hope that maybe, someday, all animals will live in peace, and none will be left "unwanted." Erika Sorocco Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper |
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
