No More Dead Dogs [Paperback]

 

 

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This novel is called "No More Dead Dogs," It's a fictional comedy about Wallace Wallace, a football playing "hero", who has been sentenced to detention for his impeccable honesty on his book report. Now he must spend detention with his English teacher, Mr. Fogelman until he writes a proper review on "Old Shep, My Pal." The only problem is that Wallace never lies. How can he write a book report and pretend he enjoyed a book that he found boring with a routine ending in which the lead dog always dies. To make matters worse, his English teacher happens to be the drama teacher. This means Wallace has to spend his detentions with the "drama nerds" as they make a theater production out of the boring book he has to rewrite a report on. Not only must he stay with Mr. Fogelman and the "drama dorks," but he is also suspended off his football team until he can do the book report and get off detention. Now the whole team despises him. He soon comes to find that the drama rehearsals aren't a terrible punishment, and Wallace even makes suggestions for the play. He literally starts to gains control of what used to be the play being directed by Mr. Fogelman. Then, attacks are made on the play. The president of the drama club, Rachel Turner is convinced that Wallace is the cause of these attempts to sabotage the play. Nobody in the drama club believes her because they all like Wallace so much and he's turning the play into something great and interesting. Even Rachel's best friend Trudi Davis doesn't believe her because of her crush on Wallace Wallace. Wallace is even starting to enjoy detention; he's making friends who have much more substance than his old football team. Than Mr. Fogelman feels there is only one way that he can regain control of his play. He lets Wallace off detention and lets him go back to his football team. Wallace soon finds out that he no longer feels the need to be part of the football team. He liked the drama crowd much better, so he goes back to them to help more with the play. With the help of Wallace, they turn the play into a rock and roll musical event. Then, another attack is made on the play, only this time the culprit frames Wallace by leaving his football practice jersey at the scene of the crime. Now, the only person who believes Wallace is Rachel. He's now banned from helping with the play or even coming to the show, but him and his best friend Rick do some sleuthing and find out that the real culprit is Rachel Turner's Wallace-obsessed little brother, who had been so upset when Wallace left the team that he had decided to try to sabotage the play. Everything works out in the end for Wallace. Him and Rachel come to discover that they like each other and the play turns out awesome.

No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman is an amazing book. The title isn't really relevent but is still a great book. This book shows what it's like to be in junior high.

This book is a bout a football jock named Wallace Wallace who always tells the truth. For school, he had to read a book called Old Shep, My Pal and he hated it. So when Wallace writes his book report, being his honest self, his teacher doesn't like it at all. So until Wallace finishes his book report, Wallace has to miss all his football practices and games to work on the play Old Shep, My Pal. How will the play Old Shep, My Pal turn out and will Wallace ever play football again?

This book I have to say is one of my favourite books because it has drama, action and some comedy. I think this book would make kids happy from ages 10-12 and if you like books about kids doing their thing in school, then this is the book for you. Get No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman now!

This is one of the most hilarious books I have EVER read! I laughed so hard I wiped tears of laughter out of my eyes. One thing I caught was that although the story was set in 2000, the date "Saturday, November 21" was given and November 21 was a Saturday in 1998!

Wallace Wallace, the unfortunately one-named 8th-grade protagonist lives by the "honesty is the best policy" credo. Some of his honest observations, while insulting to the recipients are hilariously articulate. For example, he tells a neighbor that her "light fluffy cake" tastes like "vacuum cleaner lint" and the icing reminds him of antifreeze. His cousin's clarinet playing sounds like "somebody strangling a duck." That was just TOO funny!

So are his observations of the maudlin story about Old Shep, a story about the death of a German shepherd. Wallace tells his English teacher (and later play director) that he dislikes the story and that "any book with an award medal on it and a picture of a dog" always has a canine casualty. He and his classmates list several books, including "Sounder" and "Old Yeller." Point made, Wallace is in the dog house with his English teacher. He has to serve detention, which means he cannot participate on the football team.

All right, Wallace grimly accepts that punishment. To cap it off, he has to attend rehearsals of the play "Old Shep" and write a review of the book. His review is scathingly honest and in true Wallace Wallace form, a riot. I laughed so hard at his reviews and observations!

Once committed to the play, Wallace makes many valid suggestions to make it more palatable and plausible. He insists on doing away with the stilted, somewhat implausible lines; he points out details that he feels a modern audience won't buy. His revisions include opening the play with witnessing a toy dog being run over by a motorcycle (a moped for safety's sake), rollerbladers; a punchy garage band and a believable, updated script. Even his nemesis, the redoubtable Mr. F., the English teacher/play director is reluctantly captivated by Wallace's progressive thinking. The clincher was when several boys, members of a garage band called the Dead Mangoes implore Mr. F. to play with them. Mr. F. and the boys, including the Beatle coiffed Myron "The Void" Muckenfusser have a rollicking good time jamming and getting some fun catchy tunes ready for the play. Beatle themes are subtly included, such as the description of Wallace's former best friend's hair as a Moptop and Myron's Beatle inspired locks. I loved that!

Despite the fun, someone is trying to sabatoge the play. Wallace is at the top of everybody's short list, but is he really the one? There are actually other suspects and the list grows until the smash finale prior to the final curtain.

This book is a keeper!

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3.0 out of 5 stars Confused!
Each chapter is from a differnt persons point of view... It makes no since during parts...

Published on May 6 2004 by Jo

5.0 out of 5 stars No More Dead Dogs
The ending of No More Dead Dogs is surprising because I never thought Wallace and Trudie would become a couple. Read more

Published on Mar 18 2004 by Samantha

5.0 out of 5 stars A Humorous Tale
This novel is called "No More Dead Dogs," It's a fictional comedy about Wallace Wallace, a football playing "hero", who has been sentenced to detention for his impeccable honesty... Read more

Published on Mar 14 2004 by Amanda

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a classic, but worth a read
This is a snappy, personable read; the characters are interesting (although some are a bit one-dimensional) and the author moves the plot along briskly by maintaining the humor... Read more

Published on Dec 20 2003 by Lori L. Graham

5.0 out of 5 stars No More Dead Dogs
This was an enjoyable, well written, and humorous book that made me want to keep reading on.
Walace Walace is a 16 year old football player. Read more

Published on Dec 10 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars Funny Book
If you are looking for a funny book No More Dead Dogs is the book for you. The book is about a kid named Wallace Wallace. He is a very good football player. Read more

Published on Dec 9 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars Motivating unmotivated readers
As a junior high school teacher, one of the challenges I face is finding books that are "accessible" - not too hard to read - that are also intellectually challenging and on the... Read more

Published on Nov 22 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars No More Dead Dogs is the Best
This was a very good book. I think No More Dead Dogs is for all ages. It had me laughing out loud at least 10 times. Read more

Published on Oct 16 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is stupid
You know how every book for kids this age is. Well, you guessed it this one goes with the same background as the rest of them. Read more

Published on Sep 30 2003 by p

2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
This book wasen't horrible but it certainly was not worth reading unless you have to. This book was very slow paced and the most exciting part in it is when a stuff animal blows... Read more

Published on Sep 25 2003 by Mark J. Neuberger

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