Dognapped? Reviewed

STORYLINE:  Kitty Walker moves to a new town and immediately gets involved in dog showing. She comes in contact with a missing dog and follows a puzzling set of clues that lead to a trail of crime and revenge.

I LIKED: the feisty heroine of this book. Kitty feels like the genuine article, in that she has all the insecurities of a twelve year old. She’s new in town, resentful of being uprooted from her old digs and is the odd man out at school. Added to that, she has a pesky little brother who’s everybody’s favourite, a dog who won’t cooperate when he should and she can’t get anybody to take her crime-solving abilities seriously.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT: the angst and resentment Kitty feels over friendlessness and her parents’ (sometime’s embarrassing) behaviour. (I hurt for her, you know?) However, this wasn’t painted with a heavy hand, but as part of what tweens go through in their development.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Dognapped? was an entertaining and educational read, with the added benefit of a crime solved at the end. I learned a bit about dog showing and the care of certain breeds. Clearly, the writer knows her stuff.

Kitty’s voice is lively and feisty, which makes her a strong character. Even the dogs have their own distinct personalities.

COVER NOTE: The cover reflects the theme of dognapping and so fits the story.

SOURCE: I downloaded Dognapped? from Amazon.

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My Zombie Dog

STORYLINE:  Fourteen year old Zane gets a dog for his birthday, but this is no ordinary dog. The dog dies on arrival at Zane’s home, but comes back from the grave and that’s where things become complicated. The dog’s symptoms—which include undead-like behavior and smelliness—spread to other people once they’ve been bitten.

I LIKED: a lot of things about this book, but most of all the fact that it makes for laugh-out-loud funny reading—which is not recommended when you take public transportation as I do.

I enjoyed Zane’s voice and his relationship with his little sister. It’s not often I read a book where a teenaged protagonist doesn’t think his younger sibling is a full-time nuisance.

The growing complications kept me reading and wondering how Zane would escape the bizarre situation that developed around his home, compliments of his undead birthday present.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT: Zane’s all too vivid descriptions of the smells emanating from Fluffy, but I understand the necessity. It made for a richer experience in the sensory department, if you get my drift.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Although the book is humorous, there are things to be learned about family and relationships. Zane realizes that his mother is going through a stressful time after separating from his Dad and makes allowances for that. Zane is portrayed as protective of his family and although he cares for his best friend Kevin, conflicts arise because Kevin is not so fond of Zane’s love interest. Tolerance is another subtle lesson taught by this book.

The writer does a great job of taking a serious situation, injecting a lot of humor and then solving a potential epidemic. There’s an insert for the next story in the back of My Zombie Dog. I’ll be keeping an eye out for that book.

COVER NOTE: The cover works well, in that it tells the reader what to expect without being gruesome.

SOURCE: I downloaded My Zombie Dog from Amazon.

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