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Summary
Summary
A Parents Best Children's Book of 2019
A warm, uplifting story about a boy, his dog, and the healing power of music marks a first-time collaboration between two former Irish Children's Laureates, Eoin Colfer and P.J. Lynch.
Patrick has been desperate for a dog of his own for as long as he can remember, and this summer, with his father away, he longs for a canine friend more than ever. Meanwhile, in his short doggy life, Oz has suffered at the hands of bad people. Somewhere out there, he believes, is an awesome boy -- his boy. And maybe, when they find each other, Oz will learn to bark again. Illustrated in light charcoal by two-time Kate Greenaway Medalist P.J. Lynch, this heartwarming story by Eoin Colfer, internationally best-selling author of the Artemis Fowl series, is certain to enchant.
Author Notes
Eoin Colfer was born in Wexford, Ireland on May 14, 1965. After taking a three-year degree course in Dublin, he qualified as a primary teacher in 1986. Returning to Wexford he began teaching in a local primary school by day and wrote at night. In 1991, he left Ireland and spent the next four years working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. Resettling in Wexford after his arrival back in Ireland, he recommenced his teaching career, continuing his habit of writing after school. His first book, Benny and Omar, was published in October 1998. His other works include Benny and Babe, the O'Brien Flyers series, and the Artemis Fowl series. He became a full-time author following the success of Artemis Fowl. The Wish List won a Bisto Merit Award in 2001.
In 2015 he won an Irish Book Award in the children's category with his title Imaginary Fred.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (5)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--4--Early traumas--being sold by an abusive man and then adopted and abandoned by a cruel family--have taught Dog to be wary of humans. To Dog, to bark is to risk punishment, starvation, and abandonment. When Patrick, a young boy heading toward impending parental separation, adopts Dog and names him Oz, he promises to do whatever it takes to help Oz find his bark again. Through the power of music and love, Oz does indeed find his voice. But can Oz do the same for his beloved Patrick when the boy learns the truth about his dad's absence? Alternating between dog and boy perspectives and always written in third person, this heartwarming story unfolds in short vignettes augmented by soft pencil illustrations. Oz's voice is easily distinguished by the use of all capitals to designate important people, actions, and things, such as the "LOUD MAN" and "OUTSIDE." Although this writing device is overused, it serves to communicate Oz's thoughts and feelings. Patrick's parents' separation is revealed gradually, allowing readers to empathize with his reaction when he learns the truth. The authentic portrayal of parents as flawed, yet loving, rings true. Frequent illustrations, ranging from spot art to full-page spreads, create a realistic, modern, yet nostalgic setting using shading and precise linework. Despite Oz's traumatic puppy years, the ending is appropriately happy for the target age range. VERDICT A cozy chapter book to read aloud to animal lovers, this story will find a place in most public and school libraries.--Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library
Publisher's Weekly Review
In this story of friendship and belonging, a mistreated dog and a persistent boy forge a relationship based on kindness and patience. A nameless puppy lives in constant fear of punishment after being adopted from "the loud man" with the "sour smell" by a family whose child calls him "STUPIDDOG." Abandoned in a junkyard, the hound lands in a shelter; there, he meets Patrick, a boy who feels an instant connection with him. Patrick insists on bringing the dog home to his grandfather's house, where he's staying with his mother while his musician father is away on a worryingly long tour. Associating barking with "big trouble," the pup, now named Oz, is silent, but Patrick is determined to gain the his trust and free his voice. Colfer (the Artemis Fowl series) makes use of capital letters to incorporate Oz's point of view, and Lynch (Patrick and the President) contributes detailed black-and-white pencil drawings that convey the novel's emotional core through body language and facial expressions. Ultimately a story about connection and trust, this offering also communicates a clear and impactful message, at times through cruel and upsetting moments, about animal treatment and the responsibility of pet ownership. Ages 7--10. (Sept.)
Guardian Review
Mealtime wars, a puppy without a bark and crazy science ... fun and facts for all ages in this month's selection The final children's books roundup for 2018 reflects a brilliant year. From the subtle to the over-the-top, the tear-jerking to the comic, it's been a bumper crop - and 2019 shows early signs of being just as good. In picture books, Valdemar's Peas (Gecko) by Maria Jönsson is an adorably scruffy, pleasingly unexpected tale of mealtime battles and the unscrupulous use of younger siblings. Valdemar the little wolf must eat his peas before he can have ice-cream. Or can sister Lynn provide a way round the problem? Many a frazzled parent will empathise with Papa Wolf, conceding with an exhausted sigh. From Nigerian publisher Cassava Republic comes Hair, It's a Family Affair!, with author Mylo Freeman's characteristically bold, colourful illustrations. It's Macy's turn to tell her class about her family - Grandma's amazing afro, her baby sister's soft, sweet hair, and Daddy, who doesn't have any hair at all - in this cheerful, inclusive celebration. Sweep by the poet Louise Greig (Egmont) is a gorgeous visual exploration of the development of a bad mood, as single fallen leaves combine into huge heaps, submerging everything good - then dwindling and departing bit by bit, leaving crisply "cleared air" behind. Júlia Sardà's tatterdemalion leaves and bright balloons perfectly amplify Greig's restrained but evocative text. For five- to eight-year-olds, Sonam and the Silence (Allen & Unwin) by the Australian broadcaster and musician Eddie Ayres is a vivid, lyrical story with the heightened feel of a fable. In Taliban-ruled Kabul, young Sonam has no time for anything but work and compliance with the regime - until she hears the beautiful sound of an old man playing a rubab. But music is forbidden, and Sonam must defy her family's fears to pursue it. Ronak Taher's mixed-media images combine sombre greys and threatening darkness with flashes of bright, rebellious colour, such as a single pomegranate lingering on a tree. There's more consoling music in The Dog Who Lost His Bark (Walker), a warm, gentle collaboration between Irish children's laureates Eoin Colfer and PJ Lynch. Oz, a puppy maltreated until he's too frightened to bark, is lucky to be rescued by Patrick, a patient, music-loving boy; but when Patrick rejects Oz in an attempt to persuade his dog-allergic dad not to leave the family, fresh heartbreak ensues for both. Lynch's soft pencil illustrations create a sense of quiet tenderness. Dara Ó Briain 's Secret Science: The Amazing World Be yond Your Eyes (Scholastic), illustrated with squiggly charm by Dan Bramall, is fascinating, as well as very funny. Whether it's exploring the Maillard reaction (not the mallard reaction, which is what happens if you give ducks toast instead of bread) or the effects of procrastination on the brain, its crazy mixture of fonts and facts will stick fast in the memory. Fans of Jakob Wegelius's strange and wonderful gorilla odyssey The Murderer's Ape will be delighted by its prequel, The Legend of Sally Jones (Pushkin), translated by Peter Graves. A highly illustrated account of primate protagonist Sally's origins, it has more of an oversized picture book or graphic novel feel than the previous novel; it's both the perfect way in for those to whom a huge book seems intimidating, and witty enough to satisfy in its own right. Another resourceful heroine appears in a new edition of Astrid Lindgren 's Ronja, the Robber's Daughter, translated by Patricia Crampton and published by Oxford to tie in with the gorgeous Studio Ghibli TV adaptation. Katsuya Kondo's soft sketches are interwoven with this bold, invigorating story of a robber chieftain's only child: her love of the forest, despite its fearsome wild harpies and grey dwarfs, and her conflicting loyalties to Mattis, her doting father, and Birk, son of a rival chief, who is Ronja's dearest friend. The perfect antidote to Wikipedia skimming, the splendidly hefty Absolutely Everything! A History of Earth, Dinosaurs, Rulers, Robots and Other Things Too Numerous to Mention (What on Earth) by Christopher Lloyd, illustrated by Andy Forshaw, feels as compendious as an old-school encyclopedia and as engaging as the Horrible Histories books. Stuffed full of colour illustrations and photos, it will satisfy Guinness World Records fans while providing a broader, more contextualised sense of where weird, wonderful and outrageous facts might fit into the bigger picture. For ages 12 and above, Costa-winner Linda Newbery revisits KM Peyton 's beloved Essex estate Flambards in the poignant, thoughtful The Key to Flambards (David Fickling), set in the present day. Grace Russell is adapting slowly to the loss of her leg in an accident and to her parents' separation. When she and her mother move to Flambards for the summer, she doesn't expect to become passionately involved with her family history, the wild richness of the landscape and the boys she meets - or to discover a new joy in riding. Newbery's teenagers feel somewhat old-fashioned, but her sensitive portrayal of grief and recovery is superlative. There's grief, too, in Who Killed Christopher Goodman? (Walker), a slim novel by Allan Wolf that revisits an event from his own small town American adolescence. Eccentric, charismatic and kind, Chris Goodman is universally liked; when his body is found at the side of the road, it rocks the community to its roots. As six voices, including the killer's, weave together their collective sense of responsibility and loss, Wolf's book becomes something extraordinary - poetic, experimental and strange, full of stifling heat and painful, gradual catharsis. Lastly, in Pulp (HarperCollins), Robin Talley provides some fascinating insights into the "lavender scare" of repressive 1950s America, and the constant scrutiny that ground down young gay women. Present-day senior Abby, struggling to deal with a recent break-up and her parents' faltering marriage, decides to write a lesbian pulp novel of her own. In the mid-fifties, 18-year-old Janet discovers, via a lurid paperback, that her forbidden feelings are not unique...Two lives and two writers' journeys intertwine as Abby and Janet adapt to their different challenging realities. Though there are some repetitious moments, this ambitious novel is startlingly original. - Imogen Russell Williams.
Kirkus Review
A boy and a puppy overcome difficult times in this illustrated chapter book.Beginning the tale from the puppy's point of view, Colfer employs simple language evoking an innocent sensibility, with many words in all-caps reflecting puppyish enthusiasm. The puppy's early days with his mother and siblings are followed by a heart-wrenching stint with the abusive couple who brings the puppy home as a present for their cruel boy. After the puppy is abandoned at the dump, Colfer switches the point of view to Patrick, a human boy, who is driving with his mother to his grandad's house to spend the summer. Asking when his touring-musician father will arrive, Patrick is dumbfounded when his mother, instead of answering the question, asks him if he would like to have a dog. Evading the issue of his father's allergies, Patrick's grandfather brings him to the shelter, where he picks out (readers will be so relieved) the abandoned puppy and names him Oz. Oz, however, is so traumatized he stays in his crate until, by accident, Patrick's grandfather discovers that Oz enjoys music. Patrick digs out his violin and plays for him, eventually gaining his trust. Just as all seems well, Patrick learns that his father is leaving his motherand now it is Oz's turn to rescue Patrick. Lynch's realistic pencil illustrations greatly amplify the story, their sensitively rendered human and dog expressions echoing the varying tones of the text. Humans are depicted as white.This quietly emotional tale is an ultimately triumphant one. (Fiction. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Dog lives with his mother and siblings until Loud Man sells him. His next owners mistreat him, punish him for barking, and abandon him. Meanwhile, Patrick's mother tells him that his father won't be joining them at Grandad's home this summer and asks if he would like to have a dog. The boy realizes that something's up, but he's always wanted a dog. At the shelter, he chooses Dog, names him Oz, and devotes his summer to helping him learn to trust and to bark. Later, Mom reveals that Dad has left the family, and Patrick is distraught. Now it's Dog's turn to help his friend heal. As the third-person narrative shifts between the boy's point of view and his dog's, readers will find both compelling. Colfer and Lynch have served as Irish Children's Laureates. Lynch's softly shaded pencil drawings capture the characters' emotions and the story's tone beautifully. Best known for the Artemis Fowl series, Colfer offers a simply written, realistic tale with plenty of human interest. Dog-lovers will find the jacket illustration irresistible.--Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2010 Booklist
