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Watchdog and the Coyotes by Bill Wallace
Traditional or self-published: Traditional
Rating: Okay (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)
When I got this book, I hadn't realized how young readers it was intended for. Grades 4-6. It took me just over an hour to read.
Positives: I believed the dogs as dogs. The people were reasonable and believable, too. I liked what little worldbuilding there was.
Negatives: Really only one. I'm not sure about the message this is sending kids who read it.
The story followed a Great Dane puppy. Even for a Great Dane he's big. Due to stuff in his past, he's careful not to hurt others, especially to not bite anyone.
He knows he's a watchdog, so when a burglar breaks in, he watches. Because he's a watchdog. So he watches. (That part was very cute.)
As the story goes on, a pack of coyotes (basically bullies) harass the puppy and his dog-friends. The pup has to learn that sometimes it's okay to fight.
That was my question/issue. ARE there times when you must fight? (Maybe? That's not a rhetorical question.) If I had a kid, I'd be okay with them believing it's okay to never fight.
Taken just as a story, I liked this book. The lesson left me feeling uneasy though, so rating it an okay instead of a liked.
Traditional or self-published: Traditional
Rating: Okay (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)
When I got this book, I hadn't realized how young readers it was intended for. Grades 4-6. It took me just over an hour to read.
Positives: I believed the dogs as dogs. The people were reasonable and believable, too. I liked what little worldbuilding there was.
Negatives: Really only one. I'm not sure about the message this is sending kids who read it.
The story followed a Great Dane puppy. Even for a Great Dane he's big. Due to stuff in his past, he's careful not to hurt others, especially to not bite anyone.
He knows he's a watchdog, so when a burglar breaks in, he watches. Because he's a watchdog. So he watches. (That part was very cute.)
As the story goes on, a pack of coyotes (basically bullies) harass the puppy and his dog-friends. The pup has to learn that sometimes it's okay to fight.
That was my question/issue. ARE there times when you must fight? (Maybe? That's not a rhetorical question.) If I had a kid, I'd be okay with them believing it's okay to never fight.
Taken just as a story, I liked this book. The lesson left me feeling uneasy though, so rating it an okay instead of a liked.
