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Dog Aliens #1
Raffle's Name
Clem is a dog with a secret: he is an alien from outer space. Every morning he digs out of his yard to join his fellow Kaxians. So far, his humans have just filled in the holes, so he should be fine, right? But Clem must keep his secret.
No humans can know that dogs are aliens. This gets difficult when Clem's latent psi abilities start to appear!
Dog aliens can't wait for their humans to leave them home alone. That's the only time they can do their covert intergalactic trading duties. The little dogs are aliens, too, but they are from a rival planet called Nique, and anyway, who cares about them?
There is a happy ending, and no dogs or humans are harmed in the story, although there are scary parts and sad parts. The dog tells the story!
The sequel, Dog Aliens 2: Oreo, is now available!
No humans can know that dogs are aliens. This gets difficult when Clem's latent psi abilities start to appear!
Dog aliens can't wait for their humans to leave them home alone. That's the only time they can do their covert intergalactic trading duties. The little dogs are aliens, too, but they are from a rival planet called Nique, and anyway, who cares about them?
There is a happy ending, and no dogs or humans are harmed in the story, although there are scary parts and sad parts. The dog tells the story!
The sequel, Dog Aliens 2: Oreo, is now available!
184 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2012
78 people are currently reading
1155 people want to read
About the author
Cherise Kelley
13 books47 followersCherise Kelley writes the Dog Aliens series and other G-rated fiction from the dog's point of view!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
April 3, 2013
"Alien Dogs Rule"
This was a fun story to read, it was so innovative! The first two chapters had me wondering if I could endure this story, but after reading on, Chapter 3 really drew me to the story of Clem, a member of the alien clan known as Kaxians, from the planet Kax. They came to this earth specifically to be miners of jex (which I never really understood what it was, but maybe it was really prehistoric bones?!) Their competitors were from Nique, also in pursuit of the treasured jex. What's the difference between these alien dogs? Size! The Kaxians are large-breed dogs that don't like the smaller-breed obnoxious Niques. Now, I've been a dog fancier for generations, and I want to know if my dachshunds are from Nique. They certainly have big dog attitudes! They'll even stand their ground against the vicious wild badger! So, there must be another planet out in the universe that generated dachshunds! But on with the story of Clem, who as a pup on earth is abandoned in the mountains of southern California. He is only six months old, and he's so very upset to be separated for his parents and siblings. Clem is very gifted...he has mind control (sometimes I know that my dogs have it)! He can sway humans as well as his fellow Kaxians. This author has presented a very intoxicating story from Clem's perception. It is filled with affection from humans, and the love that every dog seeks. This is why, when one is seeking a loving companion, first check your local humane shelter and see which dog looks you in the eye and says, "I can love you more than any other dog here." The author, Cherise Kelley, should be very proud of the story she has created. She's done an extraordinary job! Highly recommend for adults as well younger readers.
This was a fun story to read, it was so innovative! The first two chapters had me wondering if I could endure this story, but after reading on, Chapter 3 really drew me to the story of Clem, a member of the alien clan known as Kaxians, from the planet Kax. They came to this earth specifically to be miners of jex (which I never really understood what it was, but maybe it was really prehistoric bones?!) Their competitors were from Nique, also in pursuit of the treasured jex. What's the difference between these alien dogs? Size! The Kaxians are large-breed dogs that don't like the smaller-breed obnoxious Niques. Now, I've been a dog fancier for generations, and I want to know if my dachshunds are from Nique. They certainly have big dog attitudes! They'll even stand their ground against the vicious wild badger! So, there must be another planet out in the universe that generated dachshunds! But on with the story of Clem, who as a pup on earth is abandoned in the mountains of southern California. He is only six months old, and he's so very upset to be separated for his parents and siblings. Clem is very gifted...he has mind control (sometimes I know that my dogs have it)! He can sway humans as well as his fellow Kaxians. This author has presented a very intoxicating story from Clem's perception. It is filled with affection from humans, and the love that every dog seeks. This is why, when one is seeking a loving companion, first check your local humane shelter and see which dog looks you in the eye and says, "I can love you more than any other dog here." The author, Cherise Kelley, should be very proud of the story she has created. She's done an extraordinary job! Highly recommend for adults as well younger readers.
May 7, 2013
“Dog Aliens 1: Raffle’s Name” by Cherise Kelley is an amusing tale narrated by Raffles, currently living in his 99th dog body. You see, Raffles is not from Earth. In fact, NO dog originally is from Earth.
Aliens from two planets came to Earth eons ago to mine a substance needed on their home planets; a substance completely unknown and unnecessary to humans. This element is called “Jex” by the aliens. The two alien species, and their home planets, are the Kaxians from Kax; and the Niques from Nique.
Humans unwittingly differentiate between the two species by characterizing the Kaxians as “big dogs” and the Niques as “little dogs”. The two species do not like each other, and don’t miss an opportunity to annoy each other, especially when their humans aren’t nearby. Even when their humans ARE nearby, the alien language sounds just like barking to humans, so the provocation continues unabated.
This story is considerably more entertaining than the previous paragraphs might lead you to believe. As a matter of fact, the primary purpose of the book is to encourage people to adopt dogs from their local Humane Society shelters. It accomplishes that by artfully weaving into the story line several visits to the dog shelter. Consequently this story is not only entertaining, but has a very serious message for its readers.
The author very cleverly creates an authentic, if fictional, interplay between the humans, the big dogs, the little dogs, the Jex mining operation, and the candid diversity in how different people treat their pets. Fortunately for these fictional alien dogs, if they die they are “reborn” as a new puppy. Unfortunately for non-fictional dogs, when they die they stay dead.
This entertaining tale leaves the reader with an enhanced awareness of the plight of many dogs in the U.S. and the world. That aspect of the story is a sad one, but one the author hopes to change by increasing public awareness.
I strongly recommend this book for any human with a heart for dogs, regardless of the reader’s age.
Aliens from two planets came to Earth eons ago to mine a substance needed on their home planets; a substance completely unknown and unnecessary to humans. This element is called “Jex” by the aliens. The two alien species, and their home planets, are the Kaxians from Kax; and the Niques from Nique.
Humans unwittingly differentiate between the two species by characterizing the Kaxians as “big dogs” and the Niques as “little dogs”. The two species do not like each other, and don’t miss an opportunity to annoy each other, especially when their humans aren’t nearby. Even when their humans ARE nearby, the alien language sounds just like barking to humans, so the provocation continues unabated.
This story is considerably more entertaining than the previous paragraphs might lead you to believe. As a matter of fact, the primary purpose of the book is to encourage people to adopt dogs from their local Humane Society shelters. It accomplishes that by artfully weaving into the story line several visits to the dog shelter. Consequently this story is not only entertaining, but has a very serious message for its readers.
The author very cleverly creates an authentic, if fictional, interplay between the humans, the big dogs, the little dogs, the Jex mining operation, and the candid diversity in how different people treat their pets. Fortunately for these fictional alien dogs, if they die they are “reborn” as a new puppy. Unfortunately for non-fictional dogs, when they die they stay dead.
This entertaining tale leaves the reader with an enhanced awareness of the plight of many dogs in the U.S. and the world. That aspect of the story is a sad one, but one the author hopes to change by increasing public awareness.
I strongly recommend this book for any human with a heart for dogs, regardless of the reader’s age.
January 23, 2013
I was sent a review copy of Dog Aliens 1 and although it really wasn't my kind of story, it was unique and creative and I decided it deserved a decent rating anyway for a couple of reasons.
First, the book is well-written. I've seen enough books by indie authors with poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation that I notice and appreciate it when a book is well-written.
The second reason I've given the book a good rating despite the fact that I wasn't really into it is because I imagine that it would appeal to a certain audience. It would not be fair for me to rate it poorly just because I didn't really like the subject matter. I think that hard-core dog lovers will probably find this book to be cute and entertaining, so it's worth a look if you fall into that category.
To better clarify who I think would enjoy this book, I suggest the following criteria (my apologies to Jeff Foxworthy): If you dress your dog up in frilly outfits or silly costumes and/or think it's cute when others do... you might like this book. If you can easily spend hours having a conversation with your dog... you might like this book. If you order an entire separate meal specifically to take home to your dog when you eat out... you might like this book. If a story about dogs being aliens from other planets who are here having adventures as they mine earth for a resource that allows them to bioregenerate sounds like good fun to you... you'll definitely like this book!
First, the book is well-written. I've seen enough books by indie authors with poor grammar, spelling, and punctuation that I notice and appreciate it when a book is well-written.
The second reason I've given the book a good rating despite the fact that I wasn't really into it is because I imagine that it would appeal to a certain audience. It would not be fair for me to rate it poorly just because I didn't really like the subject matter. I think that hard-core dog lovers will probably find this book to be cute and entertaining, so it's worth a look if you fall into that category.
To better clarify who I think would enjoy this book, I suggest the following criteria (my apologies to Jeff Foxworthy): If you dress your dog up in frilly outfits or silly costumes and/or think it's cute when others do... you might like this book. If you can easily spend hours having a conversation with your dog... you might like this book. If you order an entire separate meal specifically to take home to your dog when you eat out... you might like this book. If a story about dogs being aliens from other planets who are here having adventures as they mine earth for a resource that allows them to bioregenerate sounds like good fun to you... you'll definitely like this book!
July 9, 2013
Dog Aliens book 1 Raffle's Name is a good, fun book that every dog lover should pick up and read. I teach 5th grade and it will definitely be a new addition to my class library but adults will also enjoy the story for the following reasons.
Have you ever wondered why your dog might go to a window and bark when nothing is there? Have you ever dragged your dog away while they sniffed the 50th bush on your walk? Finally, have you ever stopped what you were doing in order to pay some attention to your dog?
If you found your head nodding to any of these questions you aren't alone. And it appears, neither are the humans. Now, this book isn't a "how to" book or even a "deeper look inside your dog", instead, Cherise Kelley has created a fantastical story filled with space travel, bickering between "big dogs" and "little dogs", and the reason why all dogs are here on Earth (and no, it isn't to be there when we get home from work or school).
I was hooked from the start when a group of the big dogs were mapping out their plan for mining Jex (the resource that the "dogs" are here for) and the ensuing confrontation with the little dogs and I didn't put the book down until...well, I suggest you pick up a copy of the book if you want to know the rest :)
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this great new series about man's (and woman's) best friend.
Have you ever wondered why your dog might go to a window and bark when nothing is there? Have you ever dragged your dog away while they sniffed the 50th bush on your walk? Finally, have you ever stopped what you were doing in order to pay some attention to your dog?
If you found your head nodding to any of these questions you aren't alone. And it appears, neither are the humans. Now, this book isn't a "how to" book or even a "deeper look inside your dog", instead, Cherise Kelley has created a fantastical story filled with space travel, bickering between "big dogs" and "little dogs", and the reason why all dogs are here on Earth (and no, it isn't to be there when we get home from work or school).
I was hooked from the start when a group of the big dogs were mapping out their plan for mining Jex (the resource that the "dogs" are here for) and the ensuing confrontation with the little dogs and I didn't put the book down until...well, I suggest you pick up a copy of the book if you want to know the rest :)
I am looking forward to reading the next book in this great new series about man's (and woman's) best friend.
April 1, 2013
I loved this story because of the pacing and that it is about dogs. I enjoyed how the author kept the writing simple, yet as mentioned in a previous review, engaging. The pacing was really great overall, but I felt it was especially good between the exchanges between the large dogs and small dogs. If you are a dog lover and want a book that is entertaining, then you will want to give this one a read!
April 1, 2013
Such a cute book. I've always had a dog growing up and we currently own a 6yr old yellow lab/husky/shepherd that we adopted from the pound when she was 8 weeks old. I've always said there's a little being inside her and reading this book, I'm sure there is. You can just look in her eyes and see the wheels turning. Wonderful book for all ages.
June 7, 2017
Life is about to change for Clem. His
human is mad at Clem for always digging
a hole to get under the fence. Clem is
taken on a long ride over two hours from
his home. Once there his human gives
him meat to eat. Only while Clem is eating,
his human drives away...abandoning him.
Since Clem is an alien in a dog's body,
being left begins an adventure for him.
After several incidents, Clem ends up in
an animal shelter. It is when he is adopted
that Clem becomes Raffle by his new set
of humans.
The reader will share with Clem/Raffle his
new life plus the new talents he develops.
His new humans decide to get him, a buddy.
This new buddy is named Oreo. He is a
Springer Spaniel and Border Collie mix.
The story is told by the dog aliens from
Kax.
This is an entertaining sci-fi read plus it
makes one realize the importance of
animal shelters and treatment of dogs.
human is mad at Clem for always digging
a hole to get under the fence. Clem is
taken on a long ride over two hours from
his home. Once there his human gives
him meat to eat. Only while Clem is eating,
his human drives away...abandoning him.
Since Clem is an alien in a dog's body,
being left begins an adventure for him.
After several incidents, Clem ends up in
an animal shelter. It is when he is adopted
that Clem becomes Raffle by his new set
of humans.
The reader will share with Clem/Raffle his
new life plus the new talents he develops.
His new humans decide to get him, a buddy.
This new buddy is named Oreo. He is a
Springer Spaniel and Border Collie mix.
The story is told by the dog aliens from
Kax.
This is an entertaining sci-fi read plus it
makes one realize the importance of
animal shelters and treatment of dogs.
June 7, 2017
Life is about to change for Clem. His
human is mad at Clem for always digging
a hole to get under the fence. Clem is
taken on a long ride over two hours from
his home. Once there his human gives
him meat to eat. Only while Clem is eating,
his human drives away...abandoning him.
Since Clem is an alien in a dog's body,
being left begins an adventure for him.
After several incidents, Clem ends up in
an animal shelter. It is when he is adopted
that Clem becomes Raffle by his new set
of humans.
The reader will share with Clem/Raffle his
new life plus the new talents he develops.
His new humans decide to get him, a buddy.
This new buddy is named Oreo. He is a
Springer Spaniel and Border Collie mix.
The story is told by the dog aliens from
Kax.
This is an entertaining sci-fi read plus it
makes one realize the importance of
animal shelters and treatment of dogs.
human is mad at Clem for always digging
a hole to get under the fence. Clem is
taken on a long ride over two hours from
his home. Once there his human gives
him meat to eat. Only while Clem is eating,
his human drives away...abandoning him.
Since Clem is an alien in a dog's body,
being left begins an adventure for him.
After several incidents, Clem ends up in
an animal shelter. It is when he is adopted
that Clem becomes Raffle by his new set
of humans.
The reader will share with Clem/Raffle his
new life plus the new talents he develops.
His new humans decide to get him, a buddy.
This new buddy is named Oreo. He is a
Springer Spaniel and Border Collie mix.
The story is told by the dog aliens from
Kax.
This is an entertaining sci-fi read plus it
makes one realize the importance of
animal shelters and treatment of dogs.
May 6, 2014
"Alien Dogs 1: Raffle's Name" is a delightfully innovative story about a dog who's an alien from outer space. With other Kaxians Clem's mission is to dig for jex so each day he escapes from his yard to help his friends mine the mineral and transport it to a space ship. But, one day he's late returning and the hole is discovered. Instead of being reprimanded his master abandons him and he's left to try and find his way back to his Kaxian friends. What begins is an exciting adventure as Clem not only discovers his telepathic powers, but bonds with loving owners who change his name.
The well-written and imaginative plot sends a strong message about the abuse and abandonment of animals. Even visitations by potential owners to the Animal Shelter seem geared to the adoption of younger or smaller animals rather than the older, well- trained but unloved larger dogs brought in by animal catchers. Although in this story Kaxians (older dogs) and Niques (smaller dogs) are born again, there is the tragic realization that animals not adopted are put to sleep. With a mood that seems bleak and hopeless at times it makes the reader want to go to an Animal Shelter and save one of the Kaxians.
Cleverly Cherise Kelley weaves the story of Neya, a female wolf who dreams about a romp in the woods with Clem(Raffle) into the main plot leaving an opening for a romance in future books in the series. This is fascinating because, although Kaxians have a strain of wolf in them, they are not trusted by wolf packs. Laced with large doses of humor the author ingeniously intertwines elements of faith, hope, friendship and love into a plot that has danger stalking the alien dogs from an abusive master to jealous rivals. The plot progresses quickly and never slows as events unfold, making it a riveting tale.
In this narrative the personalities of dogs and cats come to life and seem more human than animal with all their idiosyncrasies. Clem haunted by his abandonment at 6 months is considerate, loyal and brave. A dog with a big heart who tries to please the owners he bonds with, he tries desperately to get along with his housemate Puritan, a old, bitter and hateful cat who spitefully tries to antagonize him. Developing psi powers, the intelligent and perceptive Kaxian can even project images into the minds of humans who don't know of the alien invasion. But his abilities excel beyond his expectation as he not only transmits mental moving pictures and messages but can detect emotions through colours. His friend Lido is a portly but loveable English bulldog in love with Skil, an easy-going and naive black lab. Fidetz, the mean-spirited Chihuahua like all the Niques holds a grudge, claiming their mining rights on earth were stolen by the larger Kaxians. Like all Niques she's a pest, never confronting her adversary but only nipping and barking to make life miserable. All these characters and more are realistic and entertaining, adding energy and drama to this fascinating tale.
Although the story is geared to a young children's audience I thoroughly enjoyed "Alien Dogs 1" and will not only look for the next book in the series but will recommend it to others.
The well-written and imaginative plot sends a strong message about the abuse and abandonment of animals. Even visitations by potential owners to the Animal Shelter seem geared to the adoption of younger or smaller animals rather than the older, well- trained but unloved larger dogs brought in by animal catchers. Although in this story Kaxians (older dogs) and Niques (smaller dogs) are born again, there is the tragic realization that animals not adopted are put to sleep. With a mood that seems bleak and hopeless at times it makes the reader want to go to an Animal Shelter and save one of the Kaxians.
Cleverly Cherise Kelley weaves the story of Neya, a female wolf who dreams about a romp in the woods with Clem(Raffle) into the main plot leaving an opening for a romance in future books in the series. This is fascinating because, although Kaxians have a strain of wolf in them, they are not trusted by wolf packs. Laced with large doses of humor the author ingeniously intertwines elements of faith, hope, friendship and love into a plot that has danger stalking the alien dogs from an abusive master to jealous rivals. The plot progresses quickly and never slows as events unfold, making it a riveting tale.
In this narrative the personalities of dogs and cats come to life and seem more human than animal with all their idiosyncrasies. Clem haunted by his abandonment at 6 months is considerate, loyal and brave. A dog with a big heart who tries to please the owners he bonds with, he tries desperately to get along with his housemate Puritan, a old, bitter and hateful cat who spitefully tries to antagonize him. Developing psi powers, the intelligent and perceptive Kaxian can even project images into the minds of humans who don't know of the alien invasion. But his abilities excel beyond his expectation as he not only transmits mental moving pictures and messages but can detect emotions through colours. His friend Lido is a portly but loveable English bulldog in love with Skil, an easy-going and naive black lab. Fidetz, the mean-spirited Chihuahua like all the Niques holds a grudge, claiming their mining rights on earth were stolen by the larger Kaxians. Like all Niques she's a pest, never confronting her adversary but only nipping and barking to make life miserable. All these characters and more are realistic and entertaining, adding energy and drama to this fascinating tale.
Although the story is geared to a young children's audience I thoroughly enjoyed "Alien Dogs 1" and will not only look for the next book in the series but will recommend it to others.
May 4, 2014
Okay to be completely honest I had low expectations for this book at the beginning. When I first saw it I figured it was going to be some goofy kids book about cats vs dogs and probably a waste of time but I thought about it for a moment and decided to give it a shot anyway and honestly I loved it. Its an adventure story of a puppy trying to find his place and to figure out his purpose in life. I honestly think it could possibly be written about a normal dog and be just as strong but it would be missing out on some creative details and moments. There is also some parts of a story about a Bulldog named Lido (Who by the way I want a book for him because I find him absolutely adorable)who is trying to win the girl (pup or mate)of his dreams and a She wolf, Who we learn very little about and I hope her book is just as good as Raffles story. Clem or Raffle is a great character, who goes through both good times and bad and constantly makes mistakes but I find myself rooting for him the whole way. I like that it is the little dogs that they are fighting against and the cats are the some what sane creatures trying to explain to the owners that there are aliens among them. I work at an animal shelter and trust me, I could possible see this happing in real life just by watching how the little dogs behave around the big dogs and I have a cat, who I almost sure that is based on Puritan (Who I can not help to feel a little bad and sorry for making her one of my favorite minor character in this book). The characters are great, the dialog is pretty good, and I liked the ending even though it leaves me with many questions needing to be answered. I think this is a great story for kids and is worth a read or two but do not take my word for it! Read it for yourself and form your own opinions on this earthbound book that is out of this world!
October 3, 2013
***Received Copy From Author***
Read this book awhile ago but life kept me from writing a well deserved review (My apologizes to the Author).
I started reading this book for my Godchildren who are animal loving freaks. They werent the only ones who loved it!
Not only is this book ridiculously adorable and charming but makes valid points on the dog owning life and the importance being a responsible pet owner.
All dogs are aliens but ankle biters are a different breed of alien from the bigger dogs (I knew something like this was always true!)and the Nique (little dogs) are against the big dogs (Kaxian). Little Raffle gives his point of view on everything concerning his job. His POV is immature at times, since he is just a pup. Shifting from home to home raffle finds his maturity, love and friendship and also that he has a special talent the rest don't seem to have.
There were also parts in this book that hit spot on for the dog species, the need for responsible owners. Suffering abandonment and even abuse (written in a way it wont scar the kids for life but effective enough to talk about how all animals have feelings)and bonding with a loving family.
The best and most heartbreaking part was when Raffle explains how when a dog falls in love with an owner (bonds) they would rather be put to sleep than to live life without the humans they love.
Excellent book that has adventure, heartbreak and real life lessons for the youngsters. This is their favorite book about dogs now.
Read this book awhile ago but life kept me from writing a well deserved review (My apologizes to the Author).
I started reading this book for my Godchildren who are animal loving freaks. They werent the only ones who loved it!
Not only is this book ridiculously adorable and charming but makes valid points on the dog owning life and the importance being a responsible pet owner.
All dogs are aliens but ankle biters are a different breed of alien from the bigger dogs (I knew something like this was always true!)and the Nique (little dogs) are against the big dogs (Kaxian). Little Raffle gives his point of view on everything concerning his job. His POV is immature at times, since he is just a pup. Shifting from home to home raffle finds his maturity, love and friendship and also that he has a special talent the rest don't seem to have.
There were also parts in this book that hit spot on for the dog species, the need for responsible owners. Suffering abandonment and even abuse (written in a way it wont scar the kids for life but effective enough to talk about how all animals have feelings)and bonding with a loving family.
The best and most heartbreaking part was when Raffle explains how when a dog falls in love with an owner (bonds) they would rather be put to sleep than to live life without the humans they love.
Excellent book that has adventure, heartbreak and real life lessons for the youngsters. This is their favorite book about dogs now.
April 12, 2013
Dog adventures and space aliens create fun topics for stories - so what could be more fun than dog aliens from space.
Children in families with dogs will enjoy reading about the double life of the dogs in Dog Aliens 1: Raffle’s Name. And children without dogs will be sure to beg their parents to bring them to the nearest animal shelter to adopt a dog.
The story is packed with plenty of humor for a 4th grader to appreciate. And the chapters are perfect in length to keep the young reader engaged.
The dialogue among the dogs at the pound may spark the interest of children for a desire to become involved in their neighborhood pound. They can have fun imagining if dogs everywhere think and talk like they do in Dog Aliens 1: Raffle’s Name.
Children in families with dogs will enjoy reading about the double life of the dogs in Dog Aliens 1: Raffle’s Name. And children without dogs will be sure to beg their parents to bring them to the nearest animal shelter to adopt a dog.
The story is packed with plenty of humor for a 4th grader to appreciate. And the chapters are perfect in length to keep the young reader engaged.
The dialogue among the dogs at the pound may spark the interest of children for a desire to become involved in their neighborhood pound. They can have fun imagining if dogs everywhere think and talk like they do in Dog Aliens 1: Raffle’s Name.
July 30, 2013
I just finished up reading Dog Aliens 1: Raffle's Name. It was sent to me for review. As a teacher I read quite a bit of children's literature and found this book enjoyable. I think the kids will really enjoy connecting with Raffle/Clem and the explanation on why dogs do certain things. I love the thought of the mind movies that dogs play on/for their humans. This book does present some harsh realities in the animal world such as dumping of animals which is awful! But in this case, it does have a happy ending. I also like how the author has included the first chapter of the next book in the series. I already want to read it and I know kids will also. This book is a must have for an upper elementary classroom library.
July 11, 2013
I got this book from the Author in exchange for a review. If you ever wonder why your dog digs in the yard then this book will be fun for you to read and learn one of the possibilities why he or she is doing that. Having observed my dog in the yard many times it almost makes you believe this book could be true. I found it a unique and delightful read. I hope there will be many more adventures of Raffle and his new brother Oreo and the rest of the gang. You really don't have to be a dog lover to enjoy this book, I believe a cat will make an appearance as well.
April 30, 2014
I really liked this book. It was humorous as well as informational about dogs. One thing I question is what is Jex? Why are the dogs mining it? I think this book would be a good one for children to read as well as one to read to children.
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I think the story line is cute. Large dogs (Kaxians) from outer space and different from wolves. And that Raffle can send messages to humans and other animals (like the chicken incident and setting the pigeons on the Nigues (little dogs).
I can't wait to read more of the series.
(
I think the story line is cute. Large dogs (Kaxians) from outer space and different from wolves. And that Raffle can send messages to humans and other animals (like the chicken incident and setting the pigeons on the Nigues (little dogs).
I can't wait to read more of the series.
May 4, 2014
This is a delightfully easy read and is so totally enchanting that it is a breath of fresh air. You can't help falling in love with the idea of the Kaxians and Niques (who cares about them anyway!)and the pages fly as you become immersed in this beautiful story. My granddaughter would love this story as would most young girls around the 8 yrs mark. It would also make a great book to read to children at bed time or as part of family together times
April 28, 2014
I got this for my 12 year old, but we both wound up enjoying it! The storyline is fast-paced & well written so that it keeps you turning pages to see what is going to happen next. I wasn't sure how I would like a book written from an animal's point of view, but it's really entertaining! Cherise Kelley has a fantastic imagination & really brings Raffle & the other furry characters to life. I would definitely recommend this book for any dog lover!
May 1, 2015
Raffle the alien dog narrates the delightful story in Dog Alien 1: Raffle's Name in a delightful way that makes him memorable as well as loveable. This dog centered adventure is perfect of us dog lovers and most anyone else as it is a good story. I liked that it is appropriate for young adults too. I enjoyed Raffle and all the delightful characters in this tale from space.
August 8, 2014
This was a really good book. It made me think differently about my dog. (Sadly she's a Nique.)It was really good. It was in the dogs view, which I love. I kinda wanted to read a dog story soon, so this book was a SRA(Start Right Away) book. I felt like he could have been in the wild a little bit more, but that doesn't really matter. Overall a very good book.
February 5, 2014
Cute and interesting take on aliens among us. Loved it.
August 3, 2016
Very cute book. I knew dogs were smart, but I didn't know they came from outer space. If you love dogs and the things they do, you will love this book. The author did a great job writing this.
May 13, 2014
This is a cute story suitable for junior readers. It MADD me wonder about all the dogs we have had over the years. Maybe that's why I am not fond of little dogs the are Niques!
July 24, 2017
Read this to my daughter. We both liked it. It was quite entertaining and a unique story.
February 26, 2018
When I got this I had no idea that it was aimed at children as nobody seems to have shelved it that way, so I was a bit annoyed to discover that when I opened the book to read it. I found myself wondering as I read the first few chapters if this kind of story would actually engage kids as it seems quite a complicated story with quite a few early info dumps.
There are two gangs of dogs who have both come to this planet to mine something called Jex. I'm still not clear on what that actually is but our Kaxian heroes are trying to mine it while a rival gang of dogs from Nique also want it and don't respect the idea that the Kaxians were there first and have claimed it. You wonder why they don't just pool resources and share the damn stuff but hey, that's just me. Every time the Kaxians dig the Niques try to steal it. The Kaxians try to get what they mine back to the vehicle collecting it. OK is there a dog driving it? And in the middle of LA is nobody seeing teams of dogs going back and forward to a vehicle dumping this stuff? Does the vehicle fly away? In the early part of the book there was info dumps about the planets and how dogs came to be there but nothing about the logistics of the day to day operations or what Jex is and why they need it.
What about the dog owners? The only one that seems to notice that his dog escapes and spends every day away is Clem's owner, who has owned Clem's family before him. Would he then just take a misbehaving pup out and dump it in the wild to die??? Surely he would at least have taken it to somewhere where it could be trained and rehomed. I found that aspect puzzling. Why weren't there tons of dog catchers rounding up all these dogs when they exited their mining operations? How did Clem's parents manage to mine before him without that same owner catching them? Why weren't there shorter shifts to stop the dog owners realising they had got out?
I don't think I'd say that there was anything wrong with what I read of this book. I just felt that it spent a lot of time giving a background history yet seemed to skip over the points that a reader like me wants to know more about. If the book is about mining Jex I want to know about what it is and does. What is happening back on their planet that they need it so bad? How many still live there if generations of dogs are mining on a foreign world? Who controls them? What stops the ones born on earth saying they don't want to do this and want to be an earth pet? I just wanted to know more than was shared.
It didn't really appeal to me personally but you just have to love the cover!
There are two gangs of dogs who have both come to this planet to mine something called Jex. I'm still not clear on what that actually is but our Kaxian heroes are trying to mine it while a rival gang of dogs from Nique also want it and don't respect the idea that the Kaxians were there first and have claimed it. You wonder why they don't just pool resources and share the damn stuff but hey, that's just me. Every time the Kaxians dig the Niques try to steal it. The Kaxians try to get what they mine back to the vehicle collecting it. OK is there a dog driving it? And in the middle of LA is nobody seeing teams of dogs going back and forward to a vehicle dumping this stuff? Does the vehicle fly away? In the early part of the book there was info dumps about the planets and how dogs came to be there but nothing about the logistics of the day to day operations or what Jex is and why they need it.
What about the dog owners? The only one that seems to notice that his dog escapes and spends every day away is Clem's owner, who has owned Clem's family before him. Would he then just take a misbehaving pup out and dump it in the wild to die??? Surely he would at least have taken it to somewhere where it could be trained and rehomed. I found that aspect puzzling. Why weren't there tons of dog catchers rounding up all these dogs when they exited their mining operations? How did Clem's parents manage to mine before him without that same owner catching them? Why weren't there shorter shifts to stop the dog owners realising they had got out?
I don't think I'd say that there was anything wrong with what I read of this book. I just felt that it spent a lot of time giving a background history yet seemed to skip over the points that a reader like me wants to know more about. If the book is about mining Jex I want to know about what it is and does. What is happening back on their planet that they need it so bad? How many still live there if generations of dogs are mining on a foreign world? Who controls them? What stops the ones born on earth saying they don't want to do this and want to be an earth pet? I just wanted to know more than was shared.
It didn't really appeal to me personally but you just have to love the cover!
June 3, 2022
Clem is a dog with a secret: he is an alien from outer space. He and a host of other "dogs" dig up jex from the ground and send it home to their home world. Humans must not find out that dogs are aliens. Clem is abandoned far from home into the desert after digging so many holes and must find another human family to adopt him. This is definitely a book for preteens and above but I was curious. It gets a bit repetitive and whiney in places but is a book showing the angst of a teenager getting its own strengths and showing the confusion of teens every where. Would be great to have them read and discuss ways of dealing with the stress and confusion they have as well as the need to belong! It has funny moments and sad moments which add to the development of Clem who is later called Raffle by his new humans!
April 14, 2022
If you enjoy dogs, and science fiction. You’ll fall in love with this 3 book story.
Where large dogs are Kaxians from Kaxian. That came to earth a very long
time ago. They live among humans, that don’t know they are aliens. They all look and act like normal dogs.Lots of none stop action and adventure between
The Kaxians and the Piques the small dogs. Get yours today, once you start reading, you can’t put it down till you Finnish it.
Debra H.
Where large dogs are Kaxians from Kaxian. That came to earth a very long
time ago. They live among humans, that don’t know they are aliens. They all look and act like normal dogs.Lots of none stop action and adventure between
The Kaxians and the Piques the small dogs. Get yours today, once you start reading, you can’t put it down till you Finnish it.
Debra H.
March 19, 2018
hundehaufen
May 6, 2019
Nice point of view from the dog. I look at my Kaxian so very differently now. >:)
May 10, 2025
Wonderful premise, a bit disappointing execution
I loved the premise for this book. Dogs are actually aliens. Big dogs are Kaxians, and little dogs are Niques, two alien species rivals. However, I didn't find the execution as great as the premise. The writing was alright, but certain things were repeated repeatedly throughout the book.
I loved the premise for this book. Dogs are actually aliens. Big dogs are Kaxians, and little dogs are Niques, two alien species rivals. However, I didn't find the execution as great as the premise. The writing was alright, but certain things were repeated repeatedly throughout the book.
August 23, 2014
I was given the opportunity to review this book for free in anticipation of the release of the second book. As a dog lover, I was intrigued by the title and couldn’t pass it up.
The author Cherise Kelly was very imaginative in allowing the story to be written completely from inside of the dog’s mind. You are introduced to Clem, the dog whose mind you will be a passenger of for the remainder of the story. Clem is a reincarnated alien dog from outer space. He is on his 99th life and is a 6 month old puppy. He is from the planet Kax and there is an interesting back story.
Clem has a bit of a rough start in this life and find himself in possession of some abnormal abilities. There are distinguishing alien races between the large and small dogs and the inability to effectively communicate with cats. This was a fun and light read and I could relate to many of the dog/cat interactions.
The Kaxians (alien dogs from Kax) have come to Earth to spend their lives mining Jax. Jax is also needed for the Niques (the small dog breeds). This results in them being at odds with one another.
The cons for me: What in the heck is Jax? Having no idea what this was or what it would do for the Kaxians was really annoying. All you know when reading is that it is very important and their life’s work but by the end of the story you are none the wiser. There was a bit of jumping around in the story without cohesive flow between ideas. The wolves for example are telling a story and then it shifts back to Clem and later back to the wolves and to an almost exact same dialogue. As I was reading on my kindle I had to shift back and forth a couple of times to be sure that I was actually reading a new passage and not getting shifted back to an earlier part within the story. There were too many loose ends at the end of the story and things to wonder about. It didn’t feel like anything really got resolved by the end of the story. It was apparent that another story would follow, but it shouldn’t involve every single issue from the first book (in my humble opinion). Give your reader a tiny bit of relief or you will lose them.
Pros: Very imaginative. Quick and easy to read, very good for a light read. If you are an animal owner (especially dog or cat) you should be able to see something of your own pet within these characters. There is now a sequel so that hopefully some of the unanswered questions will bear fruition within the second installment. It is very fun to read from inside the mind of an alien dog.
All in all I recommend it for a filler book, I give it 3/5 starts. It doesn’t have a lot of re-readability but the story is intriguing enough to want to continue on with the series.
Check out my blog to see this and other reviews
The author Cherise Kelly was very imaginative in allowing the story to be written completely from inside of the dog’s mind. You are introduced to Clem, the dog whose mind you will be a passenger of for the remainder of the story. Clem is a reincarnated alien dog from outer space. He is on his 99th life and is a 6 month old puppy. He is from the planet Kax and there is an interesting back story.
Clem has a bit of a rough start in this life and find himself in possession of some abnormal abilities. There are distinguishing alien races between the large and small dogs and the inability to effectively communicate with cats. This was a fun and light read and I could relate to many of the dog/cat interactions.
The Kaxians (alien dogs from Kax) have come to Earth to spend their lives mining Jax. Jax is also needed for the Niques (the small dog breeds). This results in them being at odds with one another.
The cons for me: What in the heck is Jax? Having no idea what this was or what it would do for the Kaxians was really annoying. All you know when reading is that it is very important and their life’s work but by the end of the story you are none the wiser. There was a bit of jumping around in the story without cohesive flow between ideas. The wolves for example are telling a story and then it shifts back to Clem and later back to the wolves and to an almost exact same dialogue. As I was reading on my kindle I had to shift back and forth a couple of times to be sure that I was actually reading a new passage and not getting shifted back to an earlier part within the story. There were too many loose ends at the end of the story and things to wonder about. It didn’t feel like anything really got resolved by the end of the story. It was apparent that another story would follow, but it shouldn’t involve every single issue from the first book (in my humble opinion). Give your reader a tiny bit of relief or you will lose them.
Pros: Very imaginative. Quick and easy to read, very good for a light read. If you are an animal owner (especially dog or cat) you should be able to see something of your own pet within these characters. There is now a sequel so that hopefully some of the unanswered questions will bear fruition within the second installment. It is very fun to read from inside the mind of an alien dog.
All in all I recommend it for a filler book, I give it 3/5 starts. It doesn’t have a lot of re-readability but the story is intriguing enough to want to continue on with the series.
Check out my blog to see this and other reviews
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