Mouse and His Dog

Dogtown #2

by Katherine Applegate, Gennifer Choldenko, Wallace West (illustrator)

Mouse lives in Dogtown, a shelter for real dogs and robot dogs, where the kibble is plentiful, and the rafters hide a secret community of mice. His unlikely best friend is Buster, a big-hearted real dog who attracts trouble like a burr to fur.

Determined to help Buster find his forever home, even if means losing his best pal, Mouse embarks on a bold quest with three of Dogtown’s “unadoptables”: Buster, Stewie--a huge, lovable dog whose ex-owner said he was mean, and Smokey--a robot dog hardwired with a smoke alarm he can’t control.

But Mouse is just a mouse, and the world is big and complicated. How’s a little guy supposed to find homes for the dogs he loves?

Genres: Middle Grade, Animals, Fantasy, Dogs, Fiction, Childrens, Chapter Books

336 pages, Hardcover

Published September 17, 2024

About the author

#1 New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written many books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal.

Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books); THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books); SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books); and ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends).

She’s written or co-written three early chapter series for young readers: ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins); DOGGO AND PUPPER, a three-book series illustrated by Charlie Alder (Feiwel & Friends). With Gennifer Choldenko, she co-authored DOGTOWN and MOUSE AND HIS DOG, illustrated by Wallace West (Feiwel & Friends).

Books for middle-grade readers include HOME OF THE BRAVE (Feiwel & Friends); THE ONE AND ONLY series, illustrated by Patricia Castelao, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, THE ONE AND ONLY BOB, THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY, and THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY (HarperCollins); the ENDLING trilogy (HarperCollins); CRENSHAW (Feiwel & Friends); WISHTREE (Feiwel & Friends); WILLODEEN (Feiwel & Friends); ODDER (Feiwel & Friends); and the forthcoming POCKET BEAR (Feiwel & Friends).

With her husband, Michael Grant, Katherine co-wrote ANIMORPHS, a long-running series that has sold over 35 million books worldwide. They also wrote two other series, REMNANTS and EVERWORLD, and a young adult novel, EVE AND ADAM (Feiwel & Friends.)

Katherine’s work has been translated into dozens of languages, and her books have won accolades including the Christopher Medal, the Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street Josette Frank Award, the California Book Award Gold Medal, the Crystal Kite Award, the Green Earth Book Honor Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Many of her works have appeared on state master lists, Best of the Year lists, and Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and New York Times bestseller lists.

Katherine lives in Nevada with her husband and assorted pets. She is represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary and Mary Pender at WME.

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second in the Dogtown series.

For my review of “Dogtown” go here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Although this story could be read as a stand-alone, it is best to start with “Dogtown.” Because this book also has a reconciliation moment, that allows for follow-up on Chance, the dog in the first story.

This second in the series gives interesting insights into what happens within an animal shelter, to those animals who have not yet found their forever home. And, it is told from a mouse’s point of view.

Now granted, when one thinks of mice, it usually is not with reverence. Even our narrator shares…

“If you’re a mouse, nobody ever wants you…so you’d better be good at hiding.”

And, I could certainly relate to that when we (my husband and I) experienced some rain rot in our garage which invited some unwanted guests. Yes, mice. Needless to say, we are in the midst of renovation, repair and clean-up, as this review is being written. So, if I had any empathy for mice, it would most likely come from this story. Not this human’s unfortunate real world experience! 🐁

Mouse tells the story of Buster, the golden retriever and how misunderstood he is. And Stewie, a larger dog that was a bit awkward with his humans, and thus returned to the shelter.

Of course, since humans haven’t fully bonded with these dogs, they don’t recognize the dog language, which tells a different story, than the observations or experiences of the humans. Thus, how many times can these dogs be a bounce back dog before they get put on the oh, so dreaded list? Can they possibly become a reading buddy, where they are available for children or adults to read to them? Or…Can Mouse save Buster and Stewie?

“Dogs don’t judge. They listen, lick your hand, and curl up next to you. Dogs love in the most uncomplicated way.” ♥️🐾

Told in short, quick, easy-to-read chapters, the story also features the lovely loose ink drawings of Wallace West. Also, various children’s books are mentioned, giving young readers the opportunity to consider these same books for their own reading pleasure.

Age Level: 8-12+ years – Grade Level: 4th – 6th grade+

[Dawn Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This series has been such a disappointment for me [as I have loved the author's previous books ]. The first one was so traumatic and this one I never really got into because I was NOT a fan of the narration [it was not my cup of tea** and I'd not recommend it ] and the story just never really resonated with me because of that.

i think that if you want to buy the print books for your littles, that would be a better plan than the audiobook. I would recommend you reading them first so you'll be prepared for the inevitable questions they will absolutely have.

** *The endless short chapters. This gets old very quickly.
*The background "noise" is VERY distracting and adds nothing to the overall book/story.
*The long pauses; I was constantly checking to see if the audiobook was still playing
*The narrator's voice [for me] was very unpleasant and by the end, I was very over listening to this book.


Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and illustrator, and Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners for providing the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Elizabeth☮ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buster is in the basement in Dogtown, the local animal shelter. Dogs in the basement are considered "problem" dogs. Buster wants to be a good dog, he just has trouble with impulse control. His friend Mouse keeps him entertained and hopeful that he will find his forever home.

Buster has Smoke Alarm (a robot dog) next to him. Smokey can't control his fire alarm and is considered damaged goods. The two dogs soon find themselves trying to cheer up Stewie, a recent drop off considered unadoptable as he is "aggressive."

Buster is befriended by a young girl, Saanvi, that roams downstairs during Reading Buddies time (young kids read to the dogs). Since Buster is in the basement, he's not allowed to participate, but this young girl makes an immediate connection with him. When Saanvi doesn't show up when she finds out Buster is adopted (and quickly returned), Mouse knows he must take extreme measures to help Buster find his home.

The adventure then ensues. It's a motley crew trying to make things happen. I love it! Applegate is one of my favorite middle reader authors and this one doesn't disappoint.

[Christie Stoneback · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of Mouse and His Dog, by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko.

Katherine Applegate is a favorite in the household for the kiddos and myself and she doesn’t disappoint with Book 2 in the Dogtown books! We had just recently finished Book 1 so all of the characters were fresh and the story line continued quite well into this book (Book 2). I love that this book allows the reader (listener) to go through some turbulence before reaching the final resolution, as isn’t that just how life is!

I would have given this audiobook a 5 star rating, but the audio has background noise (dogs barking, mouse squeaking, etc) which I found to be extremely distracting to the story. There are also very long pauses between the chapters (and there are over 100 chapters in the book) that create unnecessary length to the audiobook. I would say that the background noise is a bit improved from Book 1, but it is still “noise” that I found to take away from the book.

Overall, I definitely recommend for kiddos in elementary - middle school!

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book!!! ALL the feels!

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book! I loved book one, and I love this one! If there ever is a book three, I will definitely read it!

[Analie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute and wholesome! While book #1 felt like it held more depth, I still enjoyed the story about the dogs seeking their forever homes. The short chapters and fun illustrations make it perfect for ages 7-12 or as a read-aloud before bed.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intrepid mouse tries to help his canine friends find forever homes in this second visit to the Dogtown animal shelter.

[whatbooknext · Rating 4 out of 5]

At Dogtown, Mouse is to his mouse buddies what Chance used to be to the dogs locked in their cages, (in Book 1).

Just like Chance used to sort squabbles and problems for the dogs, Mouse looks after the other mice by stealing kibble from the dogs and small items like bottle tops and mint containers for mouse furniture.

One dog named Buster helps Mouse by saving kibble for him, and letting Mouse hang out in the kennels without alerting the humans who look after them.

Mouse also enjoys the Reading Buddy program organised by a local teacher, for children to come to the adoption centre to read to their favourite dog.

When a girl named Saanvi chooses Buster, both dog, and mouse enjoy the stories. Saanvi gets quite attached to Buster and would love to adopt him. The problem is, Buster has been adopted more times than most, with his golden coat and great smile. But Buster can’t help himself when it comes to food, and is returned to Dogtown over and over, shamed by his terrible behaviour.

Another dog named Stewie arrives, and the human that leaves him labels Stewie, mean. Sure Stewie is a BIG dog, but he is in no way a nasty dog.

Mouse soon realises when Buster is returned yet again after a failed adoption that he is going to be a candidate for the dreaded LIST.

There is another who could be added to this LIST. He is an e-dog who was incorrectly assembled at his factory, making him part smoke alarm. His alarm goes off at random, also making him unpopular at the centre.

Mouse knows he must do something to get Buster, Smoke Alarm and even Stewie adopted – and fast. But can a tiny mouse that fits into Buster’s armpit really change three dog’s future, finding them forever families?


The 2nd book in the Dogtown series, Mouse & His Dog has just as much heart as the 1st.

Mouse tells the story in 1st person (or mouse) taking the reader on a courageous quest to save three dog friends – and also make a young girl, an old lady and a teacher, very happy.

So many things make this story a perfect read. There are animals, bravery, books, and fun simple illustrations. The wide text, short chapters, and of course the added bonus of being in a series, is also a winning factor for young readers.

Come and meet the dogs of Dogtown and a very brave, kind mouse.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 4 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Now that Chance has found his furever home, Dogtown is most concerned with Buster, a beautiful Golden Retriever with a penchant for getting in trouble and being returned to the shelter. Told from the point of view of Mouse, who is not overly comfortable with living in a place where mice are not welcome, we find out about Buster's various adoptions. We also meet Stewie, a dog who has the reputation for being mean, and Smokey, a robot dog whose wiring was crossed with a smoke detector, leading to some interesting sound effects. Mouse has decided that if he can get Buster on the Reading Buddies List, he will be safe. When Saanvi arrives with a copy of one of Mouse's favorite books, The Borrowers, he hopes to get her interested, especially after she sees him and doesn't panic and alert people at the shelter. Buster is adopted a couple of times, but when he comes back after the last adoption, he gets put on The List. Determined to save him, Mouse finds the key and breaks both Stewie and Buster out, and take off to find Saanvi. They visit Chance on their way, and are greeted warmly at Saanvi's apartment building by Mary Alice. Unfortunately, Saanvi's mother won't adopt a dog, Owen (who lives in the building) has three younger siblings, and Mary Alice's son doesn't want his mother to adopt Stewie, given his history. Luckily, once the intrepid group makes it back to the shelter, they have gotten enough exposure that people are willing to adopt them, so there is a happy ending.

This was not as philosophical as Dogtown, which was surprisingly deep, but was an excellent story! West's illustrations will add to the appeal for young readers, and Mouse will be right at home with a whole subgenre of Talking Mice books. There are some good tips at the end about working with rescue dogs to make them more comfortable, and I am all for raising awareness to the plight of these animals. Hand this one to fans of Crimi's Secondhand Dogs or W. Bruce Cameron's work. I think these books will have a very long shelf life, since they do have a classic feel to them. Any book that reawakens interest in The Borrowers is fine by me!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writers Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko team up with illustrator Wallace West once again to continue the DogTown series. Mouse continues to star and narrate in this almost realistic fiction set in an animal shelter, but his doggie partner in book 2 is Buster, a warm-hearted Golden Retriever that has bounced from adoptive home back to DogTown way too many times. Like in the series opener, Mouse takes his roles as food gatherer, brother, friend and finder of forever homes for dogs very seriously and knows that Buster’s accidents that have sent him back to the shelter were accidents out of a good heart but if he doesn’t find the perfect match for him soon, he will be placed on “The List” and put down.

The cast of characters in MOUSE & HIS DOG includes many of the human, robotic and furry faces from the first installment and adds a new robo-dog named Smokey who inadvertently sets off beeps and alarms like a smoke detector and two new participants in Mr. Molinari’s Reading Buddies program. Plot is fast-paced and along the way, young readers will learn about dog-human reading programs and let their imaginations race as they muse about how they would feel about a dog-pet made from metal and programmed to do doggish things. Frequent sketches augment the text beautifully and will provide encouragement to keep on reading. Perfect for ages 8-11 to read on their own and for younger listeners to hear read aloud.

Fav quotes:

“…To feel joy, we must also be willing to feel sadness…” [Metal Head] tapped his heart where it hurt and I tapped mine. “The world is imperfect,” he said, “but it’s all the world we have.”

(Mouse) “Buster was the kind of friend who believed you were a little bigger, a little braver, and a little kinder than you thought you were. When you have a friend like that, you do everything you can to stay friends forever.”

Thanks for providing me with a review copy of this sequel that may have moved me more than the first one, Sara Elroubi of Macmillan Publishing/Feiwel & Friends.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so happy the authors wrote a sequel to Dogtown. I loved that sweet story and was sad when the book ended. I was hoping there would be more. And now there is! Yeah!

I loved being back with Buster, Metal Head, and Mouse. Everyone needs at least one true and loyal friend like Mouse. He wanted nothing more for Buster than a forever home with people who understood him. That's really what all of us want, isn't it? To be with people who really get us and understand us. I felt so bad for Buster. He wanted to find his person so badly, but he was always a bit too wild and exuberant and ended up being sent back to Dogtown by his adopters time and time again. So many times that he was now on "the list". You can guess what that list is. It's not a good list. It's a list you don't ever want to be on. Time was running out. Was Buster ever going to get his forever home? And what about Metal Head? He's languishing down in the basement with Buster where no one sees them. He's made of metal, but he seems like a real dog with a heart and a brain. He needs his person too. And then there's new dog Stewie who's very large and is just a big sweetheart who doesn't have a mean bone in his body, but is down in the basement because he got dumped by his (definitely not) person who said he was a mean dog. Who's really the mean one in that scenario? And Mouse, dear, sweet Mouse, who has the biggest heart and the biggest brain for such a tiny little animal. Can he find a way to get them all adopted? To find the special person they belong with? Can he find a way to do it in time? The story had a beautiful happy ending, so what do you think? Did he find a way to make it all happen?

I want to end with something that Mouse said at the end about his friend Buster. 

"Buster was the kind of friend who believed you were a little bigger, a little braver, and a little kinder than you thought you were. When you have a friend like that, you do everything you can to stay friends forever". 

I would say those same words about Mouse.

[PumpkinParker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was skeptical when I first learned that the sequel to my beloved Dogtown would focus, not on the dogs I'd come to love, but instead on the aptly named and barely characterized side character Mouse. Yet the longer I read, the more I found myself becoming attached to Mouse — his hidden world within the shelter, his strained relationship with his sister, and especially, his deep bond with "his dog" Buster. Mouse is an endearing homage to the similarly small characters in his favorite stories, and because he and other characters were so scarcely fleshed out (if at all) in the first Dogtown book, they keep the new story fresh while cameos from the old characters keep it feeling familiar.

Also familiar here is the deep sense of dread that comes with the very possible threat of the friendly dog characters being put down — although I felt that Mouse and His Dog dropped the ball in that aspect compared to Dogtown; it was enough to keep me up late at night desperate to see how it would end, but not quite the tearjerker that its predecessor was. Similarly, neither the dialogue nor the narration had me as hooked, and in fact, much of the dialogue felt like little more than filler in an attempt to flesh out characters who simply didn't get enough "screen"time to feel very deep.

It wasn't as good as the first, but I think Mouse and His Dog was still a really good way to kick off my 2025 reading! The animal characters were so easy to love (and the dogs so realistically portrayed), the story continued its emphasis on the importance/comfort of reading, and although there wasn't as much lore around the robot dogs of this universe, I'm an absolute sucker for a robot who aches to be something more. Mouse and His Dog works well as both a standalone and as a sequel, while also making me hope for a trilogy. Either way, I loved it!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: I want to be one of those brave mice you read about in books. A mouse in a friar's robe brandishing a sword, a mouse in short sleeves paddling a canoe, a mouse in a pullover sweater who saves a princess. But I'm an ordinary field mouse, the size and weight of an average tomato. The only thing I ever wear is slippers.

My thoughts (preview): I have WANTED--no NEEDED--this book since the summer of 2023. I finished Dogtown (the first book) and NEEDED more, more, more. I wanted all the books, forever keep them coming. I loved Dogtown so much I read it TWICE within a couple of months. It is my emotional support library book. So obviously I was excited and counting down the months, weeks, and days until it was released.

It did not disappoint.

Premise/plot: Mouse, whom readers first met in the book Dogtown, returns for another adventure set at the Dogtown animal shelter. Buster, a golden retriever with a high return rate or bounce back, is the star of this one. Mouse's goal throughout the book is to help Buster (and Stewie) find their forever home(s). This one does also feature a robot dog, Smoke Alarm (aka Smokey).

"Smokey's problem was that he'd been put together in a factory that also made smoke alarms, and wires got crossed. Buttons got switched. Gears got shifted. In some home somewhere, there was a smoke alarm that barked. And in Dogtown, we had a metal dog with a smoke alarm that went off when you least expected."

Plenty of adventure and HEART packed into this dog adventure.

My thoughts: How does Mouse compare to Chance as a narrator?!?!?! I loved them both. But Mouse loves, loves, loves, LOVES to read. So Mouse's narration is PACKED with book references.

I loved the narration. It is just a WONDERFUL read. I do think it would be an excellent read aloud.

[Samantha Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate is an adorable, heartfelt read that perfectly captures the beauty of friendship and loyalty in a world where animals take center stage. As the second book in the Dogtown series, it introduces readers to a charming storyline about Mouse, a small, scrappy pup, and his bond with his new canine companion. Although I’ve only read this book in the series, it stands well on its own, and the emotional connection between the characters is immediately apparent.

The plot of Mouse and His Dog is simple yet engaging. It’s a story of overcoming challenges and finding love and trust in unexpected places. The author does an excellent job creating a warm, inviting atmosphere, and the pacing is just right for younger readers. The characters are lovable, with Mouse being a particularly endearing protagonist who will surely steal your heart.

Katherine Applegate’s writing is accessible and enjoyable, bringing the world of Dogtown to life. While the book is primarily geared toward younger readers, there’s a universal quality to the themes of friendship, belonging, and personal growth that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.

The reason for not giving it a full 5-star rating is that, as a first-time reader of this series, I found myself wishing I had more context about the world and the other characters from earlier books. While this didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of the story, I imagine having read the previous book(s) would provide a richer experience.

Overall, Mouse and His Dog is a delightful, wholesome read that will leave readers with a smile. It’s perfect for animal lovers or anyone in need of a sweet escape into a world of friendship and adventure. Definitely worth the read!

[Britney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book is really cute. A mouse lives in dog shelter that houses real and robot dogs (maybe the reason there are robot dogs is explained in book 1, I didn't understand this part). The mouse makes friends with various dogs and tries to keep them off "the list." The chapters are short, but there are quite a few of them. I thought my 2nd grader would enjoy reading this book, but I think she would have a lot of questions about the vocabulary ('management' is used frequently) if she were reading on her own.

I listened to the audiobook, and I had a hard time getting into it. I'm giving the book the benefit of the doubt with three stars. I started listening to it on a day where I had a lot of interruptions, so I may have missed some things in the beginning chapters. It might also be because I haven't read the first book in the series. Another contributing factor to my ambivelence is that there is a long pause between chapters--so much so that I frequently look to see if the book stopped playing. I thought maybe it was the app used to listen to it, but I think it's the actual audiobook because other books haven't done the same thing. And there are a nearly 100 chapters. So there is a lot of pausing.

All of this to say, I don't actually recommend the audiobook. If you or your child is interested in this book, I would get the paper version.

I had access to an advance reader's copy of “Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown, #2)” by Katherine Applegate from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, and my honest opinion is that I would not use the audiobook.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko are marvelous authors. I was smitten by the first Dogtown book for the connections within, the true to life representation of a dog shelter community, and for the heartwarming characters. I love this second one as much as the first. Is it the white space between lines that make this book more accessible to more of my elementary readers? Is it the short chapters with larger print? Is it the incredible connections of the many, many dog and mouse characters in the book? All of the above is my best response! I am a 30 year animal rescuer and I spent 6 years going to my city shelter every Sunday for 4-5 hours and just as many hours reaching out to local rescues and less crowded shelters trying to save lives, so I have seen first hand many of the situations in the story. Well, all except for the robot dogs. I never thought I would connect to a robot dog in a story, but Applegate and Choldenko have stolen my heart with these dogs. Yes, they brought me to tears with joy at the celebrations and kept me reading with the concerns I had for these animals. If authors can keep me reading as a 50+ year old, they will likely have the same impact on the hearts of my students!

I highly recommend this book for elementary and middle school students. My dog lovers will become mouse lovers, for sure. Teachers will all be given this review in an email and I hope to hear about this series being read aloud in the classrooms. I have bought a copy for each of my elementary school collections and will recommend it to my librarian team for their schools!

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute and clever read! As much as I loved Dogtown, this one was even better.

Here are five things I loved:

🐕 The beauty of dog rescue is on full display. There are dogs that seem like they are unadoptable, but the volunteers persist as do our little mouse hero and the robot dogs.
📚 The reading buddies program is a prominent part of the narrative. Applegate has the little mouse learning how to read with 'If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,' enjoying books like 'The Borrowers,' and citing other mouse heroes like Desperaux as inspiration.
🐁 Our little mouse narrator may be tiny, but he has a big heart. I love his tenacity and love for the dogs at the shelter.
🤖 The featured robot dog in this installment is smoke alarm. He has difficulty controlling his alarm and that can be offputting. Our little mouse helps him learn when and where to chirp and wail.
🍊🍰 There are short chapters and lots of great illustrations by Gennifer Choldenko. What really tickled me was to find this sentence in Chapter 78:
Mary Allice's living room smelled of old magazines, sharp pencils, and orange-blossom cake..
As many of my friends know, I just read The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake last week. Book connections!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, this is a series, but you can read this one as a stand alone but why would you? I really believe that I loved this second book in this series more than the first. I was almost going to set this book aside but once I got reading, I couldn’t stop! I absolutely adored the relationship that Mouse had with Buster heck, Mouse is such a caring little creature to everyone.
It was such an enjoyable, entertaining read as Mouse tries to tackle the impossible. Mouse and Buster create a close bond at Dogtown, each of them watching out for one another. Mouse knows that the dog shelter is no place for a mouse, but he enjoys it there amongst his friends. Buster finally gets another break, and he’s adopted. Unfortunately, his freedom from the shelter is short-lived when he is once again returned to the shelter.

Back at the shelter, Mouse overhears talk about The List. Hearing that his friends have made it on this, Mouse is on a mission to find permanent homes for Buster and his friends before it’s too late. It’s an emotional time for Mouse knowing he will lose his friends once they are gone yet he knows the fate his friends face if they remain at The Doghouse.

Such a great combination of friends: Smoke Alarm, Stewie, Buster, and Mouse. I enjoyed this book tremendously . 5 stars.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for approving my request to listen to the advance listen copy of Mouse and His Dog: A Dogtown Book.

Daniel Henning did a great job with narration. And the sound effects and the music that accompanied this audio book were splendid! Very fun to listen to.

This audio was about 3 hours and 16 minutes (evidently the physical book is 336 pages). A bit longer than I had anticipated.

Mouse and His Dog seems to be a Childrens Book. If you are a parent, you might need to be prepared to answer a childs question as to what happens to a dog who is on "The List" at the dog shelter. The book really doesn't go into detail, but "The List" comes up several times.

Although I loved the narration and the sound effects, the story (in my opinion) was just ok. (Although the best part was the ending.)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for approving my request to listen to the advance listen copy in exchange for an honest review.. All comments are my own. Publication date is Sept 17, 2024.

[Lauren Kramer-Theuerkauf · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second installment in the Dog Town series did not disappoint. This story focuses on Mouse and Buster, the new dog that he befriended after his best dog friend got adopted.

Poor Buster is a bounceback dog. He gets adopted, but manages to muddle things up at every home he enters. Mouse soon learns that Buster’s time is running out because his name has been placed on…The List!

Mouse is determined to help Buster find his perfect forever home. But can he also help a gentle giant named Stewie and a robot dog named Smoke Alarm? Or will Mouse never see his friends again?

I absolutely loved this book! It was great to see how much characters from the first book have grown. Plus, the addition of new colorful characters made the story even better.

You will definitely need a box of tissues while you read! I also love how the book includes bonus content at the end with tips on dog training for kids. I highly recommend this book for children ages 13 and up and for adult animal lovers of all ages!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC through NetGalley.

When I saw there was a new Dogtown book, I jumped to read it. This is the second installment of the delightful Dogtown series. If you love dogs (or animals even), this book has them! Add in Mouse and their (metal) friend Smoke Alarm, and you've got a fun crew. The dogs at Dogtown wait to be adopted, but there are certain dogs that get to be Reading Buddies. Buster wasn't deemed a good enough dog for Reading Buddies. He's a bounceback (many times over) and according to Management, he misbehaves. But Mouse sees the potential in Buster, while also having fun with his friend in Dogtown.

One day, Buster meets Saanvi - and the adventures begin! This story is full of fun, adventures, and friendship. It shows what lengths dogs, mice, and people will go to in order to be with their families. Be prepared for all the feels! I can't wait for the next in this series.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Dogtown book brought to us by powerhouse authors, Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko.

Dogtown is a home for unwanted dogs, including discarded robot dogs (took me a while to get my head around that - presumably book 1 explains that in more detail!)

Narrated by Mouse, a cute wee critter who befriends some of the most unwanted dogs, this is the story of friendship and love and finding your person (or your dog, depending which way you look at it!)

Buster (beautifully kind hearted but a trouble magnet), Stewie (huge and misunderstood) and Smokey (the robot dog with an out of control smoke alarm attached!) are all trying to find someone to love, so Mouse makes it his mission to do just that.

Told with humour and compassion, this is a lovely read (potential readaloud?) and with its short chapters and large font it definitely has kid appeal.

Perhaps read book 1 first!!!

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandson (N) and I finished another book together. We try to read together each night via Facetime. This month we read Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate. We worked on our review together. N. is using Anne Bogel’s Reading Journal for Kids. This is his first time keeping a reading journal so I thought it was best to start with a structure. So my review has that same structure because we worked on it together.

My Favorite quote: "If you're a mouse, nobody ever wants you... so you'd better be good at hiding."
My favorite part is when Owen, Mouse, Buster, Stewie and Smoke Alarm met Mary Alice at her apartment. Mary Alice treated all the animals with kindness. She gave them treats and she read them stories about mice. Mouse is my favorite character because he went out of his way to help the other character in the book. We think this is a ❤️❤️❤️❤️ book and would recommend it to most of the kids we know because they like dogs.

[Hasun Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

My name is Mouse. And I have a dog. Well I don't take him on walks or clean up his poop or do all the other things you do when you have a dog. But I live with him and Buster's my best friend. You see, Buster lives in Dogtown, a dog shelter that takes discarded dogs, stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and broken metal dogs. It doesn't take mice. But inside the walls of Dogtown is a network of holes, tunnels, and passageways--a secret hideaway we call Mousetown. Dogtown is awesome. It has endless amounts of things we mice love oh so much. Kibble. Bins and bags, sheds and shacks of it. Have you ever tried kibble? It's delicious. So when I'm not gathering kibble for my fellow mice, I am hanging out with Buster and the other dogs. Read pg. 12-13. But I'm worried about Buster. What if he gets put on the list? That's when Management decides you can no longer stay at Dogtown. We need to help Buster find his forever home. But I'm just a mouse in a big and complicated world. I need your help.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mouse and His Dog is a chapter book with short chapters geared to ages 8 - 12. It is the sequel to Dogtown, a shelter for real dogs and robot dogs who have been abandoned by their owners, dogs hoping that they will be adopted into new homes. Narrated by Mouse who lives in Dogtown and is friends with many of the dogs sheltered there, Mouse is concerned because some of his friends have been added to "The List" for dogs who have been deemed to be problem pets, dogs who aren't considered eligible to be "reading Buddies" to visiting school children. Mouse embarks on a search to find new homes for three dogs he is good friends. With humor and good intentions, Mouse almost succeeds when disaster strikes. You don't have to have read Dogtown to follow along in this sequel, although it does provide some missing background information. Very enjoyable!

[Erin Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mouse and His Dog is a delightful story about how a mouse with a big heart will do just about anything to help his friend Buster the dog find a forever home and be adopted from the dogtown animal shelter. I liked how the story had a happy and uplifting message for children, and to never give up to help a friend in need. The sound effects were fun to listen to and the narrator was a good choice for a children's book. Recommended. 4 stars.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio | Macmillan Young Listeners for a chance to listen to an ARC version of this audio book. All opinions are my own.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and joyful follow-up to Dogtown, with the same signature illustrations, short chapters, and heartwarming characters. I really loved the character of Buster and the use of Mouse as a narrator who sees the dogs from the outside. There is better diversity of the children in this book, and I think the illustrations will make this a great read-aloud for the younger readers, while holding the attention of new chapter book readers. We listened to the audio e-arc from Netgalley, and I reviewed the print e-arc as well. Both are wonderful and charming. Thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc and e-audio arc!

[Ina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in an animal shelter, this story is about an unlikely friendship between a shelter dog, Buster, desperate to be adopted and a mouse. Much like the tale of the Lion and the Mouse, the story is also about courage and that even small creatures can do great things. This story is sometimes difficult to read as obstacles appear that Buster and Mouse must overcome. Their triumphs are that much sweeter because of these. Funny at times Mouse and Buster are lovable and funny. They are surrounded by equally lovable shelter dogs, mice and there are even two cats (brief but scary scene). This is heartwarming, laugh out loud funny, and, at times, sad. This is a great read for any dog loving child. I am looking forward to future books in this series.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two about the dogs and mice at the Dogtown Shelter. The characters are back and a new dog is added to the toward the end. Mouse is determined to help Buster and then Stewie find forever families. Finally, everyone has a family and is removed from the List. Buster finally learns how to control his impulses and settles into life with his new owner. Mouse even gets to see him a couple times a week when he returns to Dogtown for Reading Buddies. I appreciate that Applegate reminds readers of the seriousness of this need even while using humor to tell the story.