Good Boy: A Graphic Novel

by Andy Hirsch

Good Boy is a graphic novel about a boy named Charlie and his rescue dog, Ralph.

Charlie’s life is a series of obstacles, not least of which is an uncontrollable urge to barf when his anxiety overwhelms him. Ralph is an unpredictable rescue dog with more energy than manners. The two make an unlikely pair but are the best of friends.

When Ralph causes a scene by following his boy to school, it’s suggested the two join a dog agility training group. Ralph is a natural—zipping in, around, and over obstacles at lightning speed. Agility training is a fun way for the pair to bond, but when Charlie even considers joining the other handlers at the big contest, his stomach begins to turn. Can the duo take a leap and cross the finish line?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Animals, Childrens, Fiction, Juvenile

208 pages, Paperback

Published May 20, 2025

About the author

Andy Hirsch is a cartoonist living in Dallas, Texas. He is the author and artist of a stack of entries in hit series Science Comics from First Second Books, covering topics from dogs to geology to outer space. His most recent book, Good Boy, follows a mismatched boy and his dog as they overcome obstacles from bar jumps to anxiety dreams in the exciting world of canine sports. His work is consistently selected by the Junior Library Guild and has appeared on the American Library Association's Best Graphic Novels for Children reading list.

Reviews

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like reading graphic novels. The art is fun to look at and it helps to imagine how the story move forward. This story was great! This story followed Charlie. He experienced anxiety to the point that it makes him throw up. He couldn't control his negative thoughts. His worries and nervous led him to think the worst, from one worst to the next until he explode with sick. He was supposed to go to a one week camping trip with school but he worried about his parents and he got sick. He went home and feeling depressed. His mom brought home a rescue dog named Ralph. Charlie tried to befriend with Ralph. Through trials and errors, their friendship finally gotten better. Then the week ended and everyone is back in school. Ralph followed Charlie to school. At school, someone suggested that they attend her dog training class and from there, Charlie decided to join the agility training where his dog will go through obstacle courses as practice and eventually join the competition. Each step Charlie dealt with anxiety and it made Ralph also experience anxiety. They both learned to understand each other and soon Charlie learn to cope with his anxiety as he become more confident with his dog and around other people with the same interests. Good humor and illustrations.

Thank you MacKidsBooks for the opportunity to read and review.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting a dog helps Charlie get out of his head which is full of anxiety. I’m not a dog person, so it wasn’t my personal favorite graphic novel, but I know there are young dog lovers out there that will gobble this up.

[Maura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, accessible, quick read about a boy with anxiety who finds motivation to talk back to his negative thoughts while training a new dog for agility trials. I enjoyed learning more about the sport of dog agility and I know dog loving kids will just lap this one up.

Caution: there is a LOT of vomit in this one, as it’s the main character’s response to overwhelming anxiety. So, not the most fun read for anyone with emetephobia! But if you can stand some green slime, this one is sure to be popular in a graphic novel collection.

Highly recommended for elementary library collections.

[D.T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet story dealing with an anxious character as he learns to grow with his dog. Dogs can feel your anxiety too. The dog park agility training was boring for me, but will definitely appeal to others.

Could have done without all the vomit. If you have to have it, I always prefer a discretion shot.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED. So precious.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Andy is very nervous and frequently spirals into anxiety. When his class is set to go to camp together, he is so worried about what he packed that he throws up before getting on the bus. He misses camp, and spends the week at home. This is good, since his mother has just brought home a rescue dog, Ralph, hoping that this will help Andy. Of course, the dog makes him worse at first, since the dog is frightened and has to establish a new routine. Eventually, Ralph learns to wait to poop outside instead of pooping in his crate. When he follows Andy to school, it's not a good situation, but Miss Patty in the office tells Andy about a training group she runs in the local park. Andy goes, and is interested in the agility course training that the group does, but also feels overwhelmed that he won't be able to train Ralph properly, and his parents will take the dog away. With the help of the group, as well as a couple of friends from school, Andy manages to train Ralph, and does well enough in a local competition to compete in a Super Trial. He struggles with his anxiety again, but uses the coping skills he has learned to calm himself down and successfully compete with Ralph.

Books about dog training are always a good choice, and readers who enjoyed graphic novels on the topic, like Varner's Dog Trouble or Lloyd's Allergic will be invested in Andy's tale. Behrens' 2010 The Fast and the Furriest , Sorosiak's 2019 I, Cosmo, and Finnegan's 2022 New Kids and Underdogs are novels that also address agility training. I wasn't a huge fan of Andy's frequent barfing, although younger readers may find this amusing. If Andy's anxiety was this bad, I would have hoped that his parents would have had him in some kind of counseling, or would have had better plans for dealing with Ralph and getting him more formal training. I did enjoy Hirsch's notes about dealing with a new dog.

[Sue.the.very.busy.reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review: Good Boy (Graphic Novel)
by Andy Hirsch Good Boy caught me completely off guard. I was expecting a lighthearted story about a dog and a boy—but I was completely wrong. This book is about so much more.
Good Boy follows Charlie, a young boy who suffers from anxiety. He often overanalyzes situations to the point of making himself sick. One day, his parents surprise him with a dog, whom he names Ralph. At first, it’s not an easy bond—Ralph isn’t great at following commands. So, Charlie decides to take him to a dog club for training.
The training doesn’t just help Ralph—it helps Charlie, too. Through his experiences at the dog club, Charlie meets new people and dogs, and gradually becomes more confident and better equipped to manage his anxiety.
This is a wonderful book about mental health, friendship, and growth. Good Boy is humorous, heartfelt, and sensitive all at once.
Thank you to First Second (@firstsecond) and Andy Hirsch (@itsandyhirsch) for sending me a copy of Good Boy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie suffers from terrible anxiety, to the point where his doom thinking makes him skip his week-long class trip to camp. Meanwhile, his parents had brought home Ralph, a rescue dog, hoping having a dog would help Charlie work through his anxiety. At first, Ralph doesn't obey Charlie, so Charlie thinks and says, "Bad dog!" Over time, with the help of the school secretary who trains people and their dogs for agility trials, Charlie learns to "listen" to Ralph and boy and dog learn to trust each other. Soon, Charlie's "bad dog" turns to "good boy" and Charlie is able to find a friend group and help friends from school learn to "listen" to their own dogs and train them, too. It was fun watching Charlie learn to move beyond his anxiety and learn to trust Ralph, and it was fun to watch Ralph move beyond a scared dog to a confident dog who could meet new situations and make new friends just like his owner Charlie. The art enhanced the writing in a wonderful pairing. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and art.

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A MG graphic novel about a boy and his rescue dog.
🐶
Charlie struggles with anxiety, so much so that he vomits when it gets really bad. Ralph is his rescue dog with very little manners. Ralph decides to follow Charlie to school one, causing a big scene and making the pair have to go to dog agility training. Ralph ends up being great at this, while Charlie struggles with the idea of joining other handlers in a big contest. Can he overcome his anxiety to try something big and scary?
🐶
Two dog books in 2 days?! I’m so happy this title is out in the world today because it was just precious and so relatable. Dog training was a great approach to this story because it will interest many kids. Animal lovers and potential new dog owners will adore this one. Students will find both humor and heart on the pages. Grab this title today!

CW: emesis, anxiety

I hate vomit so I didn’t love those parts 😂

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really hit home for me on so many levels. A boy with severe anxiety receives a dog from his parents. He takes the dog, Ralph, to agility training at a local park and makes new friends while developing a strong relationship with his dog. The only thing I would say was lacking is this kid really needs to at the very least be in counseling. His anxiety is severe. I suffered with severe anxiety for years without realizing how severe it was, and then very bad things happened to me before I got better. So from my personal experience, I think he really should be getting medical treatment for his anxiety before bringing the dog into the picture. I got a dog almost a year into recovery, and she's been the best thing ever. So other than that, I really thought this was fantastic. I loved the pages where he was counting down from five and overcoming his anxiety attack.

[Stacey Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie's anxiety gets the better of him constantly and he hates it. It makes him barf which only adds to the anxiety. When he gets a dog he has to try to control it so the dog isn't taken away from him. He works hard at dealing with his negative thoughts better. The thing that helps is finding an agility training group. Charlie really tries to train his dog Ralph and he gets good at it with lots of practice. Charlie and Ralph become best friends and Charlie realizes his anxiety affects Ralph, causing his dog to act out (be anxious) too. Now he has more reasons to stop his anxiety from taking over...he has to do it for Ralph. Learning how to overcome fears that stress you out isn't easy but with hard work and determination and the right reasons maybe it is possible.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Charlie has lots of anxiety. So much that it causes him to throw up - a lot. He has missed camp this year because of it, so his parents have gotten him a dog, hoping it will help. Ralph, the dog, picks up on Charlie's anxiety and reacts accordingly so things aren't great but they work through it when someone suggests agility training. Ralph is a natural and together the two work through a lot of issues.
CW: lots of barf
It's a heart warming story of a boy and his dog but I do wonder if Charlie could have benefitted from counseling as well as animal therapy. It might not have been fair to Ralph to place such high expectations on him to solve all Charlie's issues.

[Mary Hanna Wilson | Celebrate a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie struggles with overwhelming anxiety that impacts some of his opportunities, like going to camp with friends. His parents surprise him with a dog, Ralph, who is a bit unpredictable. In order to train Ralph, Charlie joins a dog agility training group where both he and Ralph find help and support.

I thought this was a great book that opened up a discussion of anxiety for kids and parents. It's a fun book with creatively done artwork that effectively reflects Charlie's anxiety in various situations. It's a fun read for middle-grade readers.

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG. This graphic novel is everything! Not only does this novel sparkle with the power of emotional support dogs, but it emphasizes the importance of dog training and routinely exercising and communicating with your dog!

Charlie misses camp because of his anxiety and winds up seeing an early surprise. His parents adopted Ralph the doggo to help him balance his emotions and to have a friend. Lucky for both, they have a kerfuffle at school where Ralph makes an appearance on campus and the school secretary intervenes with a plan for training and exercise to help both canine and student.

This is the story every potential dog owner needs to read. I love the way both Ralph and Charlie transform with the power of mutually respected bond and hard work!

[Amanda Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so delighted by this book. Several of my kids suffer from crippling anxiety. We actually got a dog just to help one of them. He did help, too. But he's 85 pounds of two hands full and that boy has grown up and gone away. I learned a lot about dog training from this book, I think my Hershey boy would love agility training! This books is going to be a big win with those animal lovers out there, especially any of them that deal with anxiety in their own lives.

[Matt Glaviano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Decent middle grade graphic novel. It's a little too wordy for me; Andy Hirsch's background in Science Comics shows through a bit in his need to overexplain Dog Obstacle Courses.

Also, quick parenting opinion. If your kid is so anxious that they're randomly puking in public, get that kid professional help. Don't just, like, pat him on the back.

Also earned the Will Seal of Approval. His opinion is more to the point than mine with MG books.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute story that I know will resonate with some of my perpetual worriers. I appreciate the inner dialogue that allows the reader to make connections with Charlie. Charlie’s parents never give up on him or on Ralph, which is a major part of what makes this a story worth putting on my shelves.
Thank you, NetGallery for the ARC.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overcoming obstacles together. Good Boy has great art and design. The story focuses on a boy mirroring confidence so his new buddy can act as confident as him. They are both a mess at the start, and their relationship grows with patience, dedication, and persistence. Also, it's important to have family, adult guidance, and friends' support. Light-spirited and with sweet humor.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if you don't want to train your dog for agility contests, or even have a dog, you might like this book. I requested it because I'd read that the human boy suffers debilitating anxiety, and sometimes I do, too. I liked it for that reason. But mostly I liked it because I love the characters, the lessons, and the laugh-out-loud joy.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

I'm not a dog fan but this was a cute book. The main character deals with a lot of anxiety and it's nice how Hirsch shows him working though the anxiety in order to help his newly adopted dog. It is certainly relatable for people who also deal with intrusive thoughts/anxiety.

[Blake Atwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your kid loves dogs, they will very likely love this book too.

If your kid gets anxious and fights negative thoughts, they'll also discover someone just like them in its pages.

My nine-year-old son devoured the book. I did too.

Highly recommended.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A boy with anxiety gets a dog, and he takes a chance and joins a group that does agility courses. He works through and with his anxiety, all the way, making friends and training his dog. I learned a lot about agility courses that I did not know before.

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun middle grade graphic about a kid who discovers training his new dog and running agility courses has a lot of benefits, including helping to reduce anxiety.

[Katie Hutchison Irion · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 8-year-old son loved this!

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

cute and informational

[Amy Pickett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A joyful, heartfelt middle grade graphic novel about managing anxiety with the help of an adorable rescue dog who needs a friend!

[Yolotzin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anxiety sucks! Loved learning some dog rearing tips, much needed. Great to see Charlie's growth.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeing the main character grow was wonderful. His anxiety is a tough battle, but his new dog helps him through it. I enjoyed the art, as well. It's a good one.

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

"A nervous boy and an excitable canine bond through dog training." [Kirkus]

[Cathlina Bergman · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Cute graphic novel about a boy with anxiety meeting and training a dog for the agility courses.