What do you think?
Rate this book
Ruff Day
Sawyer’s plan to help his sister Stacey conquer her fear of spiders backfires when he shape-shifts into one—only to get chased by the family cat and nearly squashed! Things get even wilder when he turns into a dog and is mistaken for a stray. Captured by the dogcatcher, Sawyer must think fast (and shift even faster) to free himself and a group of caged pups. Can Sawyer use his powers to save the day, or is he stuck in the doghouse for good? With hilarious twists, vibrant illustrations, and plenty of action, this graphic novel is perfect for reluctant or struggling readers.
32 pages, Library Binding
Published August 1, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 27, 2025
Sawyer has the ability to shape shift into anything he desires, but no one knows about his talent. When his older sister reminds him of her fear for spiders, he's ready to drive her insane, but his joke gets a little out of hand. When he turns into a dog to save his life, he's chased out of the house and finds himself caught be animal control, instead. When the other animals at the pound explain that the mayor has ordered all free roaming cats and dogs to be cleared off the streets for a parade, Sawyer knows he has to do something to change it.
Sawyer is a fun kid with a talent for a little mischief and a big heart. His desire to bother his sister is totally understandable and will have readers giggling, especially when things turn against him. This humorous tone keeps things interesting even when the more serious problem surrounding the animals takes hold. It creates a grabbing balance between super-power fun, humor, and tension. Add the enjoyable illustrations, which make every moment come across with just enough details to draw in, and it's a fun read.
Imagination and fun are key in these pages with a hint of animal awareness. While the super powers offer all possibilities (there don't seem to be any limits to his abilities), there are a few little stumbles on the logic end (why doesn't he change back from begin a dog when on the streets or why there isn't more concern about his grandmother from his sister) but this age group won't be bothered by any of this. I was also surprised to see the 'how I got my powers' at the second half of the story, especially with his sister's (again) lack of much reaction. But again, the tale is still fun and opens the door to many more adventures to come.
It's written for the chapter book audience and fits nicely to readers, who are sure of their words, but are still hesitant to dive into bigger reads. Especially the short page length makes this one an easy-to-pick-up for more reluctant readers.
I'm looking forward to seeing where this character goes next.
Sawyer is a fun kid with a talent for a little mischief and a big heart. His desire to bother his sister is totally understandable and will have readers giggling, especially when things turn against him. This humorous tone keeps things interesting even when the more serious problem surrounding the animals takes hold. It creates a grabbing balance between super-power fun, humor, and tension. Add the enjoyable illustrations, which make every moment come across with just enough details to draw in, and it's a fun read.
Imagination and fun are key in these pages with a hint of animal awareness. While the super powers offer all possibilities (there don't seem to be any limits to his abilities), there are a few little stumbles on the logic end (why doesn't he change back from begin a dog when on the streets or why there isn't more concern about his grandmother from his sister) but this age group won't be bothered by any of this. I was also surprised to see the 'how I got my powers' at the second half of the story, especially with his sister's (again) lack of much reaction. But again, the tale is still fun and opens the door to many more adventures to come.
It's written for the chapter book audience and fits nicely to readers, who are sure of their words, but are still hesitant to dive into bigger reads. Especially the short page length makes this one an easy-to-pick-up for more reluctant readers.
I'm looking forward to seeing where this character goes next.
April 12, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Sawyer lives with his mom, dad, and older sister Stacey, and has a big secret! He's a shapeshifter, a trait he has inherited from his grandmother, who unfortunately is stuck as a record player. When he is bugging his sister as a spider, she takes a swat at him, so he turns himself into a dog. Since the family doesn't have a dog, he's shooed out of the house. This leads to him being taken to a dog pound, but he managed to break out, impersonate the mayor, and get a lot of dogs adopted before turning back into himself.
The explanation of how Sawyer got his powers could have come sooner, and he could have made better choices. This isn't supposed to make a lot of sense, but once he was shooed out of his house, why not just turn back into himself? Young readers won't care.
This is an early graphic novel that would be great for fans of Pilkey's Dogman, Steinke's Mr. Wolf's Class, or Blabey's Bad Guys Novels.
Sawyer lives with his mom, dad, and older sister Stacey, and has a big secret! He's a shapeshifter, a trait he has inherited from his grandmother, who unfortunately is stuck as a record player. When he is bugging his sister as a spider, she takes a swat at him, so he turns himself into a dog. Since the family doesn't have a dog, he's shooed out of the house. This leads to him being taken to a dog pound, but he managed to break out, impersonate the mayor, and get a lot of dogs adopted before turning back into himself.
The explanation of how Sawyer got his powers could have come sooner, and he could have made better choices. This isn't supposed to make a lot of sense, but once he was shooed out of his house, why not just turn back into himself? Young readers won't care.
This is an early graphic novel that would be great for fans of Pilkey's Dogman, Steinke's Mr. Wolf's Class, or Blabey's Bad Guys Novels.
March 19, 2025
Read via an online reader. It is funny for the younger reader, but as an adult reader, I think our hero made some inappropriate choices. But the goofy illustrations are fun.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews