Brind and the Dogs of War

by Christopher Russell

Brind is a kennel boy on the estate of down-at-heel knight, Sir Edmund Dowe - but Brind does not simply look after the highly-coveted pack of mastiff hounds. Found as a baby amongst the litter, he has grown up with them and is now more dog than human, with a particularly strong bond to alpha male - Glaive. In essence, he is their pack leader. When Sir Edmund takes the pack to fight in the Battle of Crecy, Brind's life is changed forever. Glaive, the only mastiff to survive the bloody battle, runs off; Sir Edmund is captured; and Tullo, the evil huntsman, is determined to bring shame on Brind and go back and claim the Dowe estate as his own. On his journey to reunite the household and most importantly, find Glaive, Brind befriends a feisty young French girl - Aurelie, who has her own agenda of revenge and keeps the adventure at fever pitch.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Animals, Dogs, Adventure, Historical, Young Adult, Friendship

197 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

He has written a number of his books together with his wife, Christine Russell.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a "clean books" sort of reader--a well-educated adult male who loves well-written fiction that does not depend of sexual content or graphic deaths/murders to lure male readers. Since those kind of books for adults are sadly in short supply, I also read "middle-grade" books from authors like Gary Schmidt, Alan Gratz, Karina Yan Glaser, etc.

Dogboy by Christoper Russell is such a book. To start with Dogboy is well-written; for a first-time auther that is a real plus. The story pulls you in and is engaging throughout. There are twists and turns in each chapter and a happy ending is never a given. Not every book must have a "happy ending" and you wonder if this one will--always hoping it will. Read it and find out....

[Ladon Stephney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book Dogboy is about a boy named Brind who likes dogs more than people. In the begining of this book Brind really didnt fit in at school with people that much and he also didnt have alot of friends back in his neiborhood. At the middle of the book his mom bought a kennel for dogs. Brind started spending alot of time with the dogs and soon enough he started sleeping with them and considered himself one of them. At the end of the book people tried to get him back into reality but nothing they said worked. His mother finaly got him to come and be human again but he still had a little dog left in him. I have a text to world connection for this book. This book remindes me of the real world. I say this because when you dont have alot of friends you have to find a substitute for friends unless you want to go crazy. That is the same thing that happened in this book. I rated this book 3 stars because i didnt really like it because i just thought it wasnt really a good book. I would recomend this book to anyone who likes to read books about people not having friends. Also people who like action

[Katharine Ott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The dogs were getting closer." Although author Christopher Russell does not litter his middle-grade novel "Dogboy" with dates and such, the occurence of the Battle of Crecy places the action in the mid-1300s. Not a time period that modern-day students have much in common with, but that matters not, as Russell deftly plunks us down in the exciting action in England and France. "It was a war, plain and simple. Adventure, honor, perhaps plunder."

Russell fills this story with brisk energy, as Brind, a boy raised with hunting dogs, travels to France where his master is encouraged to take a new set of armor to entice him to give up the talented Brind, "Take it, wear it, kill Frenchmen, be safe." The action is non-stop, with death a constant companion, to Brind's master Sir Edmund and to Aurelie, a French girl who latches on to the crew. The corrupt huntsman Tullo is engagingly evil, "He could beat Brind, but not break him..."

"Dogboy" was a well-executed, satisfying read that reminded me of Avi's Crispin series. The arresting cover art of Brind scampering through a field with lead dog Glaive should get many to open the book and the great storyline will keep them going.

[Laini]

A story about the Battle of Crecy, from the p.o.v. of an English "dog boy" (of a pack of hunting mastiffs brought to war) and a young French girl cast out of her city as a useless extra mouth to feed during time of siege. Though the brutality of medieval warfare is hinted at, and there is plenty of sadness in this book, it's still appropriate for m.g. readers. Full of action; depicts a fascinating time period.

[Beau · Rating 4 out of 5]

it is a fairly good book set in the hundred year war. It was enjoyable. my favorite character was the lord who has all the mastiffts who's name I forget.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019 - bk 44. The Battle of Crecy is not a subject for which I have ever expressed any interest. This book uses the battle as the setting as it introduces to teenagers who have little control over their lives before the battle. Brind has no parents and lives with his master's dogs, taking care of them as his service to his British master. Aurelie was a civilian thrown out of her home along with her mother and left to starve to death. Somehow in the midst of the battle, the two meet and come to depend on each other as Brind searches first for the lost dog, Glaive, and then his master. Oh - and his master's huntsman, the evil one, is all the while looking to kill Brind, Glaive, and his master. While it starts out slow, it is a tale of survival that any boy or girl interested in Medieval and earlier times should read. Not a tale of Knights and ladies, rather a novel of the lowest of the low.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
It wasn't the best, not the worst either. Hard to explain how I feel about this book.

[Laura Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyed but the book lost much of its gumption for me in the last quarter.

[Allison Skarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read! Great for people who love animals, action and adventure.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine fast-reading middle-grade novel set during the 100 years war that also has some casual violence.

[Katy Lovejoy · Rating 2 out of 5]

not great

[Lv2readB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Russell, C. (2006). Dogboy. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Summary:
A young kennel boy (Brind), raised by mastiffs (the leader and his favorite is Glaive) in 1346 at St. Edmund’s English manor, has a magic way with dogs. When his master, St. Edmund, is called to the war with France, Brind accompanies him with Glaive. After a disastrous battle, Brind with the help of Glaive and the independent spirit Aure’lie, have to find their way back home, fighting obstacles and barricades with perseverance and creativity.

Reviews/Awards:
School Library Journal 8/1/2006
Voice of Youth Advocate 8/1/2006
Booklist 4/15/2006

Curriculum Connection:
21st century standards: 1.3.4, 3.2.2, 1.4.2, 4.2.3: students will participate in an online book club, literature circle, or socratic seminar to discuss the book and/or compare/contrast it to other books

Grades: 5-7

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brind has grown up in Sir Edmund's kennels with the mastiffs. He understands dogs better than humans. There is a war between England and France. Sir Edmund decides to fight bringing with him forty male mastiffs, Brind, his huntsman Tullo, his nephew Philip and Hattan. At the war Glaive, the alpha mastiff, fights and runs away in pain. Brind goes after him. Without there leader, the rest of the pack is slaughtered.

Reasons why I like this book-

Reason 1- There is action and adventure that kept me turning the pages.

Reason 2- There was dogs.

Reason 3- I could imagine what was happening.

[Neill Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brind was found in a kennel of dogs when he was a boy. People said that he was more dog than boy – that he thought like a dog. But this wasn’t true – Brind just understood dogs. When Brind’s master leaves England in support of his liege lord to fight the knights in France, Brind is taken along to look after his master’s pack of mastiffs. As the war goes badly for the English Brind and the pack leader are cast out on their own and must make their way home through treachery from friend and foe alike.

[Steven Mangar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would recommend DOGBOY to my friends and family. I thought dog boy was very descriptive and used very descriptive words. The fact that this story has dogs makes me like. The other reason I like it is because the book starts off boring then gets more action. I honestly thought Brind and the dogs would get killed as soon as they attacked but they didn't they got to attack some people. The story in all moves very very slowly but I guarantee if you wait long enough it is worth it. All in all I think that DOGBOY is a good book.

[Mrs. Hassig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me a good book for boys any day and I'm thrilled! "Dogboy" kept my heart pounding and laughing all at the same time! Christopher Russell lives on the Isle of Wight and is an Englishman for sure so his characters talk and act like Brits - even Brits 600 years ago! The young French girl, Aurilie, is someone to root for from the time she escapes Calais until she jumps on the boat to go to England "I'm invading England now!" I don't normally holler for sequels but I'd love to follow these characters and their mastiffs for another round!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, exciting read. Definitely a good book for 5th and 6th graders. I enjoyed it so much I wish Christopher Russell would write a more adult version. I love the premise of a boy raised by dogs making it through a medievel war between England and France with his own instinctual sense of purpose and goodness. The orphaned french girl who saves lives and the middle aged knight who doesn't really want to fight end up appreciating the dogboy's good sense.

[Savanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brind and the Dogs of War is about a boy who was raised with a kennel of dogs ever since he was born. Brind is very dog-like and can even understand dogs but he is not one; that is something that his master seems not to completely realize. This book is about Brind as a war begins and his entire world is flipped upside down.

I like this book because it is fast and interesting. It is definitely a boy book and is meant for middle schoolers.

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is really unique; from my HUGE shelf of books that i've read, this really stands on its own.
though i loved it's uniqueness, nothing really happened that stood out. there were big events but they weren't really emphasized; it sort of plodded along and then ended.
good story line but not so great execution, lolz

[Louise Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an easy read but at times got slightly confused with who was who especially with adult characters it was an interest to see how the dog boy can help and the story kind of plodded along , but the one thing i will do is look up the battle of crecy thnk got that right thats what like about historical books u want to find out more !!!

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the English and the French battled, lots of them died. Many of the people got sick. I learned a lot about that war. I felt sort of sad for Aurelie and her life. It made me thankful that we don't have to live at the same time as this book!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting book about a boy who must train his masters dogs and take them into battle. Good feel for the time period from the viewpoint of a servant.

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very good book. even though i read it in fifth grade, its just unbelievable how much time and effort went into this book

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

I've never read anything like it. I love the way the author handled the friendships, not just between the people but between the animals too.

[Abass · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not that good of a book in my opinion.

[Soph - Lock&Key · Rating 3 out of 5]

too short, but I still enjoyed it. I have never really read anything like it. It was a completly different style of book to my usual, it was a nice change.

[Jacinta Monteith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book, I liked the style of writing and the plot. It had very lovable characters too. I definetly reccommend it.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good historical novel for the middle grades. Must be a good reader to enjoy it.

[Cameron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not good.

[Jill]

Did not finish. Just didn't like the lack of love in the families for each other.