A Dog for Life

by L.S. Matthews

This is the true story of the journey of John Hawkins and his dog, Mouse, from way up north to way down south.
Mouse has been John and his brother Tom's dog for life. They got her as a puppy when they were just little themselves, and they very quickly discovered that they could understand everything Mouse said and she could do the same. She was just a person like everyone else--though maybe a bit cleverer than most.
You've maybe heard that John "ran away with his pet dog." But the truth about this story is that John and Mouse made the journey to save Tom. It's hard to pinpoint when Tom became truly ill, but when the doctors said they had to send Mouse away for fear of infection, the boys knew they had to do something. Without Mouse, Tom would never recover. The journey began to find a temporary home for Mouse, but once they'd set off, nothing turned out the way they'd planned.

Genres: Dogs, Childrens, British Literature, Contemporary, Fiction

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

L. S. Matthews (born August 29, 1964) is the pen name of Laura Dron, a British children's author of several critically acclaimed novels.

She was born near Dudley in the West Midlands in England, youngest of five children of parents from the South West who had moved to the industrial area for work. She attended state school there, leaving at 18 to study English Literature at Goldsmiths College, University of London, where she gained a first class honours degree.

Matthews lived and worked in London for six years and has also lived in Hull in Northern England, the West Midlands, Alsace in Northern France, and Hertfordshire.

Matthews currently resides in Dorset with her husband and two children.

Her first novel, Fish (2003), won the Fidler Award and was also Highly Commended for the Branford Boase Award and nominated for a Carnegie Medal. Her other novels are The Outcasts (2004), A Dog For Life (2006), Lexi (2007) and After the Flood (2008). Matthews also wrote two short SEN titles, Deadly Night and The Game, which were both published in 2006.

Reviews

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute but pretty forgettable once it was finished, at least to me.

[nona ★ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eine sehr süße Geschichte mit vielen schönen Abenteuern und immer neuen Wendungen.

[Zuzqa Proch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching story about communication among people, animals, world. The plot is maybe too simple and strightforward but it works. I like it- in this book you can find home, safety and the real good.

[Kaitlyn Brandt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dog for Life written by L.S. Matthews. It is a really good book, and if you are interested in animal books, this book is a good one for you! The narrator, John, has to take his dog Mouse to his Uncle David's house because John's brother Tom, is sick. John and Tom's grandmother and mother think Mouse is making Tom's sickness worse, so they were going to bring Mouse to the pound. John was not going to let his mother and grandmother take Mouse away. So, John and Tom thought of a plan, and later concluded John would be bringing Mouse to their Uncle David's house to stay. John and Mouse went on their way to Uncle David's house. David lived far away, so it was going to take them awhile. On their way there, John makes many new friends and later ends up in someones house. They think he is a bad kid, but John proves he is innocent. The family that took him helps him find his Uncle's house, and when John arrives, he talks to his Uncle, and learns so many new things. After awhile of talking, David agrees to take Mouse for as long as they need. In the end, Tom gets healthier as time passes, Mouse is safe, and everyone is living on.

[Sergio · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ever wish your dog could talk? Well in " A Dog For Life" Mouse can talk. This book is a fictional story because animals can't talk. I personally didn't like this book because I thought it was boring.

This book takes place In a country like area. In this book John travels miles to deliver his dog to his uncle. John's brother Tom has gotten sick and doctors say he can't have his dog around. They believe their dog Mouse would get Tom even more sick. Tom and John's mom has decided to take Mouse to the pound. Tom told John to take Mouse to their uncles house without their mom knowing. John takes a journey with his dog mouse. On this journey they meet different people with different lifestyles. John is the youngest brother of 2. He is very respectful and is very nice. Mouse is an impatient dog.

I didn't enjoy this book because it didn't have a big conflict that the characters faced. It didn't leave you in suspense.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this book. You don't get the same feeling when you read any other books. Out of 1-10 I would rate this book a 5. I rated it a 5 because it could've been more entertaining.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted a german language book that would be on the easy side, so i choose a children's book. And, it's about a dog named Mouse....and she talks! Perfect.

I've finished the book and think it's a great children's book. It has all the elements, a boy, his brother, his dog (who talks), and the challenge of taking the dog to an Uncle's house in southern Germany (from northern Germany) to save the dog from being given away while the brother is recovering from a serious illness. The boy and Mouse encounter all kinds of obstacles from gypsies to mad scientists, to just wackey people.

[Kathie Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Hawkins narrates the tale of the fabulous adventure he traveled with his dog Mouse from the northern tip of England to the south, because the news reporters didn't get the story right. This book reminded me of Homer's Odyssey meets Homeward Bound, set in the English countryside. Loved the characters and the imagery, as well as the messages about how we treat one another and the (often incorrect) assumptions we make about each other that prevent us from being closer. Lots of humor, heart and great animal stories. Recommended grade 4+.

[Marc · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay. What the heck did I just read? Telepathically conversant dogs, flaky New Age gurus, wonky scientists performing experiments on stolen ponies, and Gypsies? I think I missed the point of the book.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what I expected having read works that create the dog as the main or subsequent character...It seemed a bit hallow through most of the story until ending which wrapped up nicely. There are other stories kids can pick up with stronger characters and story line.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

very touching of what a boy would do to save his dog from the pound

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda sad, but a good story.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boy takes his dog on journey to find his uncle before his family can send him to the pound. Lots of adventures on journey, including meeting, befriending, and defending gypsies.

[KaDee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only the best book EVER written.

[Nathan Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Held my interest. Insightful thoughts at the end (though I did not see how they connected to the story).

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audio and it is delightful. The reader has nailed the Welsh accent and his voice is pleasant. It is a sweet story, perfect for the family car vacation. It has a satisfying ending.

[7ben_colwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book but theres better dog book. I do like how the dog comunicates with the kids.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read this book, from West Van digital books. Excellent. Quick read , nice tear jerker. Recommended highly.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books I've ever read. It made me smile, laugh, and cry a little in the end. One of the best by far!

[Cristofher Leyva · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dog for life was a very emotional book and very adventures