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Good Dog
Brodie didn't remember the exact moment that he died. But he did remember the exact moment that he woke up afterward. When he woke up he was already running.
In his awe-inspiring new novel, acclaimed author Dan Gemeinhart brings his signature blend of action, heart, and beautiful, deliberate prose to the story of a good dog who can't move on to the afterlife until the boy he loves is safe.
In his awe-inspiring new novel, acclaimed author Dan Gemeinhart brings his signature blend of action, heart, and beautiful, deliberate prose to the story of a good dog who can't move on to the afterlife until the boy he loves is safe.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 27, 2018
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1882 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
July 22, 2018
CW: domestic violence, dog fighting
Dan Gemeinhart knows dogs. I loved this story for how true to life a dog's thoughts could be. I hated the dog fighting. The violence of that and Aidan's father are horrific. I found both very difficult to read. A middle schooler experiencing family violence might be helped by this story, but I'm not sure most middle schoolers would enjoy those aspects -particularly the graphic dog fights.
I loved that the gentlest dog was a pitbull and the most ferocious a golden retriever. Very true to life - just like people, a dog becomes how they are treated.
And Patsy the mangey cat - she's the best!
The narration by Lincoln Hoppe is superb.
"Tuck's tail was all wag."
Dan Gemeinhart knows dogs. I loved this story for how true to life a dog's thoughts could be. I hated the dog fighting. The violence of that and Aidan's father are horrific. I found both very difficult to read. A middle schooler experiencing family violence might be helped by this story, but I'm not sure most middle schoolers would enjoy those aspects -particularly the graphic dog fights.
I loved that the gentlest dog was a pitbull and the most ferocious a golden retriever. Very true to life - just like people, a dog becomes how they are treated.
And Patsy the mangey cat - she's the best!
"But shine, it's not the same as heart. They had more shimmer, but Brodie, even then at the end, still had more of everything that mattered."
The narration by Lincoln Hoppe is superb.
September 15, 2017
Heart wrenching. But what a beautiful take on man's best friend and the role your dog truly plays in your life. Told from Brodie's perspective, you follow Brodie along as he comes back from the after life to still be there for his boy, all while he has dark demon dogs after his soul, and a friend who would do anything to help Brodie check on his boy. Brodie goes through betrayal, reality, and strength to find his way to ensure that dying wasn't for nothing. Dan writes in a way that imprints your heart forever. Good Dog will be a story that I reflect on for days and years to come.
December 26, 2020
This was one of those disappointments when the premise sound amazing, but maybe I was just not the target audience for this book.
But maybe the main problem that I had with the story was not the cliche plot, but the bad writing style with the repetitive words and the "believe me" over and over again.
But maybe the main problem that I had with the story was not the cliche plot, but the bad writing style with the repetitive words and the "believe me" over and over again.
June 1, 2020
I’m working my way through Dan Gemeinhart’s books and when I saw the cover of this book, my initial thought was that this would be an emotional, sweet story yet the synopsis told me something different. Even after reading the synopsis, I wasn’t prepared for what I read.
This was an emotional story about the love between a dog named Brodie and his boy. I liked how Dan wrote the story from the dog’s point of view. Like many people, I always talk to animals like they understand every word I say, and in Good Dog, the animals converse like humans.
When Brodie awakens, words engulfed his mind. He knew precisely what each word meant, yet he sensed that something was missing. Brodie didn’t know where he was, but he felt that this place where he was, was perfect. This was a dog’s paradise. Sasha, another dog, explains to Brodie that he’s dead, that he used to have a life and knew people, and soon his memories would come and he would remember what his life was like before arriving there.
Brodie mind is soon flooded with words, memories and emotions as his previous life starts to come back to him. Suddenly, that emptiness that Brodie had been feeling is filled. A memory washes over Brodie and motivates him to leave his dog paradise and return to his boy.
Brodie is determined to return to his boy. To do so, he pays a price. Returning to the human world, I had a hard time believing that this is a children’s book. I liked the idea behind what happens but the details to make that happen, I thought were intense and alarming on a children’s level. Perhaps on a middle school or YA level, they would be okay but not on a children’s level.
I liked Brodie’s commitment to his boy and the friendships that he made. He had quite the journey. There were moments that I found myself laughing, on-edge, and then, I had tears at 4 am this morning, it was an emotional story. I enjoyed the author’s creativity and how the story ended. There were a couple parts in the story, I was reluctant to read every word. I skipped a few paragraphs.
I don’t think this is really a children’s book. The violent description of the dog fighting is why I’m not giving it 5 stars. The violence is rather descriptive for my taste in children’s book. I liked the idea of the story; it was very creative. Riding between 4- 4.5 stars on this one.
“All this stuff (room full of books, old toys, video game system). And the only thing the boy asked for was this picture of him and his dog.”
This was an emotional story about the love between a dog named Brodie and his boy. I liked how Dan wrote the story from the dog’s point of view. Like many people, I always talk to animals like they understand every word I say, and in Good Dog, the animals converse like humans.
When Brodie awakens, words engulfed his mind. He knew precisely what each word meant, yet he sensed that something was missing. Brodie didn’t know where he was, but he felt that this place where he was, was perfect. This was a dog’s paradise. Sasha, another dog, explains to Brodie that he’s dead, that he used to have a life and knew people, and soon his memories would come and he would remember what his life was like before arriving there.
Brodie mind is soon flooded with words, memories and emotions as his previous life starts to come back to him. Suddenly, that emptiness that Brodie had been feeling is filled. A memory washes over Brodie and motivates him to leave his dog paradise and return to his boy.
Brodie is determined to return to his boy. To do so, he pays a price. Returning to the human world, I had a hard time believing that this is a children’s book. I liked the idea behind what happens but the details to make that happen, I thought were intense and alarming on a children’s level. Perhaps on a middle school or YA level, they would be okay but not on a children’s level.
I liked Brodie’s commitment to his boy and the friendships that he made. He had quite the journey. There were moments that I found myself laughing, on-edge, and then, I had tears at 4 am this morning, it was an emotional story. I enjoyed the author’s creativity and how the story ended. There were a couple parts in the story, I was reluctant to read every word. I skipped a few paragraphs.
I don’t think this is really a children’s book. The violent description of the dog fighting is why I’m not giving it 5 stars. The violence is rather descriptive for my taste in children’s book. I liked the idea of the story; it was very creative. Riding between 4- 4.5 stars on this one.
“All this stuff (room full of books, old toys, video game system). And the only thing the boy asked for was this picture of him and his dog.”
January 22, 2018
I was torn between a 4.5 rating and a 5, but went with the 5 because Dan’s writing is exquisite. Told through an omniscient perspective (the narrator is actually revealed at the end), we meet Brodie, a dog who has just entered the “in between”. As Brodie begins to remember his life, he decides he must go back to keep his boy, Aidan, safe from the monster (his dad). Going back as a ghost has consequences, which may mean Brodie will never get to Forever. Determined to be a good dog and knowing his boy needs him, Brodie goes back to the world of the living, joined by Tuck, a loyal friend who needs to find peace before he can get to Forever. From there, the adventure begins; from looking for Aidan, meeting Patsy (a street smart ghost cat), seeing the monster again, running from the Hellhounds who are determined to steal Brodie and Tuck’s souls, and trying not to “go dark” before it’s too late, this is a book that I couldn’t put down.
For me, there were many intense moments. There were scenes that were disturbing to read, but Dan’s storytelling and writing kept me hanging on. This book deals with the topics of animal abuse, child abuse, and alcoholism.
For me, there were many intense moments. There were scenes that were disturbing to read, but Dan’s storytelling and writing kept me hanging on. This book deals with the topics of animal abuse, child abuse, and alcoholism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2017
Loved it. Dan writes the best stories for middle grade readers. Look for this in March of 2018!!! Nothing better than a boy and his dog. Or in this case a dog and his boy! Amazing story!
February 4, 2018
I am a huge Dan Gemeinhart fan so I was ecstatic to have he chance to preview Good Dog with #bookodyssey. Ultimately, this one missed the mark for me. The overall feel of the book is very dark, with many disturbing scenes and references to animal abuse and child abuse. I read the book quickly, but kept waiting for that special something. The world building and concept of dog afterlife was well
done and interesting, it just wasn’t for me as powerful as some of his other work. I will be interested to hear what students have to say about
This one!!
done and interesting, it just wasn’t for me as powerful as some of his other work. I will be interested to hear what students have to say about
This one!!
May 30, 2024
Read this book with my 5th grader. Honestly didn't like this book at first and probably would have dropped it off it wasn't assigned for school. But the book grew on me and it made me cry at the end.
January 5, 2020
I'm going to be in the minority here since just about every review here has 4 or 5 stars. I really wanted to love this book, or at least like it a lot. I loved both The Honest Truth and Some Kind of Courage from this author. And I love dogs. I'm a total dog person. So a story about a dog who can't move on to the afterlife until the boy he loves is safe sounds like something I would love. But gosh this story is so dark, really, really dark. And violent. Instead of reading a lovely story about a faithful dog that would warm my heart and probably make me cry, I read one that was just plain scary and depressing. I honestly can't think of a single young person who I would recommend it to. It's way too sad and a pretty big downer.
May 28, 2018
I found it a little annoying that at the end of/near the end of every important scene, there was a sort of awkward summary-like thing where the narrator started each or almost every paragraph by asking a bunch of small questions along the lines of, "And ___? (S)He ___" "But ____ (S)He ____". The first few times, it was okay, but when it started to become predictable, it got on my nerves. The ending was good though.
January 19, 2024
I love ghost stories and dogs so this one has all the things I liked, but the writing style drove me crazy! Whatever happened was said 12 different ways and repeated 5 different times so one event that should have taken 2 pages max, was drawn out to 10 pages! I hate that. I ended up just skimming it toward the end. Aside from that, the story was cute. It was definitely a middle grade book which means the author had very little character nuance and development, but tried to throw in a lot of action into a very standard quest type book. It was an ok book. Kids who like dog stories will love it.
February 16, 2018
Another winner by Dan Gemeinhart! The students at my school love his books and this will join their list of favorites. This book reads a bit older than his other books. I will save for 5th grade and older.
March 27, 2018
Dan Gemeinhart is an outstanding writer. I loved this cleverly crafted book which reminded me of the movie BOLT and the book THE HORSE AND HIS BOY by C.S. Lewis. I also thought the name "Tuck" for a dog who's been kind of hanging around in the "between" for quite a while was pretty cool too. I think this book will be a hit for kids who love books with heart and action.
June 19, 2021
3.5-4*
December 23, 2023
4.5 ⭐️ i read this book a really long time ago. I remember how amazing it was. it was such a good book and it had such an amazing plot/storyline. it made you feel so much and it’s such a sad, but such a good book. I would definitely recommend.
January 22, 2019
"You don't have to have been a hero before to be one when you really need to. We can all be a hero anytime decide to be. Believe me.
Because a hero? A hero isn't a person. A hero is a choice."
This is my second Dan Gemeinhart book and this may have cemented him as an all time favorite author. I have the rest of his books on order.
Trigger warning: Child abuse, animal abuse, animal death and animal fighting
For children this is going to be along the lines for kids who read books like Where the Red Fern Grows and Old Yeller (Yes, I know, I'm dating myself). I don't object to this being a kids book. I think this should be in the upper middle grade ages but more importantly, I think this should be read by a child who has an adult who is willing to talk to them, hear out their feeling and help them work them out.
This book has a lot of important themes and life lessons. Not everyone is good and bad. Some people are morally grey and sometimes it takes someone being good to them to help with that. Sometimes there is bad in the world and we need to stand up to it. Sometimes all you can do is stand your ground. Loyalty. Friendship. Family. Sometimes family is who we choose not who we are blood related.
I loved this book. I would reccomend it to adults and children. For fans of Bruce Cameron. Just have a box of tissues ready. And, yes, I plan to reread this in the future.
Because a hero? A hero isn't a person. A hero is a choice."
This is my second Dan Gemeinhart book and this may have cemented him as an all time favorite author. I have the rest of his books on order.
Trigger warning: Child abuse, animal abuse, animal death and animal fighting
For children this is going to be along the lines for kids who read books like Where the Red Fern Grows and Old Yeller (Yes, I know, I'm dating myself). I don't object to this being a kids book. I think this should be in the upper middle grade ages but more importantly, I think this should be read by a child who has an adult who is willing to talk to them, hear out their feeling and help them work them out.
This book has a lot of important themes and life lessons. Not everyone is good and bad. Some people are morally grey and sometimes it takes someone being good to them to help with that. Sometimes there is bad in the world and we need to stand up to it. Sometimes all you can do is stand your ground. Loyalty. Friendship. Family. Sometimes family is who we choose not who we are blood related.
I loved this book. I would reccomend it to adults and children. For fans of Bruce Cameron. Just have a box of tissues ready. And, yes, I plan to reread this in the future.
June 1, 2018
This book killed me. I cried the whole time… And considering that I was listening to it that meant that I was crying while grocery shopping, cleaning, at the bank and trying to explain why everywhere that I went. I grew up with dogs and know the joy and love of having a special dog. Now as a father with a boy, and no dogs ... yet... I long to bring that same joy to him and the rest of our family.
Beware, this book may cause you to visit Humane Society’s looking for the “Brodie” you’ve been missing.
Beware, this book may cause you to visit Humane Society’s looking for the “Brodie” you’ve been missing.
July 25, 2020
Don’t read this book. Basically, the story is fine. Great. Sure. But the author has a pet phase. “But Brody? Brody was....” “Because Tuck? Tuck was...”
IT DROVE ME INSANE DO NOT READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP YOUR SANITY I REPEAT DO NOT READ
IT DROVE ME INSANE DO NOT READ IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO KEEP YOUR SANITY I REPEAT DO NOT READ
March 27, 2018
Great writing!
And any book that makes me want to go hug my dogs is a great book as far as I'm concerned.
And any book that makes me want to go hug my dogs is a great book as far as I'm concerned.
May 20, 2019
Also Posted on For The Love of Fictional Worlds
Disclaimer: A physical copy was provided via Scholastic Indiain exchange for an honest review. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
Trigger Warnings: Domestic Violence, Child Violence, Animal Abuse and Dog Fighting
Having a dog or cat own me is one of wildest and cherished dream of mine (and don’t tell anyone; I am getting close this fulfilling this dream of mine!) – and I just knew I was going to fall in love with Good Dog, the moment I read the blurb of the book and I wasn’t wrong, in fact THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HEART RENDERING NOVEL I HAVE READ IN A WHILE.
Well, considering the fact that I like animals more than I could ever hope to tolerate humans, this love for this book was sorta expected :D
Brodie is a good dog – a dog who died; but who instead of moving on to Forever; and even though he doesn’t remember anything about his life down on Earth, he knows one thing for certain – his human, Aidan, is in danger and he has to go back to protect him.
But here’s the catch; he won’t be going in physical form; but as a facsimile of his self, a spirit if you may. But does that deter our good dog; no it doesn’t! In fact, it makes him all the more determined to get down here; and protect his boy.
“Aiden. His Boy. The boy of wide – mouthed laughter, the boy of secret bedtime tears, the boy of fierce hugs and thrown balls and behind – the – ear scratches. The boy with the broken nose and the black eye who only wanted one thing: a picture of him and his dog.”
Slowly, but surely, Brodie started getting flashbacks of his life with Aidan; sometimes sweet; other times heart breaking but always full of love, faith and laughter – the connection that Brodie feels with Aidan is one of the MOST WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL part of this book.
I swear; if I wasn’t already inclined towards pets – I would be sold on the idea of a pet loving me with everything in him – the loyalty and trust that he showed for his boy; won me over, in the first chapter itself.
I promise you; this is a book that YOU WILL LOVE – whether you are a pet lover or not; because it has far reaching message than the bond between and animal and their human. It shows that our lives are not just the consequences of our decisions but also of our choices; easy or hard.
The writing style of the author is dazzling – he catches your attention right from the start and doesn’t let you go till the end. It is raw, emotional and written simplistically enough to create the maximum impact.
READ THIS BOOK – trust it is one of those books; that deserve to be part of every reader’s bookshelf.
For more reviews visit For The Love of Fictional Worlds :)
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February 24, 2020
Good Dog by Dan Gemienhart is a middle grade novel that follows the point of view of a dog named Brodie. He finds himself in this in-between world where dogs go after they die, and we follow him as a ghost as he goes back to the living world in order to save his past owner.
I’ve loved Dan Gemienhart’s middle grade novels so far, but this one was a dud for me. The plot overall is something I’m not a fan of. It reminds me of one of those formulaic sappy dog movies which I’m not a huge fan of. The writing and dialogue came off as extremely cheesy, and while Dan Gemienharts books d have a tendency to have this type of writing, I felt this even more in this book. I don’t know if it’s just a me thing, or if the writing was genuinely more cheesy in this book.
I did enjoy some of the concepts however. For example, since we follow the characters as ghosts, the author creates somewhat of a system on how souls work in this world. They’re able to walk through walls based on if they believe they can and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, as well as the concept that their souls start to diminish the longer they’re in the living world.
I also thought the relationships between all the characters were really well done.
Overall, this a nice middle grade novel, but it wasn’t for me.
Also can we talk about how the author references his other book The Honest Truth in this book? I was high key surprised by what it implied in this book.
I’ve loved Dan Gemienhart’s middle grade novels so far, but this one was a dud for me. The plot overall is something I’m not a fan of. It reminds me of one of those formulaic sappy dog movies which I’m not a huge fan of. The writing and dialogue came off as extremely cheesy, and while Dan Gemienharts books d have a tendency to have this type of writing, I felt this even more in this book. I don’t know if it’s just a me thing, or if the writing was genuinely more cheesy in this book.
I did enjoy some of the concepts however. For example, since we follow the characters as ghosts, the author creates somewhat of a system on how souls work in this world. They’re able to walk through walls based on if they believe they can and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, as well as the concept that their souls start to diminish the longer they’re in the living world.
I also thought the relationships between all the characters were really well done.
Overall, this a nice middle grade novel, but it wasn’t for me.
Also can we talk about how the author references his other book The Honest Truth in this book? I was high key surprised by what it implied in this book.
December 30, 2024
Another excellent middle grade read from the pen of Dan Gemeinhart.
Gemeinhart clearly loves dogs, and understands the deep bond between a dog and their child. The unshakable loyalty and willingness to put themselves in danger in defence of their young charge. The heart-bursting joy, the continual worry. Brodie loves his boy Aiden and we follow this sweet, difficult-at-times story of what happens when Brodie’s spirit goes back to make sure his boy is okay. As the story unfolds, we discover that Aiden’s father is an abusive drunkard and that in an especially vicious encounter, he beats and stomps Brodie to death. We discover that not all households are happy, healthy and safe ones for children or their dogs. Brodie and his two (dead) friends, a pit bull called Tuck and a cat called Patsy, have to dodge the hell hounds who want to eat Brodie and Tucks nice fresh souls, piece by piece. The hell hounds are terrifying and relentless and some scenes may be disturbing for very young children. Brodie never wavers in his mission to find his boy. Gemeinhart is a master story-teller and how he brings the story to a climax is very satisfying.
My one annoyance is that every chapter ends on a cliff hanger, so be prepared to read more than you might have been expecting in any one go!
Gemeinhart clearly loves dogs, and understands the deep bond between a dog and their child. The unshakable loyalty and willingness to put themselves in danger in defence of their young charge. The heart-bursting joy, the continual worry. Brodie loves his boy Aiden and we follow this sweet, difficult-at-times story of what happens when Brodie’s spirit goes back to make sure his boy is okay. As the story unfolds, we discover that Aiden’s father is an abusive drunkard and that in an especially vicious encounter, he beats and stomps Brodie to death. We discover that not all households are happy, healthy and safe ones for children or their dogs. Brodie and his two (dead) friends, a pit bull called Tuck and a cat called Patsy, have to dodge the hell hounds who want to eat Brodie and Tucks nice fresh souls, piece by piece. The hell hounds are terrifying and relentless and some scenes may be disturbing for very young children. Brodie never wavers in his mission to find his boy. Gemeinhart is a master story-teller and how he brings the story to a climax is very satisfying.
My one annoyance is that every chapter ends on a cliff hanger, so be prepared to read more than you might have been expecting in any one go!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2022
Despite being so sentimental and written in a really precious way (that I think was supposed to mirror the patronising view humans have of dogs) I have to admit this kept drawing me in. Overall it's predictable how it's going to play out but that didn't stop me reading for it. At the same time I was very irritated by the constant question-answer style. Instead of saying "Tuck was a good dog" (which is superfluous in any case because this is a premise of the whole book that Tuck and Brodie are Good Dogs) it says "But Tuck? He was a good dog. Yes he was. Believe me." or something like that SEVERAL TIMES A CHAPTER.
I could tolerate it early on but there was just so much of it! The cat was a stereotypical tart-with-a-heart, and the DV perpetrator was conveniently "the monster". While I sympathise with the wish to other perpetrators, I do think that sort of portrayal stops society confronting the ways we construct those "monsters" but I guess I know this was a kids book. Still, that's what I mean by precious and sentimental. The spirituality in the book was a mix of complex but ultimately naive. There is an afterlife. I would have loved that aspect of it when I was younger and didn't mind it too much even now (as escapism).
All in all I think a lot of people would love this book. As I said I was drawn into some parts of it.
I could tolerate it early on but there was just so much of it! The cat was a stereotypical tart-with-a-heart, and the DV perpetrator was conveniently "the monster". While I sympathise with the wish to other perpetrators, I do think that sort of portrayal stops society confronting the ways we construct those "monsters" but I guess I know this was a kids book. Still, that's what I mean by precious and sentimental. The spirituality in the book was a mix of complex but ultimately naive. There is an afterlife. I would have loved that aspect of it when I was younger and didn't mind it too much even now (as escapism).
All in all I think a lot of people would love this book. As I said I was drawn into some parts of it.
January 11, 2018
I didn't think Dan Gemeinhart could possibly maintain his streak of "greatest hits" but GOOD DOG should have been called GREAT DOG! There are so many twists and turns and tears in this book that I hated having to put it down to go to work or sleep! Brodie was a dog. He died. But when he woke up he knew he had to go back somehow and save his boy, Aiden from "the monster" who happened to be his father. Trouble is, it isn't easy going back, he'd risk his soul if he failed. The living world is beautiful, but it is also ugly sometimes and Brodie gets a chance to see just how cruel it can be-especially when those you love are in trouble. Make sure you have some uninterrupted time and some tissues when you read this one. Comes out March 27th. (I'd pre-order!)
January 15, 2018
Woot! Love this author, love reading his next one before it hits the shelves! I gobbled this in one night. One late school night well past midnight, a teary and bleary eyed Language Arts teacher voraciously turned page after page of what will surely be a classic take on a boy and his dog tale. Deep. Impactful. Heartbreaking. Levity thrown in at just the right times before a weepy reader loses all hope, be ready for the ending. Oh, that ending’s gonna bite you. Hard. But don’t worry. You’re surrounded by friends, loved ones and the sage words of those who came before you. How does #dangemeinhart churn out such uniquely individual books time after time? Big fan here. Huge. 👋🏻 Look for Good Dog on March 27.
March 5, 2018
There is something about Dan’s writing that is so amazing. Is this story a bit dark at times? Yes, as is The Honest Truth, but I think this is an important story. Told from the perspective of a character whose identity is not revealed until the end of the book, it is the story of a dog living in a middle place between earth and afterlife who feels a need to get back to his boy because he knows/feels his boy needs him. Of course it is impossible to go back to the living when you have died and he faces many roadblocks as he tries to get back to his boy and be the good dog he knows he is. This is a story that will generate great discussion and thinking.
September 7, 2018
I knew full well what I was getting myself into. A book about a dead dog coming back to help his boy? Come on. You’re just asking for emotional anguish. And yes, yes I was. And damn, I am thankful for picking up this book.
For a book meant for middle grade readers, this book dealt with some very adult themes. I won’t go into spoiler territory but I have to give the author my thanks for touching on some very brave subject matter that is important for young people to know about. Books like this one can, and hopefully will, have an incredible impact in the lives of some of the young people who read it. And that just makes me so happy that it, and books like it, exists.
Good Dog is an inventive take on a boy-and-his-dog story. It has fistfuls of heart and (the brightest) soul.
For a book meant for middle grade readers, this book dealt with some very adult themes. I won’t go into spoiler territory but I have to give the author my thanks for touching on some very brave subject matter that is important for young people to know about. Books like this one can, and hopefully will, have an incredible impact in the lives of some of the young people who read it. And that just makes me so happy that it, and books like it, exists.
Good Dog is an inventive take on a boy-and-his-dog story. It has fistfuls of heart and (the brightest) soul.
February 15, 2023
So, so sad. It may start with a dead dog, so the sad part should be over. However this is such a philosophical book. Good vs Evil. The afterlife. The soul. The spirit. Pretty intense for a middle grade book. 3rd person/ 1st omniscient with a dog narrative was a bit weird to get into. Furthermore, it is quite a slow moving plot. The Monster and Darkly are very, very dark and evil. I enjoyed the personality and development of Tuck and Patsy and of course, Brodie. Life is hard. Apparently, the afterlife is hard with unfinished business. Once I began reading, I needed to finish. It was a dose of life with a good message.
April 23, 2018
Gemeinhart is one of my favorite new(ish) authors, and I was so excited to read this book! Parts of this book I LOVED! And I ugly cried several times. This book is packed with dark themes - animal/child abuse, alcoholism, grief... I was a little taken aback by how depressing the story actually was.
Tuck's character was my favorite, but overall Brodie, Tuck, and Patsy felt too much like the characters in the The Incredible Journey. There were some distracting style choices that just didn't work for me either. This book? It could have been great. But instead, it was a little disappointing.
Tuck's character was my favorite, but overall Brodie, Tuck, and Patsy felt too much like the characters in the The Incredible Journey. There were some distracting style choices that just didn't work for me either. This book? It could have been great. But instead, it was a little disappointing.
January 12, 2019
Dan Gemeinhart creates another great novel. In the fourth grade, I read The Honest Truth, which is one of the best books I have ever read. A year later I read Scar Island, another great Dan Gemienhart novel. So when I first bought this, I had high expectations. And this book was better then I ever imagined. The characters are likable and the story is deep and engaging. If you are a fan of dog books, Dan Gemeinhart or dramatic adventures, this is a book for you. This is a must read. I'd give it more stars if I could.
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