A Dog's Porpoise

A Dog's Porpoise #1

by M.C. Ross

When a bad storm throws Bangor, a harbor porpoise, off course, he finds himself all alone in the harbor of Ogunquit, Maine. And he's not the only one who's lost in these wayward waters: Lars, a rowdy pup, is knocked overboard a nearby boat. With the help of a girl named Natalie, Bangor rescues Lars, and they become fast friends.

But not everyone in the small town approves of this unlikely friendship. Some find Lars a nuisance to the community, and it isn't safe for Bangor to remain in the harbor. It's up to Natalie to convince the town to locate Bangor's pod and return him safely home -- even if it means saying goodbye to her new friend.

Genres: Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Dogs, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Friendship

240 pages, Paperback

Published April 30, 2019

Reviews

[Nadia]

This worked out very well for bedtime read-a-loud. It's tough finding books that are interesting to my quad (ages ranging from 9 to 4 years old). Stories centered around a dog work well given how much my kids adore our pooch. Enjoyed the briny setting, the surprising friendships, and exploring what it means to leave the ones we love.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the book a lot so it was a good book.

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Dog’s Porpoise is about a harbor porpoise named Bangor who gets separated from his pod during a horrific storm. He’s all alone, until he meets Lars, a stray dog, currently in care of Natalie Prater and her father. Lars had just fallen off of the Prater’s fishing boat. Bangor swims beneath Lars and gives him a ride safely back to shore. Bangor and Lars become the most unlikely of friends. Bangor decides to stay in Ogunquit, but some people don’t approve of the porpoise. The town’s main industry is fishing, and Bangor could get caught in fishing nets or scare away fish. They soon find out is it not safe for Bangor to stay. Will Natalie save Bangor before it is too late?

My favorite part of the book is when a toddler named Sammy Reardon runs into the middle of a wedding rehearsal yelling “He’s back! He’s back!” The whole town rushes to the shore to see Bangor and his pod playing near the docks. My favorite character was Natalie because she was determined, kind, and loved animals.

I give this book five stars because it was a well-written story of two animals becoming friends
and was told through different points of view throughout the book. I recommend this book for ages 6+ or anyone who loves animals.
Reviewed by Bianca M., Age 9, Denver Mensa

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute and endearing story about family and new friends.

[Kami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this with my 8 year old and I was not a fan. Took us nearly two months to get through it. She liked it though and so we're moving on to number 2 in the series. Ugh!

[Annika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was really exiting😊

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. We read this as a school district- one district, one book. Lua liked it. I thought it was fine- just not my typical genre choice.

[The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about a porpoise who gets lost in a storm, saves a dog and befriends a girl.
It's told from the perspective of all three.
Natalie lives with her dad after her mum walked out and is now in a relationship with someone else in the town. She adopts a stray dog and the lost porpoise hangs out in the town's cove for a while before the town bands together to save the porpoise, driving it back into colder waters and finding his family pod. In the process, Natalie reconnects with her mother.
Although the book is rated for grades 4+ (reading level grade 5), this is a book I would have enjoyed reading or being read to when I was 6-8 years old (grade 1-3) and would have found a bit "babyish" after that. So, I rate it 4 stars for a grade 2 read aloud and probably 3 stars for older ages.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a title that plays off the popular nonfiction title, A Dog's Purpose, how could this book, written for a young audience fail to touch heartstrings? Several lives come together in surprising ways as the result of what happens. After a storm causes Bangor, a harbor porpoise, to become separated from his pod, he ends up hanging in the harbor of small-town Ogunquit, Maine, for a little while. When Lars, a stray dog befriended by Natalie Prater, falls into the water while Natalie and her father are fishing during that same storm, Bangor instinctively saves the little dog's life by getting right under him. The two become fast friends, but the town's citizens are torn as to whether it is okay for the porpoise to swim in the waters. When research reveals that the warmer temperatures that are coming will make it hard for Bangor to survive, Natalie hatches a plan to get Bangor back to where he belongs. There are some interesting side stories involving Natalie's mother, who has moved in with another man, and some town politics. While it might be hard to believe that one girl could inspire an entire town to help save a living creature, that's exactly what happens here as the story explores several different meanings to family and follows its characters as they try to find their own ways home. This one has the mark of a Disney movie all over it, especially with its feel-good ending. Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade readers are likely to enjoy this one, especially the passages featuring Bangor and Lars as they frolic together? Could it happen? Maybe. But the romantic, tender-hearted part of me would like to think so.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started off reading this book to my cats and stopped in the middle thinking my husband would enjoy it. Unfortunately we reached a stalemate at that point.

A Dog's Porpoise is a story about three adventurers who come together in a coming-of-age story combined with reconciliation and friendship that bypasses the barrier of individual species.

Readers are taken into various point-of-views of the three main characters with each name heading the chapter and a small silhouette graphic at the bottom of the page to emphasize the character. As a result their personalities are rounded out more than normally presented in books since you are seeing them through others' eyes.

A Dog's Porpoise is simply written and rather basic although at the same time rather more realistic than some of the other more popular dog books out there. And as a result even though it seems like a big read, it does read rather quickly otherwise.

If this book had been around in my younger reader days, it probably would have been quite an influential story for me given the nature of the story and my passion for coming-of-age stories.

[Robert Morera · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts off with a harbor porpoise's perspective. The porpoise and his family are separated by a fleet of ships and a storm and the porpoise ends up alone, trying to navigate his way south. He watches a dog fall off a boat near a shore and he rescues it. The porpoise carries the dog on his back and brings him back to shore to it's family. The dog, it's owners, and the porpoise become really good friends. As the waters become warmer, the porpoise has to find his way back up north so he can survive, so his new friends try and make a plan to help him make it back to his pod. The book asks the reader to consider what it means to be a good friend, even in tough times. I would recommend the book to anyone who is a fan of dogs and marine life.

[Betsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book! I read it at the recommendation of one of my students, and found it a nice, easy read that was really refreshing. The relationship between the dog and the porpoise is sweet and not overly unrealistic. I also liked the girl main character - her strength, her willingness to look at others' points of view. Good character relationships.

[Nicholas Novacek Bundt · Rating 4 out of 5]

What most likely was conceived as a one off riff on "A Dog's Purpose," Ross's writing is light, colorful, and energetic enough to work beyond the adult nudge-nudge joke of a title and will connect with grade schoolers. Especially if your grade schooler is, like many of the characters in this novel, always in motion and are searching for a place in this world.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute middle grade.
POV from dog, harbor whale and main girl character.
Threw some deeper topics like parents separating, town people dynamics, conservation and marine science. Fav character was the artist. Annoying part was the way the author made the girl accept her mother's abandonment and infidelity because "that's her mom."

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is for a young reader. At the recommendation of our 9 year old grandaughter I read, "A Dog's Porpoise" and thoroughly enjoyed it! A lovely story of acceptance of differences and the ability of friendships developing in the most unlikely way.

[Lynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thought of this book consisted of trying to finish it because I was only in the mindset just to read books to say you read them so I honestly don't remember to much about this book except that for some reason I remember really liking the main character.

[✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 ⭐️

very cute and heartwarming story! brought me back to my childhood. perfect book if you like small towns and dogs 🐾

read this for school and included it in my reading goal because i deserve it ❤️

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Lars, Bangor and Natalie makes my favorite middle school level book to date. I loved how the writing focuses on familial love and how it emphasis that true love is wanting what's best and could bring happiness for the other person.

[Caren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unrealistic, but I would have read this a few times as a kid, and then would have dreamt about it.

[Shawna Hufendick · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 2nd and 4th grade girls liked this. Fun the way each chapter was told from the perspective of one of the characters.

[Addi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was fine it wasn't the best I would not read it again

[Rylee Potter]

I thought that it was okay to read but it was sad at the same time.

[Joe Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book to read with some good details about harbor porpoises and a few lessons on life for young people struggling to find good things in their lives.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Children’s

[Jasmine]

This s a really good book I would totally recommend reading it

[Alexia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I enjoyed most about this book was that Bangor and Lars both have their own backstories and we get to see certain events in the story from their perpectives.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story. Girl and her love of animals.

[Matt DosSantos DiSorbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nostalgic, cleverly crafted children's story written by a friend (MC Ross).

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my fav. book but a good one still I read it once I'm school and liked it so i reaf it again.

[Chelsea]

please i reallly want to