Bad Bella: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

by Ali Standish

“Bella, Bella, Bella!  A wonderful, funny, heartfelt tale of a very good ‘bad’ dog, and her enduring quest for that thing we all seek:  a place to call home.  I loved this book!  I love Bella!” —Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain



Perfect for fans of Racing in the Rain and Because of Winn Dixie! Ali Standish, author of the critically acclaimed The Ethan I Was Before and August Isle, delivers a rebarkable tale of one extraordinary pup’s search for a new family, inspired by her real-life rescue dog Bella.

Bella is the very best dog a family could ask for. Only her family, the McBrides, don’t see it that way.

Ever since Mrs. McBride’s belly started growing, they don’t seem to appreciate the way Bella cleans the crumbs from the kitchen floor or how she’s always willing to play fetch after a long day. And when Bella’s valiant attempt to save the Christmas tree ends in disaster, she finds herself being swiftly abandoned at the pound.

As the reality sinks in that she is unwanted, Bella is heartbroken. Where did she go wrong?

Things look bleak until a kind couple, the Roses, take Bella in. Her new life is filled with wonderful things like parks and snowballs, vanilla ice cream, and the National Geographic Channel. But as the weather turns cold again, the Roses start acting strangely and Bella wonders if she can really trust them. Do they actually love her, or is history about to repeat itself?

And will Bella be able to find a true home in time for Christmas this year?  

Genres: Middle Grade, Animals, Christmas, Fiction, Dogs, Childrens, Juvenile

176 pages, Hardcover

First published September 24, 2019

About the author

Ali Standish, author of the critically acclaimed The Ethan I Was Before, split her time growing up between North Carolina and several imaginary worlds. The only award she ever won in school was for messiest desk, but that didn’t stop her from going on to get degrees from Pomona College, Hollins University and and the University of Cambridge. She still spends most of her time in her imagination, but you might just spot her walking her two rescue dogs with her Finnish husband around her neighborhood in Raleigh. You can visit her online at www.alistandish.com.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

And she stayed there. Watching as other dogs were led away from the pound and into the Land of Being Wanted.

After an incident with the Christmas tree, Bella is banished by the only family she's ever known, and placed in something called "The Pound." Will this sweet pooch find her forever home?

I love that the story is told from Bella's point of view. It was fun being inside a pup's head for a couple of hours.

Though this is meant for middle-grade readers, I highly recommend the book to dog lovers of all ages.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bella doesn't try to be bad. . .she just makes bad decisions like eating her favorite snack off the Christmas tree. Wasn't that why it was there? This book brings to mind classics like "Ribsy" and "Socks" where we see the changes in the household through the eyes of a pet. Doglovers will be thrilled to meet several other dogs through Bella's experiences and will learn about being responsible pet owners. Bella's first family takes her to the pound right before Christmas. There she finds out that she is "unwanted." Will she find a new home? This sweet book (inspired by the author's very own rescue dog) would make a great stocking stuffer for a reader just graduating into the J fiction section.

Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Edelweiss for an ARC of this book.

I absolutely loved Bad Bella! Told from a dog's POV, this will make a fantastic read aloud to students. Can't wait to share this with classes at school.

[Jan C · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Bella wanted was a home where she was loved. She tried very hard to be a good dog but was sometimes misunderstood. She thought she had found that home with the Roses but with a baby on the way, Bella was afraid he was going to be relinquished again. Will she have a true home this year for Christmas?

Even though it has a happy ending, some younger children might be disturbed by Bella having to go to the pound and running away but overall a good dog story for older elementary children.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader's edition/Goodreads give-away.

[Tara Ethridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for readability and for the story that is so heartwarming! Bella lived with a family and did some naughty things that made them bring her to a pound, which broke her heart and made her feel like bad dog. The internal dog dialogue was amazing and brought the story to life. When Bella gets a new home, she is not trusting of them and keeps thinking that it will fall apart. Great drama in this book for animal lovers and for everyone. Cannot wait to booktalk this to 4th graders tomorrow!

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg! Ali loves Bella like I love my Ellie. This was a definite mirror for me, seeing how it feels to find your forever dog daughter.

Telling Bella’s story through her own words was so good. I don’t normally like those kinds of books but so many parts made sense about how our rescue pups must feel. By the end I was bawling happy tears. I loved this book! If you’re a dog lover of any age I think you’ll like this quick middle grade read.

[blmagm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would make a good choice for a third-grade class read aloud during the month of December before the Winter Break. Boys and girls will recognize shades of Lady and the Tramp in the plot and theme, and they will enjoy seeing the world through Bella’s (oh so cute) eyes. Who doesn’t love a dog who smiles! I liked the author’s note in the back, giving information about the real life Bella, along with suggested ways for children to help sheltered animals.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of a dog whose only purpose in life is to love a human family. Her first family is not a proper "fit"; however, her second family is everything that a dog could want and then some. After several missteps and near tragedies, Bella and her family find happiness. I received this book as part of the Goodreads Giveaway program.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Characters: the McBride family, Bella, Hazel, Leo, the Rose family

Setting: McBride's home, dog park, animal shelter, Roses' home; city/country

Point of View: omniscient

Genre/Format: children's book; realistic fiction; grade level 3-7

Other Information: Author's notes, how to help shelter animals
Standish's blog entry about Bella https://www.alistandish.com/single-po...
"Why Kids Still Need Dog Books" by Ali Standish https://medium.com/@hccb/dog-books-ki...

[Heather O'Neill · Rating 3 out of 5]

My son (age 11) and I read this book for school. It's a very short and quick read. It's a cute book about this dog looking for a home. My son liked it and I did too. I wish that the book had a little more meat to it because we would have both liked to read more about Bella, the other dogs, and the family.

I would give it 3.5 stars

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audio version was well read. A sweet story of love and loss, misunderstandings and adventures from a dog who thinks she is part of a family but learns not all families are for life when you’re a dog. Enjoyed this book very much and it was a lovely happy ending just in time for a perfect Christmas 🎄.

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a fan of talking animal books, but really liked this one. Sweet, heart warming. Recommending it to kids who like a shorter book(147pgs) and dog stories like Maxi's Secret, Wish, Ranger in Time and A Dog's Purpose series.

[Carol Farrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful story. It is written from Bella’s perspective and read as very natural in what she was thinking. I adopted another dog in the last week and this is a great reminder to try to see things through his eyes while he learns to trust his new family.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this with my 7.5 year old daughter, and we both adored Bella and her story.
Be prepared for requests to adopt a new pet after you read though! (We already got a new puppy this year, so she wants to adopt a guinea pig. Ha.)

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Glad and Sad tears while reading this one.

[Jora · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 or 3.75 stars rounded up to 4.

[Steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable. =)

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute book for middle grade readers! My nine-year old daughter and I really enjoyed this book together! It made her want a dog even more ;)

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bella the dog doesn't know where she belongs anymore and is having trouble finding and trusting a forever home. Upper elementary

[Michelle Ule · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dog story told from the point of view of the dog--includes poignant moments, great sadness, confusion, and redemption at the end.

Okay. Nothing extraordinary.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short, fun read. Hits you in the feels more than you might expect from a somewhat predictable kids' book. Overall worth reading at least once.