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American Dog #1
Brave: A Heartwarming Adventure About a Rescue Dog and a Boy's Friendship for Kids (Ages 8-12)
From the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Max comes a heartwarming, middle grade adventure story about a rescue dog, Brave, who befriends a troubled boy in the heart of Texas.
Brave is a dog without a home. After surviving a hurricane in San Antonio, Texas, stray dog Brave is hungry and afraid. When twelve-year-old Dylan finds Brave, he's feeling lost himself. Dylan can't help but think they were brought together for a reason. But Dylan knows it'll take hard work and training in order to convince his parents that he can keep this skittish pup. As Dylan and Brave's friendship grows, they learn to rescue each other in more ways than one. Can Dylan give Brave a forever home?
Brave is a dog without a home. After surviving a hurricane in San Antonio, Texas, stray dog Brave is hungry and afraid. When twelve-year-old Dylan finds Brave, he's feeling lost himself. Dylan can't help but think they were brought together for a reason. But Dylan knows it'll take hard work and training in order to convince his parents that he can keep this skittish pup. As Dylan and Brave's friendship grows, they learn to rescue each other in more ways than one. Can Dylan give Brave a forever home?
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2020
3 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 28, 2023
**Squeeeee! (That’s my 10-year-old inner child discovering a great new book series!)**
For a dog-lover like me, this book was like chocolate candy! It had literally everything I enjoy about a good read:
Love between a boy and dog-check!
Intriguing adventure-check!
300+ pages-check!
Gorgeous cover art-check!
Notes from the author (I learned Texas has a State Dog)-check!
Giggle moments and also teary ones-check!
Setting in the Texas Hill Country-bonus check!
Horses and ranch life-bonus check!
This book would appeal to dog-lovers of any age. It would be a good one to have in classrooms; there are themes of friendship and responsibility that really stand out, but in a way that students would relate to.
I can’t wait to read more by this author! Thanks, Jennifer!
For a dog-lover like me, this book was like chocolate candy! It had literally everything I enjoy about a good read:
Love between a boy and dog-check!
Intriguing adventure-check!
300+ pages-check!
Gorgeous cover art-check!
Notes from the author (I learned Texas has a State Dog)-check!
Giggle moments and also teary ones-check!
Setting in the Texas Hill Country-bonus check!
Horses and ranch life-bonus check!
This book would appeal to dog-lovers of any age. It would be a good one to have in classrooms; there are themes of friendship and responsibility that really stand out, but in a way that students would relate to.
I can’t wait to read more by this author! Thanks, Jennifer!
July 30, 2023
Really enjoyed the book! I contemplated putting it in my shelf for favorites but came just shy of doing that. The book has so many aspects that be what I would want to write into a dog book.
It is a youth book, and it has enough of all the good qualities of a youth getting a dog without being preachy or going too long on the details.
For a youth book, it has so many great elements. Dylan, the high school kid in the book, rescues a dog, that we find out later is a Blue Lacy, (more on that breed later.) He has a mom who he must convince to keep the dog. The dog does some damage at his home. He must earn the right to keep the dog. He must learn how to train the dog. He makes mistakes with the dog. To me it seems like there is just the right amount put into each of these elements for the size and pacing of the book.
As a teenage boy, he makes a fair number of poor choices he has to learn from. I can identify with that as I made a fair number of poor choices a teenager. I think especially a young reader would benefit from reading this book and learning from the characters mistakes.
I have been reading a lot of vintage books for a while, including ones for all ages, so another point of interest is how cell phones and social media are worked into this book so you know it is current. I can see where kids may want to do something to post on social media to see how many views it can rack up. This includes to do some things that are not safe to video and post. Also in vintage books it is easy to think when there is a life threatening situation that now we would whip out a cell phone and get help. Still an author can get around that when there is no cell signal or the battery dies to force your characters to figure out how to deal with the situation on their own. At least nice to see kids call in to their parents to let them know they are ok when they can reach a signal.
At the end of the book there is information on Lacy dogs. faster, energetic, and hard-working dogs who can be used for herding cattle. it was developed in Texas around 1858. the Lacy brothers were trying to breed the perfect herding dog for free-roaming hogs. they come in a three colors, Blue, red and tricolored. They were recognized as a 'tree Texas breed' and in 2005 named the official state dog breed of Texas. This book makes me almost want to go out and get one, but then I feel like I would need to get a herd of cattle to go with it to give it something to do. Or maybe a herd of hogs...
So nice positive story. Very good dog story. No Kleenex needed at the end of the book. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
It is a youth book, and it has enough of all the good qualities of a youth getting a dog without being preachy or going too long on the details.
For a youth book, it has so many great elements. Dylan, the high school kid in the book, rescues a dog, that we find out later is a Blue Lacy, (more on that breed later.) He has a mom who he must convince to keep the dog. The dog does some damage at his home. He must earn the right to keep the dog. He must learn how to train the dog. He makes mistakes with the dog. To me it seems like there is just the right amount put into each of these elements for the size and pacing of the book.
As a teenage boy, he makes a fair number of poor choices he has to learn from. I can identify with that as I made a fair number of poor choices a teenager. I think especially a young reader would benefit from reading this book and learning from the characters mistakes.
I have been reading a lot of vintage books for a while, including ones for all ages, so another point of interest is how cell phones and social media are worked into this book so you know it is current. I can see where kids may want to do something to post on social media to see how many views it can rack up. This includes to do some things that are not safe to video and post. Also in vintage books it is easy to think when there is a life threatening situation that now we would whip out a cell phone and get help. Still an author can get around that when there is no cell signal or the battery dies to force your characters to figure out how to deal with the situation on their own. At least nice to see kids call in to their parents to let them know they are ok when they can reach a signal.
At the end of the book there is information on Lacy dogs. faster, energetic, and hard-working dogs who can be used for herding cattle. it was developed in Texas around 1858. the Lacy brothers were trying to breed the perfect herding dog for free-roaming hogs. they come in a three colors, Blue, red and tricolored. They were recognized as a 'tree Texas breed' and in 2005 named the official state dog breed of Texas. This book makes me almost want to go out and get one, but then I feel like I would need to get a herd of cattle to go with it to give it something to do. Or maybe a herd of hogs...
So nice positive story. Very good dog story. No Kleenex needed at the end of the book. I am looking forward to reading more of her books.
August 6, 2022
4.5 stars
February 15, 2023
I think this book is amazing this one is definitely my favorite out of all the ones I've read before,I'm glad everything turned out well!
March 27, 2020
Brave is a middle grade novel about the friendship between a stray dog who’d survived a hurricane and a boy dealing with a father deployed overseas while navigating middle school and friendships. I’ve read books by Ms. Shotz and enjoy her novels about dogs and I cannot wait to share this novel with my daughter who is in middle school and loves dogs.
Dylan finds a dog who is scared, lost, and hungry. He decides to name the dog Brave. Brave is friendly but he is untrained and extremely fearful of loud noises. Dylan has never had a dog and doesn’t know what to do to care for Brave. Luckily when Brave gets away after being scared by a loud noise he runs to Garcia Ranch and the very capable Grace. Grace is in Dylan’s same grade but they didn’t spend time together and they had different friends. Thanks to Brave the two become fast friends but this causes strain in Dylan’s friendship with Jaxon, his best friend for many years.
Brave pushes Dylan outside his comfort zone. They both need each other and need to trust each other if Dylan is going to be allowed to keep Brave. Brave and Dylan both grow and try new things and learn about what they are capable of. All the while Dylan is becoming better friends with Grace and learning what type of friend he wants to be.
I recommend this book for anyone in grades 4-7 who loves animals, especially dogs. Also, enjoy learning about the Blue Lacy brews, which is a breed of dog I was not familiar with and I hope to see in person one day.
Dylan finds a dog who is scared, lost, and hungry. He decides to name the dog Brave. Brave is friendly but he is untrained and extremely fearful of loud noises. Dylan has never had a dog and doesn’t know what to do to care for Brave. Luckily when Brave gets away after being scared by a loud noise he runs to Garcia Ranch and the very capable Grace. Grace is in Dylan’s same grade but they didn’t spend time together and they had different friends. Thanks to Brave the two become fast friends but this causes strain in Dylan’s friendship with Jaxon, his best friend for many years.
Brave pushes Dylan outside his comfort zone. They both need each other and need to trust each other if Dylan is going to be allowed to keep Brave. Brave and Dylan both grow and try new things and learn about what they are capable of. All the while Dylan is becoming better friends with Grace and learning what type of friend he wants to be.
I recommend this book for anyone in grades 4-7 who loves animals, especially dogs. Also, enjoy learning about the Blue Lacy brews, which is a breed of dog I was not familiar with and I hope to see in person one day.
February 6, 2021
It is easily five stars. After a Texas hurricane, a ton of stray dogs are outside. Dylan the main character sees a dog at a bakery and a baker yelling at the dog. Dylan brings the dog home, and the dog rips up mom’s favorite couch. Then the dog hears a horrible noise and go’s bonkers. Grace, a girl at a ranch helps Dylan with brave, the dog. Mom only says if brave is not good enough for 2 weeks, he will have to go to the shelter. Will brave be part of the family or will he be in the shelter? Read to find out!
April 16, 2020
Enjoyed reading this book. I look forward to passing it on to my grandson.
January 24, 2022
Amazingly funny and cute.
April 6, 2022
Enjoyed this audio book. Boy saves dog and then dog saves boy.
July 29, 2022
This book has a very exciting plot and is very nicely played out.
January 12, 2025
Another nice story of how the bonds between dogs and humans improve their lives.
August 26, 2025
I accidentally checked this book out digitally, not realizing it was a juvenile category book. I was in a hurry when I got it. However, I enjoyed it and recommend it for any dog lover.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews