The Friskative Dog

by Susan Straight

Sharron was five when her father gave her the Friskative Dog. And just like the best-loved toys from The Velveteen Rabbit, Sharron has made the Friskative Dog real through her love and devotion.

Now Sharron is nine, and her father is missing, and the Friskative Dog is more necessary to her than ever. Her father walked out about a year ago and has been lost to her ever since. If he were a dog, he'd be able to find his way home, Sharron thinks. But people don't have the same homing instincts as dogs. And you can't train them to be true.

The Friskative Dog is about a young girl coming to accept that families can take all different shapes and sizes, and learning to live with hope and patience.

Susan Straight has written a spare, delicate story, rich in metaphor and meaning, and full of love.

Genres: Dogs, Family, Childrens, Fiction, School

160 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 2007

About the author

Susan Straight's newest novel is "Between Heaven and Here." It is the last in the Rio Seco Trilogy, which began with "A Million Nightingales" and "Take One Candle Light a Room." She has published eight novels, a novel for young readers and a children's book. She has also written essays and articles for numerous national publications, including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Nation and Harper's Magazine, and is a frequent contributor to NPR and Salon.com.

Her story "Mines," first published in Zoetrope All Story, was included in Best American Short Stories 2003. She won a Lannan Literary Award in 2007. She won a 2008 Edgar Allan Poe Award for her short story "The Golden Gopher."

She is a Professor at the University of California, Riverside and lives in Riverside, California.

Reviews

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stuffed Labrador retriever puppy Sharron's father gave her for her 5th birthday has been Sharron's favorite toy ever since. She has loved it so much that, in her mind, he has become "real" like the Skin Horse in her favorite book, The Velveteen Rabbit. Sharron knows The Friskative Dog (TFD for short) isn't alive, but she still talks to him and loves him as if he were. This is especially true since her father disappeared a year ago, and she clings to TFD as a lifeline connecting her to him. Sharron has some good friends in her 4th grade class who encourage her and stand up for her when the richest, most popular girls in class emotionally bully Sharron. A secondary plot line provides insight into the care and training of working guide dogs as Sharron researches the subject for a career report at school. But it is Sharron's quiet resolve and faith that make her shine. Despite her confusion and sorrow over her father's absence and the growing knowledge that he chose to abandon them, she still loves him, remembers the good times, and hopes for his return. The adults in this book, especialy Sharron's mother and paternal grandmother, are especially well-drawn. Readers are left with the assurance that, whether Sharron's father returns to them or not, the family will remain strong and intact.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Sharron loves dogs more than just about anything in the world. Her favorite dog of all is the Friskative Dog.

Sharron's dad gave her the Friskative Dog when she was very little. Sure, he may be a stuffed animal to most people, but to Sharron he is real and just as much a part of the family as an actual dog would be. Especially since Sharron's dad left a year ago. Sometimes it seems like the Friskative Dog is the only connection to her dad that Sharron has left.

One day the Friskative Dog disappears, and Sharron's world, both real and imagined, begina to come crashing down. Who would take her dog? And why? And without her dog, how will she feel connected to her dad? Why would he leave them, anyway? Sharron is starting to ask the questions that everyone has been avoiding for a year now. And the answers could redefine how all of them feel about family and safety.

This is a sweet story about the strength of faith and hope, and the power of family, no matter what shape that family takes. It's also a really good book for reluctant readers -- it's easy to read and understand, without being particularly condescending. My only concern is that the characters are a bit stereotypical; however, the underlying message is a good one.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sharron doesn’t have a real, live dog; rather, she has a stuffed dog. But, to her, The Friskative Dog is as real as any dog can be. She loves him with all of her heart and has had him ever since she was five. Even though she’s in fourth-grade now, she still knows that The Friskative Dog is more special than any of those other fancy dogs that some of those rich girls at school own.

The Friskative Dog might sound like a funny name to some people, but, to Sharron, it’s a perfect name. When Sharron was a little girl, her grandma once described her as being frisky, playful, and talkative. And when Sharron’s dad (before he disappeared) brought her dog home, she said that the doggie was so ‘friskative.’ Needless to say, the name stuck. Since then, Sharron has been happy with her mom and The Friskative Dog. However, when she decides to sneak him to school, a couple of mean girls don’t think that The Friskative Dog is such a perfect dog after all.

For anyone who has had a close bond with a stuffed animal, The Friskative Dog will touch the heart. Even the way Sharron disobeys her mom by bringing The Friskative Dog to school might sound similar to some readers! Her dog brings out the best in Sharron, including her courage, trust, and most importantly, her love.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patience. Courage. Moving on but clinging to the Good Parts of the Past. Hope for the future--that the Good Parts of the Past will return, but even if they do not, Hope.

Sharron's daddy gave her The Friskative Dog for Christmas when she was 5 years old, and Sharron loves that dog so much that he has become real. No, he doesn't talk to her--he's not a live dog, he's a real dog. And now that her daddy has been missing for one whole year, The Friskative Dog (TFD) is that much more important to her. He's a link to her daddy.

There are so many things to like about this book:
> Sharron is a real little girl. She hurts, she dreams, she loves her mommy and misses her daddy terribly. She's a nice girl. Even when Piper and Paige are cruel to her, Sharron isn't cruel back. She digs down deep for patience and courage, and speaks up for herself, loudly, clearly, and with appropriately-childish wisdom. Even when I sort of wanted her to scream at Piper and scratch her little eyes out, Sharron was calm. I like this little girl, I really do.
> The adults are good people. They're kind, they're loving, they're hopeful, and they work to instill in Sharron the patience and courage she will need to be strong in this world, whether or not her father ever comes back. Even Sharron's daddy is a very likeable guy. Sharron's remembrances of times with him show him as a loving father who wants to show his daughter the beauty in the world: chirping of "clickets" in the summmer and the way light sparkles and dances off of glass that has broken to "slivereens." It's not often that you find yourself liking a literary parent who has abandoned his or her family, but I like Sharron's daddy. And I hope he sorts things out soon.
> Eboni is a very minor character, but she's one of the stars for me. Eboni is that quiet student in class who rarely smiles but never frowns, who is kind, loyal, and filled with calm self-confidence. I love the way she defends Sharron and TFD to Piper and Paige.
>Speaking of the little snots, Piper and Paige...every class has their own version of these two girlies. Here, they are privileged, convinced of their own superiority, and full of the need to make others feel less--less privileged, less intelligent, less beautiful, less worthy of anything good at all. Each time Sharron speaks, Piper responds with some statement designed to make Sharron feel bad about herself. And yet, Sharron handles these two perfectly.

While this book won't make the top of the best-seller lists or become the next hottest book that everyone has to read, I believe it will strike a powerful, resounding note with children who have felt the pain of losing a parent, especially one who has abandoned the family.

[Margaret]

For Grades 3–5—Now that Sharron's dad has been missing for a year, the toy dog that he gave her when she was five has taken on great meaning. Her mother and grandmother slowly realize that he has run off, but nothing is made clear to his confused daughter. The stuffed animal has become the center of her love and devotion, so much so that she has crossed the line between reality and imagination, and believes that The Friskative Dog is real. When her fourth-grade class is assigned career reports, she knows that she wants to work with dogs. Her schoolmates are aware of her attachment to the toy and subject her to snide remarks. When tension and loneliness escalate, Sharron takes him to school, precipitating a crisis. Both a school and a family story rich with the setting of southern California, this book has potential for both discussion and reading aloud.

[Salsabrarian]

The author’s first book for children. Sharron’s favorite stuffed toy is a dog named “The Friskative Dog†or TFD. It was a gift from her trucker father and she has it with her always for comfort, especially since her father took off and left her and her mom. It’s been a year and they haven’t heard from him. Sharron takes a lot of teasing about TFD from snotty girls Piper and Paige but she stubbornly hangs on to TFD, talking about him as if he were a real dog. TFD goes missing and Sharron is bereft. Fortunately she had purchased a dog tag with her phone number on it and she receives a call that TFD is found. About the same time she and her mother hear from her father who writes that he has thinking to do and might come back. Sharron’s mother and grandmother decide to rent a house. A somewhat disappointing children's debut for me.

[Susan Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very quick read, but a wonderful and powerful story. Sharron's dad has recently left, and her stuffed dog - a present from her dad when she turned five - is her constant companion. Sharron and her mom live in an apartment, and especially now that her dad isn't contributing, her mom is always worried about money. There are two girls in Sharron's class who come from wealthy families, and seem to have nothing better to do than to make fun of her because she's poor. When she brings the Friskative Dog to school one day, they steal him out of Sharron's backpack. This story of just how cruel kids can be is going to stay with me for a long time (even though it does end happily!).

[Christian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was visiting a colleagues classroom and one of her students had this book on their desk. The cover intrigued me so I read the inside flap. I was intrigued.

I checked it out of the library and really enjoyed it. The author captures kid dialogue (especially in the early chapters) so very well and then presents you with kids that you hope exist in real life...ones brave enough to stand up to bullies, look out for their friends and take care of their needs.

A quick read that will join my read aloud list so that some of my students might feel empowered.

[Wendy Lutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an endearing story of a brave young girl battling the abandonment of her father and a heartless, jealous bully from school. I really enjoyed the relationships built between characters and the colorful character of Ebonis's mother. Straight did a phenomenal job bringing her to life for me. I could see her finger waving in the face of Paige as her hand rested firmly on her hip as her head swayed bath and forth with vigor! I wish I had had as much courage as Sharron when I was a kid. Actually, I wish I had that much now!

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dog in this slim chapter book is a stuffed toy, but Sharron, even though she's entering the 4th grade still likes to pretend that TFD is completely real. He's loyal, true, and constant, unlike her dad who disappears one day leaving Sharron and her mom to fend for themselves. I didn't think I could take one more sad dog or deadbeat dad story, but I loved this one. A great choice for a book discussion or classroom.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Might be a powerful read aloud in grades 3-5. Sharon's dad has seemingly abandoned them. She deals with the loss by pouring all her love into the stuffed dog he gave her when she was little. Classmates, like in real life, can be kind or cruel. I wanted a happy ending.....but it's realistic fiction, so thought the ending wasn't happily ever after, it was satisfying and rang true.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very sweet story, with a strong little girl at its center. I thought "friskative" was a real adjective that I was just unaware of, but it's a made-up word (a combination of frisky and talkative) I am trying to find a way to work it into a sentence. "I was feeling friskative, and could just not seem to shut up."

[Kristy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute cover lured me in. The main character was flat and the secondary "friend" was not really a true friend, .i.e. never spent time with the main character. The theme of bullying was a good one, but it didn't work for me, dawg. Don't even remember the characters' names, I was that unimpressed.

[Julie Feher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sharron has been abandoned by her father, living with her mother, in a California town. She doesn't have any real friends only her toy dog. Tells how she finds the strength to stand up to mean girls at school.

[Elizabeth Oakley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because I really like dogs. I also like it because it because it has exitement and adventure. I don't like it when people at her school make fun of her when she brings the friskative dog to school. I recomend this book to dog lovers and adventure likers.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read this for work. It was very cute, good book for kids.

[msrouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great selection by Mrs. Birdsall's 4th grade lunch bunch. I really enjoyed the book and the great discussions that we had about it.

[Librariann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ages 8+

A fourth grade girl pretends her stuffed golden retreiver puppy is real. She deals with her absent father and two girls at her school who are bullies and make fun of the Friskative Dog.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to discuss themes. There were several. Very realistic fiction. Hope my students will like it too.

[Bekka · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute little book. I liked the information about dog training. The characters were good, and the plot is pretty interesting. I liked that justice was served in the end.

[Shazza Maddog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book in a Little Library.

Sharron's father gave her The Friskative Dog, a plush yellow Labrador puppy, some years ago. She has taken him to school with her for show and tell, but her classmates make fun of her for not having a real dog and for living in an apartment.

For the past year, Sharron's Dad has been missing. He said he was taking a load of chairs to Atlanta but the trucking company he worked for said there weren't any loads going to Atlanta. His Mom, Sharron's Grandma, believes he has amnesia but Sharron's Mom isn't sure.

Now Sharron's class is required to write an article about what they want to do when they're adults. Sharron knows she wants to do something with dogs but isn't sure what - until she meets a woman who's training a puppy to be a Seeing Eye dog. And Sharron thinks that's what she has the Friskative Dog for - to teach her how to become patient enough to train dogs.

She takes the Friskative Dog to school as a training exercise for herself, managing to keep him mostly hidden, but a few of the other kids see him. And suddenly, the Friskative Dog is missing.

If Sharron can't find him, how will she ever be able to lead her father home?

I very much enjoyed this story. Sharron reminds me a bit of myself at that age.