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Just Grace #3
Just Grace Walks the Dog
Everyone’s favorite Grace is back. And this time she has a dog.
Unfortunately, he’s only made of cardboard and rides a skate board. Grace is determined though to prove to her parents that she is responsible and dependable enough to get a real dog.
Things you learn in this
1. Sometimes it is okay to be sneaky if you don’t get caught.
2. How to do flashlight Morse code.
3. What happened at school that was nothing.
4. How it feels to walk into your class after going to the principal’s office!
5. Many other things, but most important, how to convince your parents to MAYBE let you get a dog. A real one, not one made of cardboard.
Unfortunately, he’s only made of cardboard and rides a skate board. Grace is determined though to prove to her parents that she is responsible and dependable enough to get a real dog.
Things you learn in this
1. Sometimes it is okay to be sneaky if you don’t get caught.
2. How to do flashlight Morse code.
3. What happened at school that was nothing.
4. How it feels to walk into your class after going to the principal’s office!
5. Many other things, but most important, how to convince your parents to MAYBE let you get a dog. A real one, not one made of cardboard.
176 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2008
45 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 22, 2025
Thoughts from J and I on this second reading for me (first for J):
It was fun to read this one together on my Kindle. Even though I am far from home, my Libby app is a huge resource. We have about a dozen graphic novels checked out and the kids are reading them over and over.
For this read, J read some parts and I read others. We each chose a favorite section once we were done. For J it was when Grace and friends are walking a real-life talk and there is poop to be picked up. The only kid who is willing is Sammy Stringer! He doesn't like pets, but he has a fascination with poop. A match made in heaven. 💩
My favorite section also involves Sammy Stringer. Grace and Mimi make a cardboard dog named Chip-Up to help convince Grace's parents that they can take care of a real dog. Sammy offers to loan them a skateboard so they can "walk" Chip-Up by taping him to the board. Genius! 🛹
Stay tuned for out next read: Billy and the Unhappy Bull by Meindert Dejong about a bull who gets to come inside the house in the middle of a winter storm.
From January of 2018:
The Just Grace series is delightfully creative. As we get to know Grace better, we also get to know her family, her neighbors and watch her circle of friends expand -- often due to her superpower for empathy. In this installment, Grace REALLY wants a dog of her own. She and Mimi decide to share a dog and go about gathering information about types of dogs by interviewing owners and meeting dogs at the local dog park. The young reader will learn about dogs including how to care for them as well as meet Chip-up, Grace and Mimi's cardboard dog. Recommended!
It was fun to read this one together on my Kindle. Even though I am far from home, my Libby app is a huge resource. We have about a dozen graphic novels checked out and the kids are reading them over and over.
For this read, J read some parts and I read others. We each chose a favorite section once we were done. For J it was when Grace and friends are walking a real-life talk and there is poop to be picked up. The only kid who is willing is Sammy Stringer! He doesn't like pets, but he has a fascination with poop. A match made in heaven. 💩
My favorite section also involves Sammy Stringer. Grace and Mimi make a cardboard dog named Chip-Up to help convince Grace's parents that they can take care of a real dog. Sammy offers to loan them a skateboard so they can "walk" Chip-Up by taping him to the board. Genius! 🛹
Stay tuned for out next read: Billy and the Unhappy Bull by Meindert Dejong about a bull who gets to come inside the house in the middle of a winter storm.
From January of 2018:
The Just Grace series is delightfully creative. As we get to know Grace better, we also get to know her family, her neighbors and watch her circle of friends expand -- often due to her superpower for empathy. In this installment, Grace REALLY wants a dog of her own. She and Mimi decide to share a dog and go about gathering information about types of dogs by interviewing owners and meeting dogs at the local dog park. The young reader will learn about dogs including how to care for them as well as meet Chip-up, Grace and Mimi's cardboard dog. Recommended!
August 18, 2014
In the third installment of this charming series, Grace Stewart and her best friend Mimi return with a burning desire to get a pet dog; Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are, as parents always are, less enthusiastic, while Mimi's parents are unshakably opposed. The illustrations (all purportedly done by the amazing Grace herself) remain as delightful as ever, but Grace, still as empathetic and generous as ever, doesn't really shine in the way she did in Just Grace and Still Just Grace because her adventures are so lackluster.
While still worth reading, No. 3 in the series isn't as fabulous as the first two books.
While still worth reading, No. 3 in the series isn't as fabulous as the first two books.
June 12, 2012
One of the most important skills we tried to teach our children is the art of a respectful appeal. Just Grace learns many lessons in her wise approach at earning the privilege of a dog.
In an effort to convince her parents to allow her to get a dog, Grace doesn't resort to begging, pleading tantrums. A tip from her wise houseguest, Miss Dupre, sets Just Grace off on a plan to prove herself to be responsible and dependable. She constructs a cardboard dog and goes through all the motions of having a real one. She takes it out for walks (made easier with a skateboard), "feeds" it, and takes it to the park to socialize it with other dogs. While at the dog park, she begins to collect a pros/cons list of the all the dogs' traits to decide what type of dog would be best to choose when the permission is given. Even her pretend dog's name is designed to evoke a positive response from her parents. Chip-up was the toddler word she used for Ketchup and was always sure to generate a sentimental "Awwww."
Other side stories - a neighbor who climbs out of her window at night for unknown reasons, another neighbor's dog who loves garbage, and her budding friendships at the dog park - all culminate to teach Grace that patience produces insight and that you can't judge a dog by its cover.
This Just Grace book is packed full of good lessons, however. Just Grace learns patience, sales skills, the rewards of hard work, and a caution about making hasty assumptions with people or dogs. The author is unfailingly consistent with her glimpse into the mind of a young child that beams through all of the Just Grace series.
If your child wants a dog, this book will show them the big responsibility in all areas of dog ownership and gives wise insight about researching and having practice in interacting with different breeds before choosing one.
In an effort to convince her parents to allow her to get a dog, Grace doesn't resort to begging, pleading tantrums. A tip from her wise houseguest, Miss Dupre, sets Just Grace off on a plan to prove herself to be responsible and dependable. She constructs a cardboard dog and goes through all the motions of having a real one. She takes it out for walks (made easier with a skateboard), "feeds" it, and takes it to the park to socialize it with other dogs. While at the dog park, she begins to collect a pros/cons list of the all the dogs' traits to decide what type of dog would be best to choose when the permission is given. Even her pretend dog's name is designed to evoke a positive response from her parents. Chip-up was the toddler word she used for Ketchup and was always sure to generate a sentimental "Awwww."
Other side stories - a neighbor who climbs out of her window at night for unknown reasons, another neighbor's dog who loves garbage, and her budding friendships at the dog park - all culminate to teach Grace that patience produces insight and that you can't judge a dog by its cover.
This Just Grace book is packed full of good lessons, however. Just Grace learns patience, sales skills, the rewards of hard work, and a caution about making hasty assumptions with people or dogs. The author is unfailingly consistent with her glimpse into the mind of a young child that beams through all of the Just Grace series.
If your child wants a dog, this book will show them the big responsibility in all areas of dog ownership and gives wise insight about researching and having practice in interacting with different breeds before choosing one.
June 25, 2015
This is the third book in the Just Grace series by Charise Mericle Harper. We read the first two books in the series in fairly close succession, but never seemed to get around to reading this one.
There is a lot to like about this book - I love that Grace keeps a journal (even if it's part of her homework) and I really appreciate that she tries very hard to demonstrate that she is responsible, dependable, and willing to take care of an animal (the good and bad parts). I also like that she is willing to do research about choosing a pet that fits her personality and lifestyle, and willing to make some compromises.
It was very similar in style and theme as the other books, and I think our girls just got bored by them. There is a lot of repetition in the series, with the author explaining (again) how Grace got her "Just Grace" moniker. To be fair, I thought there was a lot that our girls could empathize with in this book, but they just weren't interested.
I discovered this book in our bookcases and thought I'd give it a quick read, but even I found it hard to get into the book. Once I set aside some time to read it, I was able to finish it in about an hour, but it just never drew me in. I like the concept, but as our girls have grown out of this level of writing, I doubt I'll read any more of the books in this series.
interesting quote:
"Moms don't like it if you eat four or five cookies when there are only about ten minutes until suppertime, even if you are totally and completely 100 percent starving so you would eat all the food on your plate at supper anyway." (p. 85)
There is a lot to like about this book - I love that Grace keeps a journal (even if it's part of her homework) and I really appreciate that she tries very hard to demonstrate that she is responsible, dependable, and willing to take care of an animal (the good and bad parts). I also like that she is willing to do research about choosing a pet that fits her personality and lifestyle, and willing to make some compromises.
It was very similar in style and theme as the other books, and I think our girls just got bored by them. There is a lot of repetition in the series, with the author explaining (again) how Grace got her "Just Grace" moniker. To be fair, I thought there was a lot that our girls could empathize with in this book, but they just weren't interested.
I discovered this book in our bookcases and thought I'd give it a quick read, but even I found it hard to get into the book. Once I set aside some time to read it, I was able to finish it in about an hour, but it just never drew me in. I like the concept, but as our girls have grown out of this level of writing, I doubt I'll read any more of the books in this series.
interesting quote:
"Moms don't like it if you eat four or five cookies when there are only about ten minutes until suppertime, even if you are totally and completely 100 percent starving so you would eat all the food on your plate at supper anyway." (p. 85)
November 11, 2012
Reviewed by Harmony for TeensReadToo.com
Just Grace is back and even more hilarious than before.
She's still trying to cheer everyone up and she still draws Not-So-Super comics, but this time she's on a different mission. She wants a dog and she wants one bad. Her best friend, Mimi, also wants a dog. They decide that Grace has a better chance of getting one, so when Grace does get a dog, they plan on sharing it.
Of course, it's not easy convincing Grace's parents that she's responsible enough to have a dog -- and there's also the fact that Grace and Mimi can't decide on what type of dog to get. It turns out that getting a dog is harder than Grace expected.
JUST GRACE WALKS THE DOG is a great addition to the humorous JUST GRACE series. Harper does a great job of capturing the voice of a young tween. The writing style, while very simple, is perfect for the intended audience and makes the book great for those who are just beginning to tackle chapter books.
I recommend this to fans of the AMBER BROWN and JUNIE B. JONES series'.
Just Grace is back and even more hilarious than before.
She's still trying to cheer everyone up and she still draws Not-So-Super comics, but this time she's on a different mission. She wants a dog and she wants one bad. Her best friend, Mimi, also wants a dog. They decide that Grace has a better chance of getting one, so when Grace does get a dog, they plan on sharing it.
Of course, it's not easy convincing Grace's parents that she's responsible enough to have a dog -- and there's also the fact that Grace and Mimi can't decide on what type of dog to get. It turns out that getting a dog is harder than Grace expected.
JUST GRACE WALKS THE DOG is a great addition to the humorous JUST GRACE series. Harper does a great job of capturing the voice of a young tween. The writing style, while very simple, is perfect for the intended audience and makes the book great for those who are just beginning to tackle chapter books.
I recommend this to fans of the AMBER BROWN and JUNIE B. JONES series'.
December 15, 2012
Have you ever wodered of having a dog and showing your parents that you are responsible?If so,then this book is just for you.This is about a girl who wanted a dog so she had to show her parents that she was responsible so they could buy her a dog.She even made a cardboard dog!To show how responsible she was.My favorite part of the story is when she had to use her shoe for the to make the cardboard head.I liked it because it was funny and she had to go to school with only one shoe.My favorite character is Grace because she is funny.This book has very discriptive words and the setting is is her school and her house.
The moral of this story is have responsibility if you want people to repect you.
The moral of this story is have responsibility if you want people to repect you.
February 10, 2014
Just Grace hates her name and wants a dog. She and her friend Mimi begin a campaign to prove Just Grace is responsible enough to own a dog. They build a dog out of boxes, paste, and paint, then treat it as if it were real. This one had some grammar issues that made it difficult for me to get into. The grammar is better than Junie B., but the way the author turns a phrase reads a little bassackwards to me. This one hasn't been rated by Lexile yet, but the original Just Grace got an NC1060L. The NC stands for non-conforming. I guess that makes it the opposite of High Interest/Low Vocabulary. A book for the young gifted reader.
March 5, 2016
I read this book with my daughter each night before she went to bed. It is a very cute book. However, it doesn't seem to really go anywhere. She is sort of rambling as she talks. Grace really really wants a dog, and creates her own fake dog, which is actually pretty funny. There is a mystery regarding her neighbor, and the solution is not at all what we expected. If you want to know if Just Grace gets her heart's desire (a dog of her own), then you will have to read it. The book is cute and silly, but not laugh out loud funny like "Diary of a Wimpy Kid."
May 5, 2018
As Grace proves to her parents that she is responsible and dependable so she can have a dog, she makes a fake dog and names it Chip-Up. Soon after, her teacher, Miss Louis assigns the class to write a journal. She writes about all of her thoughts and feelings, so she can look back at it when she gets old and starts to forget things about her life as an 8-year old.
January 28, 2014
I thought this was good. I liked the characters. My favourite character was the dog because he reminds me of me when I chillax at home. I would recommend other grade two and grade three students read this book.
November 28, 2008
Part of a Just Grace series. Kids who like Judy Moody and Clementine should like this one too.
January 27, 2010
Grace want a dog. Her friend MiMi want a dog too. I don't really like the book,becase the storyis not exciting as the other book.
December 10, 2010
read this with Kirsi - cute book
October 11, 2017
Hdhehennen
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2019
Cute story about an eight-year-old girl who really, REALLY, extremely wants a dog (reminded me a little of Lola in Charlie and Lola, but a bit older). First, with her friend Mimi, she has to convince her parents that she is responsible and dependable enough to take care of one. She comes up with a great idea (with the help of her basement neighbor, traveler Augustine Dupre) to pretend she has a dog (that she and her friend build out of cardboard and tow around on a skateboard) in order to show her parents responsibility and dependability. Cute format, interesting voice, and engaging story. The only time I got bumped out is when (on p. 89) the eight-year-old writes about not wanting her teacher (in journal entries) to think her dad was mean and bad. At that age (especially in this day and age) most kids don't have any of that sort of other-awareness yet, but I was willing to overlook it for the sake of story. Otherwise, very enjoyable.
December 6, 2017
This book is about an 8 year old, Grace. She and her best friend Mimi try to convince her parents that they are able to now get a dog, that they will be able to take care of it. To show them that she is, she makes a dog out of cardboard and uses this to show her parents that she is responsible enough to get a real dog. There are very small black and white illustrations incorporated in the novel, mostly just of characters. They help the reader visualize who everyone is which could help them understand the novel more, which would be really good for young readers who are just starting to read novels. Their titles added to different paragraphs that also drawn in big bubble letters which makes them pop, making it easier for the reader to distinguish that they are titles and helps the reader be able to organize what is happening in the plot.
November 22, 2021
Me aburrió mucho, he leído mucho libros infantiles y este es el más básico que he leído, tal vez se me hizo asi porque lo leí un poco más grande y tal vez está destinado a niños que apenas estan empezando a leer, así que mi consejo sería que si ya eres un poco más grande pero quieres leer un libro infantil no leas este porque te aburrirá mucho.
June 8, 2020
I read this book because my sister and I were doing a book club. It was cute for young kids. I wouldn't read it if your my age because nothing really happens in it.
January 19, 2021
What a Cute book! Love this series! Loved this book! Too cute& funny! Perfect series for beginning readers!
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July 12, 2023Much needed imagination cleanser
February 9, 2016
This is a cute story about a young girl named Grace, longing for a dog of her very own. In attempts to persuade her hesitant parents into allowing her to have one, she makes a cardboard dog which she treats as a live animal. Through the experience of walking the "dog" and practicing familiarizing herself with all of the responsibilities of owning the real thing, Grace learns valuable lessons about responsibility, and the challenges of caring for pets.
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May 20, 2014Any kid who has ever wanted or currently has a pet will love this story. Grace wants a dog so much that she and her best friend Mimi construct a dog out of boxes and name it Chip-Up. Will taking care of her cardboard pet convince her parents that she is responsible? Imagine what can happen when you take your cardboard dog (taped to a skateboard) to the dog park!
April 7, 2015
Another cute story from Just Grace. She is determined to show her parents that she is responsible because she really really wants a dog, and again devises a creative plan with the help of her empathy superpower and good old kid-sized imagination. Grace's great ideas and teamwork with her friend get her a little closer to a dog, and provide us with some laughs in the meantime.
February 25, 2023
Just Grace REALLY wants a dog. Mimi and she make a cardboard one to prove to her parents she is responsible AND dependable. There is a mystery across the street.
Learning to journal and learning about history from people's journals.
''It's okay to be sneaky if you don't get caught".
NOT SURE about this message conveyed in this book, but... I still like this book series.
Learning to journal and learning about history from people's journals.
''It's okay to be sneaky if you don't get caught".
NOT SURE about this message conveyed in this book, but... I still like this book series.
March 2, 2008
Grace is back in her third book! Grace must use all her super empathy powers and creative skills to prove to her parents that she can take care of a dog. But will her plan to convince her parents work?
November 27, 2008
So funny. Grace wants to get a dog, so she makes a cardboard box dog to take care of in order to prove to her parents that she can be responsible.
October 3, 2010
I liked it because it had lots of dogs.
February 6, 2011
Just Grace was a hilarious book and I'm sure that if there is another, I'm definitely going to get my hands on it soon!!!!!!!!
August 3, 2011
I love Just Grace.
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August 9, 2011I thought this book was going to be hilarious.. since its about a girl who has a cardboard dog. But it didn't really make me laugh.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews