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Elf Dog and Owl Head
A Newbery Honor Book
"A hilarious, heartfelt triumph."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
From the singular imagination of National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson comes a magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever. Graced with evocative black-and-white illustrations by Junyi Wu, Elf Dog and Owl Head is heartfelt and exhilarating, wry and poignant, seamlessly merging the fantastic and the familiar in a tale both timely and timeless.
"A hilarious, heartfelt triumph."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
From the singular imagination of National Book Award winner M. T. Anderson comes a magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever. Graced with evocative black-and-white illustrations by Junyi Wu, Elf Dog and Owl Head is heartfelt and exhilarating, wry and poignant, seamlessly merging the fantastic and the familiar in a tale both timely and timeless.
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2023
150 people are currently reading
4365 people want to read
About the author
M.T. Anderson
55 books1,247 followersMatthew Tobin Anderson (M. T. Anderson), (1968- ) is an author, primarily of picture books for children and novels for young adults. Anderson lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The Game of Sunken Places, and Octavian Nothing. For middle grader readers, his novels include Whales on Stilts: M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales and its sequel, The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen.
-Wikipedia
His picture books include Handel Who Knew What He Liked; Strange Mr. Satie; The Serpent Came to Gloucester; and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World. He has written such young adult books as Thirsty, Burger Wuss, Feed, The Game of Sunken Places, and Octavian Nothing. For middle grader readers, his novels include Whales on Stilts: M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales and its sequel, The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 404 reviews
April 24, 2023
Simply NO ONE is doing it like MT Anderson!! All of his books are so different from each other in terms of content/genre and yet they are all so good. Fuck. What the fuck. How is he doing it. This book is a fun fantasy and a painful but moving look back at early COVID quarantine days. It's a coming of age story. The dog doesn't die. The dog's narration is incredible. The illustrations by Junyi Wu are incredible. I think it would be a great classroom or bedtime readaloud. I think adults should read it. I think dogs should read it. I think dogs should be allowed to vote. I think MT Anderson should write a book about a magical cat next but it's probably going to be like, an instruction manual for mining equipment written in verse, and I'll fucking read that too.
September 16, 2023
Three stars, and I believe I'm being generous.
This started off with a promising opening premise. A family, struggling financially but getting by, is dealing with the COVID era. We have mom, dad, a chirpy pre-teen female (Juniper), a sulky teen female, and a bored but curious mid-teen male - Clay, the protagonist of the book. Clay finds himself the unlikely "owner" of an elf-hound (Elphinore) that had escaped from her previous cruel owners living in another quasi-dimension of Earth; the pup somehow slipped into our own dimension and found herself muzzle-to-face with Clay. So we're given a glimpse of another world nearly parallel (and co-existing) with our own, and an excited teen who is soon going to not only learn of this world, he will visit it and befriend what appears to be a young human his age that sports, of all things, an owl's head instead of the standard human model. His name's Amos, for those keeping score.
I'm in so far.
On top of this, we see the family dynamic with the other characters - in particular, the interplay between the older daughter living through the utter despair of being 16 years old amidst the COVID crisis; her narrative is very desolate and promising. I could read more of her for ages. The youngest just wants everything to be okay, and everyone to be in harmony. They're often not, especially after the arrival of Elphinore.
Before we hit the halfway point of the book, we recognize that there's soon going to be a ton of potential in terms of conflict - characters get in trouble in both worlds, secrets are uncovered by other family members, there's a very real chance of all three of the children winding up lost in a different realm forever, and eventually, there's going to be a showdown between Clay and Amos on one side and the most powerful people living on the other side, with the fate of Elphinore at stake.
Sign me up!
But no. I hate to say it, but something went wrong with the author's approach to the book. He writes it as if he is Clay (which is fine), but little attention is paid to the creeping dread of the very real possibility that mom and dad will soon lose their home and be on the street. There are moments of clarity and beauty and understanding between all three of the children that could have been really excellently explored - coping mechanisms for Zoom school, COVID, and the folks in financial straits. But that never happened; the parents' narratives and dialogues are written almost as an afterthought, with little regard for ramifications of what they are learning about their children's exploits in this other dimension. There are huge moments in the story that appear to be resolved with a return to the manuscript weeks or months later with the thought that "Oh, maybe I should take care of that thread."
Speaking of threads, there are either a ton of red herrings strewn about, or possibly a regrettable amount of forgotten threads to a wonderful idea for a book.
On top of everything else, the resolution to the entire tale - which could have been the saving grace - seems pallid at best, appearing to lack the courage to come to grips with all those loose threads.
A good idea for a book, but it was uneven and frustrating.
This started off with a promising opening premise. A family, struggling financially but getting by, is dealing with the COVID era. We have mom, dad, a chirpy pre-teen female (Juniper), a sulky teen female, and a bored but curious mid-teen male - Clay, the protagonist of the book. Clay finds himself the unlikely "owner" of an elf-hound (Elphinore) that had escaped from her previous cruel owners living in another quasi-dimension of Earth; the pup somehow slipped into our own dimension and found herself muzzle-to-face with Clay. So we're given a glimpse of another world nearly parallel (and co-existing) with our own, and an excited teen who is soon going to not only learn of this world, he will visit it and befriend what appears to be a young human his age that sports, of all things, an owl's head instead of the standard human model. His name's Amos, for those keeping score.
I'm in so far.
On top of this, we see the family dynamic with the other characters - in particular, the interplay between the older daughter living through the utter despair of being 16 years old amidst the COVID crisis; her narrative is very desolate and promising. I could read more of her for ages. The youngest just wants everything to be okay, and everyone to be in harmony. They're often not, especially after the arrival of Elphinore.
Before we hit the halfway point of the book, we recognize that there's soon going to be a ton of potential in terms of conflict - characters get in trouble in both worlds, secrets are uncovered by other family members, there's a very real chance of all three of the children winding up lost in a different realm forever, and eventually, there's going to be a showdown between Clay and Amos on one side and the most powerful people living on the other side, with the fate of Elphinore at stake.
Sign me up!
But no. I hate to say it, but something went wrong with the author's approach to the book. He writes it as if he is Clay (which is fine), but little attention is paid to the creeping dread of the very real possibility that mom and dad will soon lose their home and be on the street. There are moments of clarity and beauty and understanding between all three of the children that could have been really excellently explored - coping mechanisms for Zoom school, COVID, and the folks in financial straits. But that never happened; the parents' narratives and dialogues are written almost as an afterthought, with little regard for ramifications of what they are learning about their children's exploits in this other dimension. There are huge moments in the story that appear to be resolved with a return to the manuscript weeks or months later with the thought that "Oh, maybe I should take care of that thread."
Speaking of threads, there are either a ton of red herrings strewn about, or possibly a regrettable amount of forgotten threads to a wonderful idea for a book.
On top of everything else, the resolution to the entire tale - which could have been the saving grace - seems pallid at best, appearing to lack the courage to come to grips with all those loose threads.
A good idea for a book, but it was uneven and frustrating.
December 31, 2023
Strange and whimsical, the story of a boy who finds a hunting hound of the fairy folk who live under the mountain. It's a pandemic story, with the boy and his family worried about getting the virus, about the loss of income when the mom's job is closed down, about the struggle of doing school online and trying to keep up friendships on video calls. The dog brings joy to Clay, but also leads him (unwittingly) into danger. The ending happened a bit too fast for me, but I loved both the audiobook and the illustrations (I got the ebook on Libby so I could see them).
May 13, 2023
Adored this book! The narrator was fantastic and also performed multiple voices for the different characters. This book gave Over the Garden Wall vibes but not as creepy/eerie. I was completely enveloped into the beautiful descriptions M.T. Anderson laid out. I felt like I was in the magical forest with the Owl Head Boy, Human Head Boy and Elf Dog. I highly recommend reading this during summer as there is a big Midsummer Party.
Additionally, in case you are worried for your littles, the dog does not die. Also, while this book takes place during a pandemic, it is not a strong focus.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!
Additionally, in case you are worried for your littles, the dog does not die. Also, while this book takes place during a pandemic, it is not a strong focus.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!
August 24, 2024
Very odd but sweet story. I have to say that I would never have picked it up if it hadn't been a Newbery Honor Book. Slipping between different dimensions was an interesting premise, but there's very little of it in the book. I adored Amos! Absolutely my favorite character in the book.
November 8, 2024
Elf Dog and Owl Head (My Kindle Review)
Taking place in a small town while the world is currently dealing with a pandemic, the story starts when a elf-eared dog from another world is left behind in the woods but ends up meeting a young boy named Clay. We see Clay living with his bickering sisters and parents, thanks to the pandemic causing them to be testy with his new friend brightening them up. Quickly though, some surprises will be found and it would bring an enchanting adventure for them.
Anderson’s children’s novel is a very entertaining and bewitching fantasy that has something unique and familiar from other fantasy stories. It definitely features many topics like two different worlds colliding as well as dealing with a pandemic, family issues, friendship and man’s best friend. Some things to me are that I felt is that the ending is a bit harsh but touching, Clay’s family can be a bit annoying and that I wish we could’ve had a more deeper look into the fantasy part. Yet, “Elf Dog” is still a great read that shows you’ll find surprises in unexpected places. B+ (83%/Very Good)
Taking place in a small town while the world is currently dealing with a pandemic, the story starts when a elf-eared dog from another world is left behind in the woods but ends up meeting a young boy named Clay. We see Clay living with his bickering sisters and parents, thanks to the pandemic causing them to be testy with his new friend brightening them up. Quickly though, some surprises will be found and it would bring an enchanting adventure for them.
Anderson’s children’s novel is a very entertaining and bewitching fantasy that has something unique and familiar from other fantasy stories. It definitely features many topics like two different worlds colliding as well as dealing with a pandemic, family issues, friendship and man’s best friend. Some things to me are that I felt is that the ending is a bit harsh but touching, Clay’s family can be a bit annoying and that I wish we could’ve had a more deeper look into the fantasy part. Yet, “Elf Dog” is still a great read that shows you’ll find surprises in unexpected places. B+ (83%/Very Good)
August 25, 2023
Clay is tired of being stuck at home during the pandemic, tired of online school, and tired of being trapped in the house with his annoying family. He goes out exploring the woods behind his home and he encounters an elf-hound who has gotten separated from the elven hunt. The elves have all gone back underground to their magic kingdom, and Elphinore is left alone in the world aboveground. The elf-dog leads Clay along secret paths in the woods that lead to magic places, where Clay sees a community of owl-head people. Clay is dealing with mysterious lands and dangerous magical folk and is bound to get into serious trouble, but Elphinore will always be by his side to protect him.
I loved this story so much! It's the perfect blend of ordinary everyday things and magical creatures and enchanted lands. Clay and Elphinore have some wild adventures and find both friends and enemies in the woods. Clay's sisters even come along for some adventures, and his parents get involved when the elves come looking for their missing dog.
The writing is excellent with great pacing. It really draws you into the story and keeps you reading into the night.
The setting is so imaginative and beautifully weird. You just never know what strange creature will appear in the woods, or whether you might find a wishing lake or a crumbling tower or an ancient stone giant.
I loved all the characters! Clay and his family are all dealing with the pandemic in different ways. It was so interesting to see the family dynamic between all these complex characters. His big sister is angry at the whole world and sulks all day in the dark of her room. His little sister wants everything to be neat and tidy and controlled all the time, as if she can control her fears if she can control her environment. His parents are worried about money, since his mom lost her job because of businesses closing down. They are all struggling in their own ways, but in the end, they are a united family. And then this magic hound comes bounding into their lives and changes everything!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I loved this story so much! It's the perfect blend of ordinary everyday things and magical creatures and enchanted lands. Clay and Elphinore have some wild adventures and find both friends and enemies in the woods. Clay's sisters even come along for some adventures, and his parents get involved when the elves come looking for their missing dog.
The writing is excellent with great pacing. It really draws you into the story and keeps you reading into the night.
The setting is so imaginative and beautifully weird. You just never know what strange creature will appear in the woods, or whether you might find a wishing lake or a crumbling tower or an ancient stone giant.
I loved all the characters! Clay and his family are all dealing with the pandemic in different ways. It was so interesting to see the family dynamic between all these complex characters. His big sister is angry at the whole world and sulks all day in the dark of her room. His little sister wants everything to be neat and tidy and controlled all the time, as if she can control her fears if she can control her environment. His parents are worried about money, since his mom lost her job because of businesses closing down. They are all struggling in their own ways, but in the end, they are a united family. And then this magic hound comes bounding into their lives and changes everything!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
June 10, 2025
The writing is pretty accessible but the characters sound really robotic most times. When the characters sound like this, I stop caring about the story.
February 8, 2025
What happens when Clay finds a dog he names Elphinore? At first timid, the two bond as Elphinore learns how fun life with a boy can be. As they play in the woods, Clay meets a new boy Amos . Amos knows some of Elphinore's secrets like who she belongs to and where she is from.
Not only a story about Clay, Elphinore and Amos, this is a story about Clay's own family. An unnamed disease (that may remind some of the early 2020s COVID pandemic) has forced everyone to stay home. Clay's mother has lost her job and his older sister DiRossi is a sullen and moody teenager upset with the world. When she finds out about Clay and Amos's friendship, will she become a friend or a foe?
Take the magic of Midsummer's Eve from Astrid Lindgren's The Children of Noisy Village and put it in a coming of age story like Holly Black's Doll Bones. Put it in a 2020s realistic fiction setting. Add a boy and his dog's adventures animal story, the science fiction of a few creatures from an other world within our own world (i.e. A World Below) and a few illustrations to get the perfect book to gift to a book loving, avid reading pre-tween or tween in your life. This is one that they may treasure in the years to come.
Not only a story about Clay, Elphinore and Amos, this is a story about Clay's own family. An unnamed disease (that may remind some of the early 2020s COVID pandemic) has forced everyone to stay home. Clay's mother has lost her job and his older sister DiRossi is a sullen and moody teenager upset with the world. When she finds out about Clay and Amos's friendship, will she become a friend or a foe?
Take the magic of Midsummer's Eve from Astrid Lindgren's The Children of Noisy Village and put it in a coming of age story like Holly Black's Doll Bones. Put it in a 2020s realistic fiction setting. Add a boy and his dog's adventures animal story, the science fiction of a few creatures from an other world within our own world (i.e. A World Below) and a few illustrations to get the perfect book to gift to a book loving, avid reading pre-tween or tween in your life. This is one that they may treasure in the years to come.
February 6, 2025
I liked this, but at times it seemed scattered. (For example, it was a little weird that we got a couple of chapters from DiRossi's perspective.) I did like the imagination of the fantasy world but wished we got to see more.
I think this is a 3.5 for me. I will say, this might be a good book to give someone looking for a shorter fantasy read. (Plus it's a bonus that it's a Newberry Honor book.)
I think this is a 3.5 for me. I will say, this might be a good book to give someone looking for a shorter fantasy read. (Plus it's a bonus that it's a Newberry Honor book.)
Read
January 29, 2024What a joy to read! I am grateful to the Newbery Committee for putting this book on my radar. I can't wait to share it with young people!
April 3, 2023
A magical middle-grade book that merges the boundaries of reality and fantasy. When a special dog catches the attention of a young boy in the woods, it can be said they are bound to end up together. What's strange is that the dog doesn't look or behave ordinary at all! It seems to walk through the walls, doesn't understand the fetch ball game and most of all is of a breed never seen before. From there starts the adventure of these two that takes them exploring the gains, mountains, owl heads and much more.
I loved how cute and cozy this book made me feel. This was one of those books that had a good storyline, with a decent amount of pages. Would love to gift this to my niece. Though it's for middle-graders I like that they have not made everything seem too easy and also convey the message 'everything worth keeping in life, comes at a price'.
Genre: #middlegrade #fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @candlewickpress and @_mtanderson for the Digital ARC book.
I loved how cute and cozy this book made me feel. This was one of those books that had a good storyline, with a decent amount of pages. Would love to gift this to my niece. Though it's for middle-graders I like that they have not made everything seem too easy and also convey the message 'everything worth keeping in life, comes at a price'.
Genre: #middlegrade #fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @candlewickpress and @_mtanderson for the Digital ARC book.
Read
April 25, 2023DNF. No rating because I didn't finish it.
However, what I did: clever, different, about a boy, a strange dog and an unusual fantasy world. In this case, the boy doesn't fall into a hall, find a closet to another dimension, or similar - a little and fantastic dog appears in HIS world and slowly draws him into another...
I think the ten-year old me would have loved it - and I still do read children's books, for all ages - but this one just wasn't for me.
No rating.
However, what I did: clever, different, about a boy, a strange dog and an unusual fantasy world. In this case, the boy doesn't fall into a hall, find a closet to another dimension, or similar - a little and fantastic dog appears in HIS world and slowly draws him into another...
I think the ten-year old me would have loved it - and I still do read children's books, for all ages - but this one just wasn't for me.
No rating.
May 10, 2023
Timely, timeless, magical story for all of us that have had a special connection with the animals we love. M.T. Anderson has provided the perfect answer to the "Can you recommend a great read aloud?" question that librarians are so frequently asked. Read it. Then read it to your students/kids/anyone who will listen.
July 8, 2025
William Allen White 2025 ✅
A fantastical story of living among other worlds. Clay (human head) ends up discovering a royal dog that was left behind when his owners went back to their realm. Elphinore leads him to another magical world with Owl Heads. There are unwritten, unknown rules that Clay has to figure out. Unfortunately, the other worlds can follow Clay back to his world. And they want their dog back.
The imagination can run wild with this one if you just open your mind!
A fantastical story of living among other worlds. Clay (human head) ends up discovering a royal dog that was left behind when his owners went back to their realm. Elphinore leads him to another magical world with Owl Heads. There are unwritten, unknown rules that Clay has to figure out. Unfortunately, the other worlds can follow Clay back to his world. And they want their dog back.
The imagination can run wild with this one if you just open your mind!
July 19, 2024
Set in the time of the great sickness (i.e. the pandemic), this story about a boy named Clay crosses between the every day world of online school, quarantines, and world-wide uncertainty that we all remember, and the magical world of the forest, where all manner of creatures exist. I listened to the audio version of this book, and the narrator's rendition of Clay's sister DiRossi made me laugh every time. This story is about adventure, family, home, and most importantly, friendship. Looking forward to reading this one in book club (grades 2 - 4) soon.
January 3, 2025
4.75 rounded up to 5
June 26, 2025
Just not my cup of tea, but young readers will probably like it.
February 5, 2024
Kids that love when fantastical worlds meet reality will really enjoy this descriptive story.
January 25, 2024
This was a cute, fast read. I can see how young readers will really enjoy it.
I don't really see why it was a Newbery Honor book . . .
I don't really see why it was a Newbery Honor book . . .
May 26, 2024
Pre-teen Clay finds a magical dog in the woods near his home. Because of the pandemic, everyone is in lockdown, so he doesn't get to play with his friends - he's stuck with his sisters. So, a dog is a great thing! But this dog was left behind when the People Under the Mountain ventured to the surface on a hunt. Now, as Clay wanders the woods with "Elphinore" he is led to hidden places that exist alongside Clay's community, but which humans can't see. There he meets a boy with an Owl's Head, and the two become fast friends. But Amos (the Owl Head boy) knows that if they are discovered, Clay's family will be cursed and Amos will be punished.
M.T. Anderson weaves a pandemic story that was not as weird as I expected. His world-building - within the human world - made sense. I loved the side characters, the sleeping giant was my favorite, and the story was a lot of fun. Who hasn't dreamed of stepping off a path in the woods and entering a whole other world? Junyi Wu's illustrations were plentiful and expressive. A great read for either upper elementary or middle school.
M.T. Anderson weaves a pandemic story that was not as weird as I expected. His world-building - within the human world - made sense. I loved the side characters, the sleeping giant was my favorite, and the story was a lot of fun. Who hasn't dreamed of stepping off a path in the woods and entering a whole other world? Junyi Wu's illustrations were plentiful and expressive. A great read for either upper elementary or middle school.
February 28, 2024
Elf Dog & Owl Head is a fantasy story about a boy that traverses between his world that is amidst the Covid crisis and another fantasy world. In this fantasy world the boy makes a few friends; a dog and an owl headed boy.
I read this book because it won a Newbery honors award this year. Upon finishing the story... I don't get it... this story felt so jumpy and unfocused. I'm not sure which of the worlds I was supposed to care about. At first, I thought that maybe I just don't appreciate a fantasy story, but I don't think that's it at all. I think that this story is just average at best. Maybe it just got tons of bonus points for being set in the middle of the Covid pandemic??
I read this book because it won a Newbery honors award this year. Upon finishing the story... I don't get it... this story felt so jumpy and unfocused. I'm not sure which of the worlds I was supposed to care about. At first, I thought that maybe I just don't appreciate a fantasy story, but I don't think that's it at all. I think that this story is just average at best. Maybe it just got tons of bonus points for being set in the middle of the Covid pandemic??
January 27, 2024
I adore this book! It is weird and inventive and relatable and did I mention weird? There is an absolutely perfect passage, a tiny bit of eeriness, and ✨ m a g i c ✨.
February 21, 2024
What a strange and delightful little book. Would make an excellent read-aloud.
May 28, 2024
Elf Dog and Owl Head
Written by M.T. Anderson
Illustrated by Junyi Wu
Published by Walker Books
As soon as I saw this book cover I found my interest piqued, the illustrations were so good that I needed to bump it up my TBR pile.I took this book on holiday and by the time we stopped for
a comfort break I was already half way through.
A magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever.
As soon as you start this book you discover that it is set during a pandemic.And of course I had COVID in the back of my mind the whole time, there are plenty of references to the pandemic, home schooling, not meeting anyone outside of your household and the daily fight over the computer, so everyone who reads this will have some experience of having to isolate.
Clay was a really interesting main character, and it was interesting to see how his relationship with Elphinore developed over the book and how the dog became his whole world. I really liked Amos the owl boy, and when he was first introduced the picture of him took me by surprise. I would personally like a story with Amos as the main character.
The illustrations were really good and brought the story to life.
Written by M.T. Anderson
Illustrated by Junyi Wu
Published by Walker Books
As soon as I saw this book cover I found my interest piqued, the illustrations were so good that I needed to bump it up my TBR pile.I took this book on holiday and by the time we stopped for
a comfort break I was already half way through.
A magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever.
As soon as you start this book you discover that it is set during a pandemic.And of course I had COVID in the back of my mind the whole time, there are plenty of references to the pandemic, home schooling, not meeting anyone outside of your household and the daily fight over the computer, so everyone who reads this will have some experience of having to isolate.
Clay was a really interesting main character, and it was interesting to see how his relationship with Elphinore developed over the book and how the dog became his whole world. I really liked Amos the owl boy, and when he was first introduced the picture of him took me by surprise. I would personally like a story with Amos as the main character.
The illustrations were really good and brought the story to life.
July 6, 2023
06/29/2023 || Elf Dog and Owl Head by M.T. Anderson
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author and myself.
All of my thoughts are my own~
This was such a precious (audio) book. 4.5 stars for sure!
I loved the mix of magical realism and tackling the very real, very distressing realities of what covid and the lockdowns meant for some of the more younger family members. This book was not shy to talk about how when one of the main characters, Clay's, mom lost her job and needed to rely on growing food in the garden. Or how isolated Clay felt from his friends and only could visit them over webcams and doing schoolwork at home.
Truly loved those elements, and don't get me started on Elphinore! Elphinore,the Bulgarian Elf Hound gets separated from her hunting pack after The People From Under the Mountain decide to let the royal hunting hounds pursue the giant wyrm beast into the human realm. Clay finds and is immediately attached to this new, interesting dog who's fur is milky white and ears are the most brilliant shade of red. The two are almost inseparable the entire story and both desperately desire adventure, and adventures they have!
Elphinore has the ability to see the paths between the magic realm and the human realm and begins to show Clay the world in the woods hes never seen before. Eventually the whole family gets a taste of magic thanks to the Elf Hound and become all the more closer because of her!
Me and my kiddo adored this audio-book, the narrator was a treat to listen to and the story was so wholesome and heartwarming and full of so much magic. Again, I loved seeing how current times of the pandemic was interwoven into this tale in a way for the target audience (children) to relate and navigate such a heavy time.
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author and myself.
All of my thoughts are my own~
This was such a precious (audio) book. 4.5 stars for sure!
I loved the mix of magical realism and tackling the very real, very distressing realities of what covid and the lockdowns meant for some of the more younger family members. This book was not shy to talk about how when one of the main characters, Clay's, mom lost her job and needed to rely on growing food in the garden. Or how isolated Clay felt from his friends and only could visit them over webcams and doing schoolwork at home.
Truly loved those elements, and don't get me started on Elphinore! Elphinore,the Bulgarian Elf Hound gets separated from her hunting pack after The People From Under the Mountain decide to let the royal hunting hounds pursue the giant wyrm beast into the human realm. Clay finds and is immediately attached to this new, interesting dog who's fur is milky white and ears are the most brilliant shade of red. The two are almost inseparable the entire story and both desperately desire adventure, and adventures they have!
Elphinore has the ability to see the paths between the magic realm and the human realm and begins to show Clay the world in the woods hes never seen before. Eventually the whole family gets a taste of magic thanks to the Elf Hound and become all the more closer because of her!
Me and my kiddo adored this audio-book, the narrator was a treat to listen to and the story was so wholesome and heartwarming and full of so much magic. Again, I loved seeing how current times of the pandemic was interwoven into this tale in a way for the target audience (children) to relate and navigate such a heavy time.
January 19, 2025
One thing about me is that I love a weird book. I was surprised to see elements of Fae folklore in the worldbuilding, but the People Under the Mountain resembled the Seelie Court and the other creatures in the forest resembled the Unseelie Court. The worldbuilding was phenomenal, and it propelled the story forward. While I do agree that the plot was rather simplistic and the ending sloppy, it still handles the real-world issues of the pandemic in a way that is approachable for middle grades readers.
At the end of the day, this is a story about friendship, and not just about the magical adventures of a boy and his dog, and I enjoyed the ending immensely because of how it highlighted the friendship between Clay, Elphinore, and Amos within the setting of the magical lake.
This would be a fantastic book for a classroom or bedtime read-aloud, and the illustrations are just the cherry on top. The flavor of this book I would have to describe as being very similar to Holly Black's novels.
At the end of the day, this is a story about friendship, and not just about the magical adventures of a boy and his dog, and I enjoyed the ending immensely because of how it highlighted the friendship between Clay, Elphinore, and Amos within the setting of the magical lake.
This would be a fantastic book for a classroom or bedtime read-aloud, and the illustrations are just the cherry on top. The flavor of this book I would have to describe as being very similar to Holly Black's novels.
February 18, 2024
This was unexpected and felt very much like a classic fantasy in the vein of “The Dark is Rising” but with a twist. This is set during the pandemic so that gives it such a specific sense of time. The parents in the background being worried about money and jobs is so interesting and the kids not caring one bit feels spot on. This is a story of a boy and his dog, but the dog used to belong to magical people “from under the mountain” and therefore leads the protagonist and his sisters on some adventures into other magical worlds they wouldn’t normally have been able to visit. But the magical adventures also stay so close to home. The boy befriends another boy (who has an owl’s head) and they just play in the woods. The older sister tries to befriend a grumpy depressed giant. If you’ve read Anderson’s Brangwain Spurge book I think the otherworldly characters feel very familiar and very specific to his style. (4+ hours)
May 21, 2024
There’s a fold that exists between the human world and the Owl Head universe, and a spirited elf hound bridges the gap between the two when she befriends, and then frankly, loves Clay. Their adventures lead to a friendship with an owl head boy named Amos. However, this friendship is forbidden and their adventures are monitored with interest. I just loved this book for the adventure and big hearted writing Elphinore pursues a dangerous worm like creature into the human world and they will meet again. I enjoyed Di’Rossi, the self-absorbed, angst-ridden teen who meets her self in an apathetic tree ogre. I also enjoyed the brightness of Juniper and her deft save that will later make a difference. The book reaches a climax at Midsummer’s Eve where fey and folk need to reach a resolution. Wonderful book.
September 27, 2023
Sorta a 3.5
There are moments of sharp charity, but in general the two older kids were a bit mean-spirited for me to enjoy spending time with. I think my kids were uncommonly great, because although they argued they always came from a core belief that their brother was a great person. These kids have to learn that their siblings are maybe tolerable even if they are ugh, related.
I liked how the Elf Dog was completely a dog, and how the boy's love veered into selfishness very realistically. And how Amos told the truth even when it was undiplomatic, and how his loyalty never wavered. I like how Anderson's cheap trick with the dog collar paid off so perfectly.
There are moments of sharp charity, but in general the two older kids were a bit mean-spirited for me to enjoy spending time with. I think my kids were uncommonly great, because although they argued they always came from a core belief that their brother was a great person. These kids have to learn that their siblings are maybe tolerable even if they are ugh, related.
I liked how the Elf Dog was completely a dog, and how the boy's love veered into selfishness very realistically. And how Amos told the truth even when it was undiplomatic, and how his loyalty never wavered. I like how Anderson's cheap trick with the dog collar paid off so perfectly.
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