My Dog Skip

by Willie Morris

This classic story of a boy, a dog, and small-town America is "a rich experience all around.... Skip turns out to be a dog worth writing about.... I'd take him home in a shot" ( The New York Times Book Review).

In 1943 in a sleepy town on the banks of the Yazoo River, a boy fell in love with a puppy with a lively gait and an intelligent way of listening. The two grew up together having the most wonderful adventures. My Dog Skip belongs on the same shelf as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Russell Baker's Growing Up. It will enchant readers of all ages for years to come.

A major motion picture form Warner Brothers, starring Kevin Bacon, Diane Lane, Luke Wilson, Frankie Muniz, and "Eddie" from the TV show Frasier (as Skip), and produced by Mark Johnson ( Rain Man).

Genres: Memoir, Animals, Nonfiction, Dogs, Coming Of Age, Childrens, Biography Memoir

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

William Weaks "Willie" Morris (November 29, 1934 — August 2, 1999), was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' trademark was his lyrical prose style and reflections on the American South, particularly the Mississippi Delta. In 1967 he became the youngest editor of Harper's Magazine. He wrote several works of fiction and non-fiction, including his seminal book North Toward Home, as well as My Dog Skip.

Reviews

[Carolyn Wada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure why this book is shelved as juvenile fiction in my local library. It reads like a memoir aimed at readers who are also looking back on childhood over a space of some years. It is not plot-driven: if I were to say, "boy gets dog; then they do this; then they do that; then they see this . . . " it wouldn't spoil anything. It also wouldn't accurately describe the book. The book is a reflection of a life grown up in the Deep South, during World War II and its aftermath, with a constant canine companion adding layers of fun and comfort and memories the whole way through.

While viewing the movie "How to Train Your Dragon," I kept tapping my boyfriend in the arm and hissing my cat's name--because the main dragon's mannerisms kept reminding me of my cat. "My Dog Skip" didn't tell me the exact size, shape, coloring, markings, or coat texture of Skip--but I had no problem visualizing him in various moods and situations, because his mannerisms were described with such sweet clarity. Skip insinuated himself so deeply into his master's memory that 40 years (and a distinguished writing career) later, Mr. Morris could still see and show me Skip more clearly than a home movie could.

I laughed out loud several times and bawled at the end--as I often do at the end of dog books, and for the usual reason. A dog always goes too soon from constant steadying presence to lifelong memory.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a dear little book. So well written & so touching. I felt as though I had a grandfather telling me the story about his beloved dog Skip & their adventures growing up together, his voice a soothing symphony in my ear through out. That's how sweet & charming this little book is. It takes you back to a simpler time, an almost organic time in history. When summer meant swimming in the town's lake, playing baseball with the neighborhood kids, & paying a nickel to watch the Saturday matinee. When coca cola came in glass bottles shaped like a curvy woman & the quiet times were spent napping under a shady tree with your dog until your parents called you in for supper. It's the sweetest memoir about the sweetest dog, but it's also about growing up along the fringes of war, about a small Mississippi town & most of all about the deep friendships that shape us. It may sound a bit corny but it isn't, the author has a lovely, simple, but poetic way of writing that flows easily & isn't too over the top. It just makes you feel good. And it makes you smile. And maybe long for a dog. And perhaps watch reruns of The Wonder Years. All good things.

[Clarinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was originally written on my blog in July 2007.

I was inspired to read this book after watching the movie, My Dog Skip. The movie was a sad story about a boy and his dog. Willie was a lonely boys with no friends, so his Mom bought him a puppy for his 9th birthday, in the hopes that he would become his best friend. It worked, of course, and Willie and Skip became inseparable!

The book, however, tells quite a different story! The book, by the way, is a true story while the movie is merely based on the book. In actuality, the Willie in the book, was quite a popular kid. True, Skip became his best friend, but certainly not his only friend. Once you get past the completely different portrayal of Willie Morris, this book was actually quite good.

It primarily takes place in a small town in Mississippi during WWII. The description of the adventures that Willie and Skip embarked on is quite vivid. I really felt that I was a part of this quiet little town.

It also was very interesting to read about this particular period of time. A time before video games and the Internet. A time when boys and dogs were free to roam around town. A time when everyone knew everyone in town. It was a very reminiscent account of a time that I am so removed from and that I will never experience.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willie Morris, former editor of Harper’s, writes poignantly about his childhood during the 1940’s in a small Southern town with his beloved dog, Skip. Beautifully written, this book brings a bygone era to life and will pull at your heartstrings.

This was the last book written by Morris who passed away in 1999. Anyone who has loved a dog would enjoy this heartfelt tribute.

[Vita · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another one of those cute boy-dog "relationships" that I really enjoyed reading about.

[Cliff · Rating 3 out of 5]

This slim volume is really just a collection of anecdotes to reminisce and pay tribute to the memory of a beloved family dog. A few snapshots of the old Skip would have contributed to the realism of the story and the believability that a talented fox terrier once existed. We'll just have to take the biographer's word on it. The movie adaptation doesn't really support this because Skip becomes a Jack Russell terrier in his cinematic version. I guess pictures of the real Skip wouldn't have helped promote the movie either.

The book would have been an opportunity to depict and capture the spirit of the 1940's idyllic life on rural Missouri town when children and their dogs could easily and freely roam the town streets and forest wilderness without care, restraint and fear of sexual predators, before even the onset of big malls and housing developments, but Mr. Morris chose to focus on the time he spend with Skip and their more memorable adventures and misadventures together.

It was a time of a lot of growing up and learning to do in full innocence. The dog served as a childhood companion to alleviate loneliness and boredom. There were episodes that made mentioned of Skip’s close brushes of death, accidents and misadventures, to describe him as a mischievous and energetic canine, but not a destructive animal. There were baseball and football matches he was allowed to participate in, and I think the most memorable was when he was made to pretend to drive a car to fool the town folks. The dog, in a word, was a town fixture, loved by everyone.

It was also the end of summertime and the end of childhood as well. By the end of the book, Skip has grown old, lived a full dog’s life, just as he is almost out grown by the now young adult owner who has gone off to college. And so we bid adieu to Skip and share a little of the author’s nostalgia.

I guess one would have been compelled to write a book if one owned a memorable dog like Skip. The book, however, doesn’t delve into an in depth exploration of the characters involved or the time and place to form a more cohesive narrative of a thrilling adventure story ala Huck Finn or The Call of the Wild or other dog stories in order to build up a full true-to-life story with a poignant and unforgettable ending.

Perhaps this brief book’s message is remind us yet again that our stay on this earth is but a short and temporary one, may it be measured in human or in dog years.

[Sky · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate this book more than I hate myself. After I get my grade, I am literally burning this book. The last two chapters are sweet but the rest is boring and sometimes racist.

[Filipa Ribeiro Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um rapaz e o seu cão, história universal de amor e lealdade, passada numa cidadezinha do sul da América nos anos 40. Lembrou-me as histórias que a minha mãe contava sobre o Pati, um cão que teve na juventude, com as tropelias, o sentido de orientação e sensibilidade e a extrema inteligência. E uma liberdade para circular e asneirar que hoje as crianças e jovens já não têm.

[Lis Carey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet, gentle memoir of a boy and his dog, growing up in 1940s rural Mississippi. Willie's parents get a fox terrier puppy when Willie is nine, and Willie and Skip quickly become best friends. In an earlier time and in a small town where everyone knows everyone, they're free to roam all day during the summer months, with friends and on their own, having adventures and playing pranks that sixty years later, would not be tolerated.

There is no plot here. There isn't supposed to be a plot. Morris simply reminisces about his dog and his friends, in no particular chronological order. They play football (Skip too!), have chinaberry wars, and make silly bets, such as Willie and Skip spending a night in the cemetery. Kids started driving the family car early, and Willie teaches Skip to sit with his paws on the wheel, so that at opportune moments Willie can duck out of sight and make it look like Skip is driving.

They (Willie and Skip) travel on the bus to see Willie's grandparents, attend Boy Scout camp, and do any number of other things you'd be hard pressed to get permission to include your dog in today. It's not really true that the 1940s were a simpler time; there was a world war, and a host of social issues, almost entirely un-noted in this book, that were about to boil to the surface. It was a different time, though, and childhood was in some respects freer and less complicated. Morris does a wonderful job of capturing that feeling of innocence and freedom, and childhood adventures and pranks that were still possible in my own childhood in the fifties and sixties, but are largely gone from childhood now.

The language is rich and beautiful, too, though perhaps a bit challenging for the children likely to be pointed at this book because it's about a child and a dog. This is more intended for those of us who remember our own childhoods, than for those still experiencing theirs.

Recommended.

I borrowed this book from the library.

[David Doty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book before, but pulled it off the shelf again as I prepared to put down our 12-year-old golden retriever. This short memoir contains some of the most beautiful and touching writing I have read anywhere, and whether or not you own a dog or love dogs, it is still worth the time.

Describing his childhood growing up in rural Mississippi during World War II, Willie Morris, an only child, shares his boyhood experiences with his beloved dog in a way that is not only full of warmth and humanity, but that is also a spot on portrayal of the bond that can develop between humans and their pets.

Growing up, and watching our dogs age with us, is bittersweet, and Morris captures the emotions perfectly.

[H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Schmaltzy overwritten memoir of a boy and his dog in 1940s Mississippi.

[Paul Reidy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had watched the movie when my kids were young. It is the type of yarn that I liked for them back then and I suppose the type that I like too. A boy and his dog and growing up in a small town. The movie was narrated and the voice of Willie Morris as I read this is familiar. The story is not exactly the same and has no real plot, other than to speak of what they got up to as kids, but that is fine and it works well across only 118 pages. I would put it beside, Robert James Waller’s “Old Songs from a New Cafe”, W.P. Kinsella’s “Shoeless Joe” (better known as Field of Dreams) and Norman Mclean’s “A River Runs Through It”. Sentimental yes, but makes you smile, laugh, sigh and maybe a tear at the end.

[Maeve Harrington · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet short story about a boy and his childhood dog. Very nostalgic and enjoyable to read:)

[PB · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-read memoir for anyone who has ever loved a dog

[Mackenzie L, 5 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My dog skip written by Willie Morris is a book about his childhood dog, Skip. Willie had always had hunting dogs but skip wasn’t like a normal dog he could play football, he would listen. Skip was more like a brother then a dog. This book was fun to read because it was about the author. SO I got a inside look on what it was like for a boy during world war two. This book was harder to get through even though it was short. It had some parts that I was confused about. But overall I enjoyed this book. One of my favorite parts was when he was talking about how he could drive at a young age around town. But the best part is when he drove by one store or something he would lay back and it would look like the dog was driving. I connected to this book because I had a dog that was a very good listener like skip. I also like dogs so I enjoyed reading about one. The theme I got from this book is that you should never forget a best friend. I go this because skip was Willie's best friend but when skip died he had to move on and he eventually forgot about skip until he found a picture of him.

[James Vachowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiography tells the story of Willie Morris, a 9-year-old boy growing up in rural Yazoo City, Mississippi. When Willie falls in love with a lively puppy named Skip, the two of them grow up together in a small town which seems to have no shortage of adventures. Although this book is more of a reflection on the author’s childhood than it is a plot-driven story, I’d still have no hesitation recommending it to young readers. After all, reading a memoir like “My Dog Skip” will invariably cause children to think about the imminent responsibilities of life in the real world, as well as how they’d like to remember the present. If you love dogs (and who doesn’t?), I’d recommend you order a copy today.

[Sharon Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nostalgic trip through the idyllic memories of a boy and his dog growing up in Mississippi in the 1940's.


“Thy had buried him under our elm tree, they said -- yet this was not totally true. For he really lay buried in my heart.”
― Willie Morris, My Dog Skip

[T. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the best...

One of my favorite books of all times! Our dogs are family. We grow and learn through them and we become each other if we are lucky. My dogs are always with me no matter how long ago they passed. This book proves it. The first Willie Morris book I've read.

[Cece · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reflective story of a young boy in the 1940s in rural Mississippi and his dog, Skip. The author reminiscences and sharing stories and adventures him and his best friend would take. This was a mostly light hearted story while in this troubled time war, race relations and poverty were not too far away. A quick read that will bring a smile to your face and maybe a few tears in your eyes. My first read of Willie Morris but am looking forward to reading more.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A loving homage to a childhood friend, companion and protector. Willie and his dog Skip had many adventures and escapades growing up in a small town in Mississippi in the mid 1940s-1950s. Moving short memoir that had realistic descriptions and observations of a small southern town including racial disparities. Skip was brilliant, courageous, loyal, cunning, adventurous and an important well-known community member. Passing this one to my Mom and a favorite uncle who lives in Mississippi.

[Daneel Konnar · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I’ve read written by Willie Morris — this is my attempt to read more books by MS authors, and I was not disappointed. Willie has a unique way of storytelling — a way of making the reader feel like as though they personally know the main characters. I truly felt like I knew Willie and Skip while reading the book; I now look forward to watching the movie.

[Wolf Ostheeren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully slow and quiet book. It really made me feel the southern small-town 30's/40's- and being a boy with a trusted canine companion. Not very close to what I remember from the movie though, it should probably be read for its own merits and less because you enjoyed the film version.

[Katie Plum Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet memoir of a delta boy and his dog. I’m writing this now as I had just sobbed. Very lighthearted and sweet to read of companionship with a dog. There also is so fun reading about a place where you’ve been and lived from a different time.

[Adonnica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet. The author and his wife lived in the house that sits next door to my daughter in Jackson, MS, so I’ve been eager to read this ❤️

[Jessica Rosner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve wanted to read this book since I saw the movie about Skip, the wonder dog. The book is much more gentle than the movie. Willie Morris had the sort of childhood I’m not sure exists anymore. He grew up, an only child, in Missouri in a small (10,000 people) mixed race town. Skip was as much his friend as his human companions.
There were issues, WW11 among them. But Willie and Skip were largely untouched. Kids and Skip were left to their own devices for huge swaths of time. Days for playing ball, for seeing movies, getting into trouble. His parents were loving and supportive but they had their own lives. There were no arranged play dates, very few rules about where kids could or could not go.
And Skip was indeed a special dog. Smart, energetic, loyal, funny, adventurous. It’s a beautifully written memoir without any message.
A boy and his dog. A boy and his family. A boy and his friends.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willie Morris remembers how, when he was nine years old, a puppy he called Skip came into his life. Skip became his canine constant companion and his memories of their adventures fill this book with a series of mental images that can get you laughing, cringing, smiling, shaking your head and occasionally amazed at the duo's audacity. It's not a series of stories as much as memories - no need to detract from the subject while other details. And it works so well.

The fact that they lived in a small town at a time kids (and dogs) could roam as they pleased, needing to be home for a specific meal or dark their only constraint, adds to the appeal. And Skip is Willie's special dog - energetic, intelligent, willing to explore, unfortunately, most anything.

Read, enjoy. This story struck some sentimental chords in me which finally pushed it to 5 stars.

[Sharon Ryan · Rating 1 out of 5]

A disappointment. I read it many years ago for a school report. I had to read a book about some kind of animal and write a report. There wasn't anything much available in English so I had to settle on this. The title should have been "I was a total jerk as a kid and I just happened to have a dog." After reading the book I was so disappointed that I went and spoke to the teacher and got permission to write my report based on a genetic mutations book and how it also applies to animals.

[Stephen Wallace · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute little vignettes tied together with no arc. Just didn't do it for me. Like someone just wrote memories they would like to have if they lived way back then with a dog. There are too many good true stories about great dogs. And more good books like Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern grows that are truly great stories. I would suggest putting it way down on your list of books to read. Sorry Willie Morris, good effort as the writing is good, but really needs to have gone somewhere.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "My Dog Skip" was truly one of the best books I have ever read. The book was a short and easy read but the adventure that a boy and his dog goes through is hilarious and heart breaking both at the same time. I absolutely loved this book and advise everyone to read it!

[Julie]

Thoroughly enjoyed this little book. It transported me right away to a more simple, laid back time and was sweetly descriptive without being treacly.