Gretchen CarlsonIt was the title that caught me—How to Steal a Dog—and the first page to the last captured my heart.
Georgina’s life crashes when her father leaves. Her family is evicted from their apartment, so Georgina, her brother, and mother begin to live in a car. Georgina tries to pretend their lives are normal at school; however, as the weeks go by she loses her friends and her grades drop. Author Barbar O’Connor gives the reader a taste of poverty as Georgina brushes her teeth and rinses clothes in fast food bathrooms.
Although Georgina’s mother works two jobs to scrape enough money for rent, the weeks go by and Georgina becomes desperate to help. She sees an old Dog Wanted poster and reads the reward is five hundred dollar. Georgina hatches a plan: She can steal a dog and claim the reward money.
Even though her motive is to help her mother, Georgina wrestles with her conscience. This book lends itself to great conversations about right and wrong actions. It’s a wonderful family or classroom read aloud.
Author Barbar O’Connor gives the reader a taste of poverty through the eyes of an adolescent girl, and the reader feels Georgina’s frustrations. How to Steal a Dog is an eye-opener to the effects of poverty, but it does not bury the reader with sadness. The characters are real and delightful, and the surprise twist at the end is heartwarming.
This book is marketed to middle grade and young teens, but I believe most adults would enjoy it. It’s a quick read with 188 pages.
Amazon ratings:
Reading age 8-11
Grade level 3-7
Very clean. No violence or language issues.
I’d love to know what book you’ve enjoyed most this summer. Please leave a comment. OR…is there a book you’re curious about? I’ll read it and send you a review. Happy Summer Reading!
Gretchen Carlson Email: gretchencarlsonwriter@gmail.com
Elise Haroldson
Carol Eaton
Sounds like a great read! I very intrigued!
It tackles so many issues that creep into relationships such as jealousy, entitlement or insecurity. Above all, it’s a heartwarming story and lends itself to discussions in book clubs or classrooms.
Another great read to add to my TBR pile! With all of the Storyteller Squad reviews, I’m getting quite a long list. 🙂 Great review. Thanks for sharing.