DWJ: Dogsbody

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I'm skipping yesterday's topic of favorite supporting character because it's impossible and anyway I'm behind.  Right then, on to Dogsbody!

Sirius (yes, the star) has been exiled for a crime he didn't commit, sentenced to live on Earth in a mortal creature's body.  If he can find the thing he lost, he can go free, but otherwise he will die like any other mortal creature.  Naturally, he is born as a dog!  Sirius bonds with his owner Kathleen, lives a dog's life (in both senses), and looks for the Zoi, but it's starting to look like he's been set up.

This is such a funky and pun-filled premise, and DWJ pulls it off beautifully.  It all links up.  I really like recommending this book to DWJ newbies; earlier this year I read it aloud to my semi-reluctant-reader daughter, age 10, and she loved it.  I gave it to a friend looking for read-alouds for his class, and they loved it.  Success!

It's a dog story and not a dog story, which is fun.  I don't particularly care for dogs myself, and I really don't care for dog stories, but this is certainly an exception.  And I am pretty tickled by the fact that at the end, the dog dies...but he doesn't die at all.  I think DWJ was doing a bit of poking at traditional dog stories, don't you?  (Maybe not though.  The dog story where the dog dies at the end does seem to be a particularly American phenomenon.)

In other news, have you all heard about the DWJ conference that will happen in Newcastle in September?  Any British readers should go and report back to those of us who can't pop over for the weekend.

Also, I'm now reading Changeover and it's pretty fun.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 12, 2014 at 4:52 PM

    My favorite thing about Dogsbody is how Sirius develops a rapport with the cats after a while. I like it when they team up to do things.

    ReplyDelete
  2. JeanMarch 13, 2014 at 8:57 AM

    Yep, that is very fun. I love how they talk to each other and make that alliance.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kristen M.March 13, 2014 at 11:26 PM

    I want to go to that conference!! It seems like they should want to have me there, you know, as the founder/host of DWJ March, right? I'll have to convince them to fly me out. ;)

    I am not a fan of animal stories either but this book won me over the first time through. I've also recommended it with success. It's not like any other animal story so I think it takes people by surprise.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JeanMarch 14, 2014 at 1:57 PM

    Kristen, actually I bet that would be a great presentation. I know they are asking for fan presentations as well as academic stuff. Maybe you should do a Kickstarter... :D

    ReplyDelete

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