Dead Dogs
Sam Quantz came into my office today to discuss a few things about Destiny. Somehow the discussion changed to books, and we started talking about Where the Red Fern Grows which we both love.
What is your favorite "dead dog" book? Old Yeller? Sounder? Where the Red Fern Grows? Something else?
Have you read Gordon Korman's book, No More Dead Dogs? It's about a boy who writes a book report indicating that he's sick of reading books where dogs die in the end, and he gets in trouble for his truthful book report.
I don't know about "dead" dogs, but one of my favorite dog books is Because of Winn Dixie. Also, I've read a couple of books based on true stories about primates that were really moving : Hurt Go Happy (about a signing chimp) and The One and Only Ivan (about a gorilla who lived in a small cage in a roadside attraction for 27 years). The latter one is new this year.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite "dead dog" books is Bigger by Patricia Calvert. It may have been a CLAU nominee the mid-90s. It's about a young boy whose father has gone off to fight in the Civil War. For some reason, the father does not come home after the war ends. So the boy leaves home to go find his father and bring him back home to the family who needs him. Along the way, a mean, mean dog whose former owner had mistreated him, starts traveling with the boy. The dog changes his nature because the boy is kind to him, and the dog protects the boy during his travels. Since this is a "dead dog" book, it's obvious what happens to the dog in the end. The boy also makes friends with a young slave boy who has been emancipated because of the war's end but who doesn't know what to do with himself because he has no place to live and no way to earn a living. I'm kind of getting tears in my eyes just writing this---this book really is touching.
ReplyDeleteThe Underneath
ReplyDeleteThis one's not a dead dog book, but an abused dog book. It will rip your heart out! The book is so sad it had me in tears more than once. It's about a dog that is chained to the porch most of the time and stays under the house. A momma cat brings her new batch of kittens under the house with the dog and they become allies against the mean man that lives inside. A great read, but a hard one. I almost don't dare recommend it to kids because I'm not sure what it will do to them.
I avoided reading The Underneath for the very reasons that you stated; I heard it was just too wrenching. I used to read Shiloh with my students when I was a classroom teacher--which is also about a dog that has been mistreated. At least Shiloh has a happy ending. :-)
DeleteWhere the Red Fern Grows is still my all time favorite. I was a student at Clayton Jr. High when Wilson Rawls wrote the book and came to do an assembly for the student body. I still remember that and still have the book he signed. I read this book to my 5th grade classes for several years and always cried at the end of the book and so did my students - even the boys.
ReplyDeleteI am going to be getting a retired seeing eye dog in a few months. I have known the dog and her owner for years and love this dog. She and I are planning on writing a book together about her life. Hopefully, it won't end up being a "postdogus"(as opposed to posthumous) book. She has had cancer twice now and is also losing her sight.
My favorite by far is Where the Red Fern Grows. I also love the 2004 movie version starring Dabney Coleman and Dave Matthews. I had no idea that Wilson Rawls lived in Idaho Falls when he wrote it. The next time we went to Idaho we took a side trip to see the statue of Billy and his dogs in front of the Idaho Falls Public Library.
ReplyDeleteI love Where the Red Fern Grows and Old Yeller, however at this time of my life I am more inclined to read "Happy in the End" type stories like Because of Winn Dixie. One of my favorite dog books is by Ruth Brown, The Ghost of GreyFriar's Bobby. It's a great picture book based on a real dog.There is a website http://greyfriarsbobby.co.uk/ and even a statue honoring this faithful little dog that guarded his master's grave for 14 years.
ReplyDeleteI also found another book that is similar to The Ghost of Grey Friar's Bobby, it's called "Hatchiko." Apparently it's been around for a while so many of you may have heard of it. I hadn't a was given the video of the story and I had to go and find the book. Usually it's the other way around.
ReplyDeleteI loved The Art of Racing in the Rain. The dog doesn't die, but...
ReplyDeleteStonefox is a killer. I love that book. I have to agree with No More Dead Dogs by Korman. It is just to heart wrenching to have those good dogs go.
ReplyDeleteRead The Art of Racing in the Rain. The dog knows something before the husband does. It's a killer moment.
ReplyDelete