Dogtown (Dogtown, #1) (2024)

I was already a fan of the main author, Katherine Applegate with her books, “Odder” and “The One and Only Ivan,” so when I saw this book, titled, “Dogtown” I immediately, thought of my Goodreads friend, Stephen Wallace, and thought, I know he must have wanted me to read this one! Since he loves reading dog-love books. Well, I was shocked he hadn’t read it yet, so, Steve, this one is for you!

This is my first opportunity to read a book, with her co-author, Gennifer Choldenko. They both boast of living in California with loyal husbands and naughty dogs. And since I do, as well, I felt I have something in common with both of them.

Although this is a cute YA novel with lovely black and white illustrations by Wallace West throughout, I was entranced at my age! And let’s just say I am a senior adult!

But I need to be honest about one thing. There is a reason I never volunteered in an animal shelter. It saddens me to know there are so many homeless animals. I would want to adopt them all, and that would not be possible!

So needless to say, entering this story, I began it with a box of Kleenex.

Our narrator is Chance, a 3-legged dog who lives at Dogtown, a shelter for homeless dogs including robot dogs.

And how he became 3-legged will become clear at some point, just as Chance was once loved by Jessie and Professor Besser first will become clear.

But for now, Dogtown is our setting. (Hence: the title of the book.)

And as Chance shares his story and the story of the other dogs in Dogtown, my heart aches.

In particular there is this one moment that Chance writes in kibble…

“I nid to b petd.”

Or…

And trying to explain missing home to his Metal Head robot dog friend, Chance says…

“How do you explain kindness to a machine with a hunk of metal where his heart should’ve been?”

The life of a dog is interestingly portrayed in the shelter. The friendships, the shenanigans, the reading days with the human children.

But there is also the heartache, too. Because there are those difficult decisions that have to be made for the elder dogs that don’t get adopted. And those dogs usually fall on the dreaded List. And we hate when that happens.

And it is interesting how the other dogs do what they can to find ways to get the humans to fall in love with the dogs that are fated for The List, by getting humans to want to adopt them. Pass the Kleenex please.

And then there is the story of Metal Head, the Robot dog who wants to go home to the boy who originally owned him. And when he does? Pass the Kleenex please.

And then there is the story of Jessie and Professor Besser who unwisely leave Chance with a negligent live-in dog sitter. Pass the Kleenex please, again.

Still, even if I blubbered through the majority of the story, which I finished in one sitting, it was truly a heart-felt story with a strong message of courage, perseverance, friendship, and empathy.

Please know, even though I cried, not all my tears were sad tears. I am just not going to tell you what kind of tears I cried, when I cried them. That would spoil the story.

The author also provided practical information in the appendix about what kids can do to help shelter dogs to stay happy and heathy while they are waiting for their forever homes.

Odder Review Here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The One and Only Ivan Review Here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The eponymous Dogtown is an animal shelter. Poor Chance, a sheltie-Australian shepherd mix, has ended up there due to an extremely negligent house-sitter. She’s been lucky, so she has escaped euthanasia so far. In this world, robot dogs have become all the rage (wouldn’t they in ours, too?), but Chance and her flesh-and-blood pals (which includes a mouse named — what else? — Mouse) aren’t having anything to do with them, even if they end up at Dogtown, as some do.

That is until Metal Head arrives. To say more is to ruin the story. I will leave you with the book’s message, penned by a robot dog: Your heart is a muscle. It grows stronger the more you use it.

Authors Gennifer Choldenko and Katherine Applegate (the latter being the genius who wrote The One and Only Ivan and its sequels), needless to say, have done an amazing job on this middle-grade novel, which is perfect for every age. And they’ve added seven tips for those of us who want to help unwanted animals in our own neighborhoods. Plus kudos to illustrator Wallace West, who totally captures the Dogtown zeitgeist.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Feiwel and Friends, and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

*libby app *

Wonderful story that will have you crying, smiling, and cursing a couple characters.

Definitely want to see more of this dog community:)

Not surprisingly, I loved this book. I say not surprisingly because so far, I've loved everything that Katherine Applegate writes. And yes, not surprisingly, I teared up at times. This was a sweet story about a three-legged dog (Chance) who finds herself at a shelter after being injured and abandoned by irresponsible pet sitters while her favorite humans were abroad. The creative bit is that robot dogs are a thing and the shelter includes both abandoned real dogs and robot dogs. Not surprisingly there is an us vs them mentality between the robot dogs and the real dogs, but the bottom line is that any of them could be "decommissioned".

An unlikely friendship develops between Chance, a robot dog (Metal Head), and a mouse (Mouse) as Chance and Metal Head seek to find their forever homes and Mouse seeks to provide for his family.

I loved that books/reading played a part in this story. Quinn's story was heartwarming and I loved Mr. Molinari. Overall, I loved this story of friendship and love, and the illustrations really added to the story. While I am more of a cat person than a dog person (I love dogs, I just don't have the mentality to care for them), I loved reading about Chance and Metal Head search for their people and would recommend this for anyone who loves animals.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Very heartwarming and wholesome. Great story for any dog lovers. Offers something a little unique too with the robotic dogs. Chance was also my favorite. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

There is always a home for every dog, real or robotic. It all takes place in a very large dog shelter known as the Dogtown shelter where it is a safe haven for abandoned and stray dogs. We follow Chance, a three-legged dog 🐕 who’s been there since her loving family left for a six-month sabbatical and put her in the unfortunate care of two terrible dogsitters that put her in danger. She slowly begins to bond with the shelter’s only robotic dog and a mouse also living there as she wonders if her family is looking for her.

It’s a really great read for pet lovers and animal lovers as its charming and emotional story, characters and message makes it a start-to-finish delight with West’s stylishly cartoony illustrations telling it well. A real wholesome dog tale. A (100%/Outstanding)

Chance is the mascot of sorts of Dogtown - an animal shelter to both real dogs and robot dogs. Obviously the real dogs aren't too keen on the robot dogs, but Chance's preconceived ideas about robot dogs will be challenged when he befriends Metal Head.

We get the back stories of the two dogs as the story unfolds. It reminds me why I love my dogs so much - whether from a shelter or rescued off the street.

This is a great book to read aloud as it has short chapters and it is high interest. There are many wonderful lessons about friendship, compassion and kindness. I knew when I first saw this one I would love it.

this touched the heart of even cynical non-dog person me, and if it can do that, I'm sure that young uncynical dog lovers will be utterly and completely in love with it!

A lovable story about what really makes Dog, either flesh & blood or robotic, man's best friend ❤️

I am nearly 70 years old and have to say this is one of the best books I have read recently and I read alot of books. Maybe this was designed for young readers, but I found it to have many important meanings and lessons that all humans should learn from. Someone is different from you, does it mean they should not have love or caring in their lives. Everyone needs to open their eyes and hearts and our world would be a much better place. I always say we can learn from our dog family members alot about love. I would recommend this book to people of all ages

Such a sweet story, especially for dog lovers

This was a very relaxing and delightful book to read; a great way to spend a snowy, chilly afternoon. And I got totally caught up in this story about a 3-legged dog, his friend the mouse and a robotic dog. Somehow they get outside the dog pound where they are living and they go on an adventure; trying to get the metal dog back to his family. But once they get outside, things do not go as planned. And that of course is the adventure. There were many adventures inside the dog pound too.

At first I had to admit I didn't like the robotic dog named Metal Head. Why? Because Chance the main character didn't like him! Odd maybe but true. And Metal Head seemed very aloof. Standoffish. He had his own ideas. But what he also had was a plan. But as Chance started to get to know him than I also started to know him and his story. Plus Chance has a story too. Like how he lost his leg and ended up in the pound.

The dog pound in here seems kind of complicated. Or to me it does anyway. Of course I have never been to a dog pound. But this one has a reading program and everything. And the dogs all do stuff in their efforts to get adopted by someone. But through the reading program they help kids learn to read.

The theme at the center of this story is friendship. On how by working together friends can do all sorts of things. You are more powerful together than alone. Then the impossible becomes possible.

In many ways this reminds me of that one animated movie about the dogs. What was it called? Pets? There was that crazy rabbit in it too? Its very similar to that...

I know this book is for middle grade readers but I was totally hooked on this..never a dull moment in here either. And even near the very end I was uncertain how it would end. But there are many ups and downs in here, which the characters get through because of friendship.

It was sad at the end. Very sad.

Çok tatlıydın be!

Such a heart warming story that takes place in a dog shelter, but not all of the animals in there are dogs of the furry kind (or even dogs!) It has themes of trust, kindness, acceptance, and probably most importantly, love. Written for young readers, it most definitely has a message for all of us, no matter our age.

Funny and touching!

Leave it to Katherine Applegate to write such a charming story and for Jennifer Choldenko to bring it to life with these charming illustrations. A real dog, A robot dog, and a mouse-- its great! Don't miss this one. My kids love it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy. I'll be adding this one to my shelf when it comes out.

This one really grew on me (and I shouldn’t be surprised considering the great storytellers who paired up to write it)!

I think the short chapters took my brain a moment, but I actually think that the short chapter form is *perfect* for this book and the kiddos I’d want to share this (early readers).

The majority of my kiddos find reading really difficult so I especially love the way this one provides access in its ‘reading level’ while also providing gentle representation that’s quite lovely.

All in all this book is a win and made my teacher heart happy. Excited to pass this one to some of my crew this coming year.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishing company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Also - what a thoughtful thank you to teachers and librarians in the acknowledgments. The admiration and appreciation goes both ways! <3

Thank you to the author and publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

DogTown is the sweet story of Chance the dog and his adventures with DogTown. DogTown is a dog shelter where they have all sorts of dogs from flesh-and-blood dogs to robo dogs. We follow Chance on his journey of making new friends and discovering what really matters in a dog.

This was so cute. I thought the story was absolutely wonderful. It's a story I'd recommend to dog fans of all ages. Also, I think everyone thinking about getting a dog should read this. It was so sad to read the POV of a surrendered dog and give the reader something to think about.

I finished reading this with my daughter a couple of weeks ago, and we have already started reading it for the second time. She just doesn't want "the dog book" to end.

Just finished reading this one with my daughter, and we enjoyed it.
I wouldn’t say it’s my favourite by Applegate, who is definitely one of the authors I recommend most to my students! I found the super short chapters to be very distracting to the story, and I wished that the chapters were longer and that they were numbered (instead of the random titles).

That being said, we really enjoyed the characters. We loved that it was narrated by Chance, such a loveable and engaging dog! And we really liked that there were heartwarming moments, humour, some dicey action bits, and a wrapped up ending. The addition of “robot dogs” was interesting, and the comparison between robots and real dogs was something to ponder.

Overall, an enjoyable read!
Great for ages 6-10.

To be honest, I listened to the audio while at work in the library. The book has way too many chapters, 131 to be exact. Each one is about 2 pages. Book total is 344pages, which could intimidate some kids. While I understand this will help younger students with getting comfortable with chapter books, when a book is for the 8-12 age range, each chapter could be longer. On the audio version there is a short musical break between each chapter. It was agonizing. That’s why it took me 2 days to listen. The physical copy has many illustrations by Gennifer Choldenko interspersed throughout that will make reading this sweet story even more fun for younger students. I really liked the story, as is true for most Katherine Applegate books, but wish the format was more user friendly.

4.5 stars -- I have previously loved stories by both of these authors, so this book seemed like a slam dunk for me. And for the most part it was. In my opinion, however, the whimsical illustrations didn't really fit the seriousness of the story. I was also a bit surprised by how quickly the story of Chance resolved itself because I didn't think there was enough explanation in the plot for that resolution. Regardless, this is a heart-warming story of a three-legged dog (Chance) and some of her experiences in the year she spends at Dogtown shelter. Because of Chance, Mouse, and Metal Head, the reader learns about friendship. Because of Geraldine, selflessness. Because of Quinn, accepting differences. Because of Metal Head, being brave and moving on. Because of Chance and Mouse, sharing. And the examples go on. This story is not always an easy one, but it shouldn't be. The realities of dogs in shelters are not great, and not every shelter is a "no kill" shelter. Obviously, the authors feel strongly about making kids aware of animals in shelters because after the story ends, they also offer seven great tips of how kids can help shelter dogs. I am looking forward to the next one in the series!

Meet Chance. Chance lives at Dogtown - a shelter that has pretty great humans but is over-crowded. Chance narrates our story. He is a rather unique dog because Chance only has three legs. (You won't find out why until about 2/3 of the way through the book.) He will tug at your heart strings, for sure. For one thing - there is little hope for Chance to be adopted. And a big possibility that he will get added to The List. But he does have friends looking out for him.
His best friend is a mouse. He shares his kibble with mouse and mouse's family. And there are also robot dogs in this story! Robot dogs are perfect for folks who don't want the mess of a flesh and blood dog. Chance (and the rest of the dogs) are not too fond of robot dogs. But we get to know one in particular - Metal Head - and he turns out to be a pretty great dog. Especially when it comes to problem solving.
This has been labeled as book 1 - which makes me happy. I'd like to find out what happens to Metal Head and Quinn! And, of course, the further adventures of Chance. There is a lot of information in the book about shelters. And a list at the end of different things you can do to help out at a local shelter! The chapters are really short so this would make a wonderful read-aloud. I think this one will show up on lots of reading lists this year!

Short chapters, drawings
Lots of wisdom
pg 47: “never say something about a dog that he wouldn’t want him to hear.”
pg 55: “ too many bellies, not enough minutes in the day.”
pg 73: “ luck is making a new friend.”
pg 76 reading buddy days!!!
Quinn ❤️ learns to read with metal head
pg 154: “ your heart is a muscle. I told Mouse at dinner that night. It grows stronger the more you use it.”
pg 168: “hope is a painful business.”
Sometimes happy, sometimes sad, satirical, always real and full of heart
pg 260: “A book and a friend what could be better than that?”
pg 301: “ this is why I love teaching you never can tell what will reach a kid. There’s an element of wonder to it all, you know?”
pg: 307: “ they love you, no matter what. that’s their superpower”
Great ending
Tips for kids to help shelter dogs

An entertaining story about a three-legged dog named Chance who is living in an animal shelter. Important spoiler alert: the dog does not die. Although it's not a tearjerker, there are a number of times that your heart will be warmed and your eyes may get misty. It's a sweet feel-good book about friendship and resilience with a huge plug for the important work going on in animal shelters.

"Dogs have that effect on all of us. You have a bad day, shoot your mouth off, spend the rent money on lottery tickets, they don't care. They love you no matter what. That's their superpower."

Thank you to Fierce Reads for the copy of Dogtown #1. I appreciate the opportunity to review this book.

Dogtown is a very clever and well-written middle grade book that's told through the point of view of the main character Chance, the dog. I loved the concept of robot dogs, which I think will be a hit with children. The illustrations are adorable. It's a fun read that I enjoyed even as an adult.

My only concern is that some younger children might find "The List" (the names of dogs scheduled to be put down) a bit disturbing.

Overall, this is a fun book with a happy ending. I highly recommend this to parents.

4.5 stars. A super cute story about three friends from the shelter Dogtown. I loved the happy ending. I loved the short chapters - this will help my fourth graders read such a long book. And I loved the message and resilience these characters have. Lots of dog loving kids are gonna want to read this book.

Tündéri történet egy háromlábú menhelyi kutyusról és a robotkutya barátjáról. Kicsit meg is könnyeztem bizonyos részeit, érzékenyítésre tökéletes olvasmány kezdő olvasóknak. Az egy csillag levonás azért jár, mert néhol olyan részleteket is kaptunk, aminek nem sok köze volt a cselekményhez, és csak elterelte e lényegről a figyelmet. Illetve Metal Head sorsa miatt.

What an engaging read. I got this to read with my goddaughter but I was so engrossed in this story! As a former shelter worker for 10 years I understand “the list”. There are some realities that you never forget. This book gave me so much emotion.
In this world there are the dogs we know, and robot dogs. Robot dogs have a higher adoption rate. Chance, a 3-legged dog knows it time to breakout, time is running short. Metal head, a robot dog also wants to go home, and seems to be not like the other robot dogs. With the help of Mouse, they break free and embark on an adventure.

With short chapters, engaging illustrations, and lovable characters, this book is an easy and entertaining read.

4.25-4.5⭐