Review by New York Times Review
How pets can help us through the most difficult times. ALMOST HOME By Joan Bauer. 264 pp. Viking. $16.99. (Middle grade; ages 10 and up) BUDDY By M. H. Herlong. 296 pp. Viking. $16.99. (Middle grade; ages 10 and up) THE DOGS OF WINTER By Bobbie Pyron. 312 pp. Arthur A. Levine Books. $16.99. (Middle grade; ages 10 to 14) AS any reader of middle-grade novels knows, it's a cruel, viciously uncertain world out there, and all too often the adults in a child's life are more a source of harm than help. Sometimes a child can trust no one but the loyal dog at his side. Together, they will survive and conquer. Three new books for children explore this timehonored theme: "Almost Home," by Joan Bauer; "Buddy," by M. H. Herlong; and "The Dogs of Winter," by Bobbie Pyron. All pursue similar premises: children on their own against hostile surroundings, with no one to rely on for trust, friendship and - in the most extreme moments - physical safety, other than their pets. While they are all retellings of the well-worn "boy and his dog" tale, young readers will find fresh drama and pathos to engage them in each of these stories. The best of them is "Almost Home," which skillfully tells the tale of precocious and street-smart Sugar Mae Cole. Born in the back seat of a Chevrolet, Sugar becomes a fairly typical sixth grader, growing up poor but stable with her single mother, Reba, in a small house that Sugar's grandfather helped them buy before his death. Sugar's deadbeat gambler father is such a nonpresence in her life that she calls him "Mr. Leeland." And her mother, while loving, is weak and broken, delusional that her former husband will return to rescue her. Sugar knows who the real grown-up is in this relationship. "It's not fair, but sometimes a kid has to act older than their age," she says. "You just pray hard to know what to do." The one pillar of stability is her teacher, Mr. Bennett, who encourages her to write poetry, and write it honestly. Sugar expresses in verse what she can't otherwise: that parents can sometimes be selfish and unworthy of a child's trust. But not even Mr. Bennett can protect her from what is to come. Sugar's mother has fallen behind on the mortgage payments, and her father has gambled away what little equity they had. Amid this tumult, a neighborhood girl shoves a puppy into Sugar's arms and urges her to take him or else the girl's father, who abuses the dog, will dump him at a shelter. Thus begins Sugar's descent into homelessness, with the emotionally damaged dog, Shush, at her side. Their journey takes them into shelters and parks, group homes and foster care, alongside her mother, who descends into deep depression and involuntary commitment. The central questions that will keep readers turning the pages of this searing story are: Will the broken Sugar find her way home, in both the physical and metaphorical sense, and will she heal and become whole again? In "Buddy," 12-year-old Tyrone, known as Li'l T, will grapple with similar questions, though the upheaval in his life is caused not by dysfunctional parents but by the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Li'l T lives in a strict but loving home in New Orleans. He desperately wants a puppy, but his parents cannot afford one. Then one Sunday as the family drives to church, a stray dog darts in front of their car and is struck. The boy nurses him back to health, and the two become inseparable. But when Katrina arrives, the family has no choice except to leave Buddy behind as they flee the city. Days turn into weeks and months, yet Li'l T never stops hoping or searching for his canine friend. He learns Buddy was rescued from the flooded home after the storm, but has no clue as to the dog's whereabouts. What makes "Buddy" memorable is not just the tale of a boy's fierce love for his dog but its harrowing portrayal of one of this nation's most traumatic natural disasters. From start to finish, "Buddy" is a testament to the human capacity to endure, to find hope in the sodden ruins of destroyed lives. There is tragedy here - death and displacement and depression, and readers will push forward not just to learn if and how the boy and his dog reunite but also if and how the family will survive. "The Dogs of Winter" is the least sophisticated of the three books, suffering from stilted dialogue and two-dimensional characters. But the story, inspired by news accounts, still packs plenty of punch. Parents should be warned that the subject matter is harsh. Five-year-old Ivan's mother is beaten to death by her alcoholic lover while the boy huddles in a closet. Ivan then finds himself on the streets, coatless (and eventually shoeless) in subzero temperatures, fending off thugs, addicts and predators of every stripe. He cannot trust the police or social workers, who simply want to eradicate the problem of street urchins. His only allies are the feral dogs that adopt him and, time and again, rush to his defense. At every turn, Ivan learns the same hard lesson: Human beings will hurt you. Only dogs can be trusted. Of course, the reader knows that the "love" of a dog isn't enough. Children need the love of parents and siblings and friends. The real question hanging over this dark story is whether the young dog boy will find that love and trust in the end. John Grogan is the author of "Marley & Me," the middle-grade book "Marley: A Dog Like No Other" and a series of illustrated children's books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [September 30, 2012]
Review by Booklist Review
Meet sixth-grader Sugar Mae Cole, who has learned from her grandfather that sometimes a kid has to act older than she is. Even the ebullient Sugar finds that hard to do, though, after she and her mom Reba lose their house, move to Chicago for a job that doesn't materialize, and end up in a shelter. Severe depression hospitalizes Reba, and Sugar is placed in foster care. Clinging desperately to her puppy, Sugar wonders if God is paying attention and observes that being poor is always heavy on you, like wearing a winter coat in the summer. Like many of Bauer's plucky heroines, Sugar isn't down for long, and with the help of many caring adults, Sugar and her mom begin to rebuild their lives. Sugar's poems and thank-you letters effectively reveal the everyday fears and humiliations suffered by homeless children, and Sugar's determination to keep her pet is especially touching. Bauer's trademark humor lightens the serious subject matter, while Sugar's frank honesty will give young readers a glimpse at a situation affecting a growing number of children.--Rutan, Lynn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Twelve-year-old Sugar Mae Cole has had to act older than her age ever since her beloved grandfather died, and her father abandoned Sugar and her mother, Reba, yet again. But when they lose their house, Sugar must summon additional strength as she and Reba face homelessness. "Before all this happened/ I wasn't brave like I am now./ I didn't know I could take care of my mother/ or pee by the side of the road/ and not get my underpants wet," writes Sugar, a talented poet. She relies on her poetry, along with support from a loving foster family and a favorite teacher, when the stress of their circumstances drives Reba to a serious breakdown. Bauer (Close to Famous) explores a timely issue through the eyes of a resilient girl-the kind of heroine so familiar to Bauer's fans. Sugar's anger, fear, humility, and resolve are portrayed with insight and compassion. Bauer also brings moments of levity and hopefulness to the story, which she peppers with a cast of thoughtfully crafted personalities. Ages 10-up. Agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Twelve-year-old Sugar Mae Cole was named to "bring a little sweetness into people's lives," but she's finding this task more than a little difficult lately given her family's recent homelessness and her mother's hospitalization for depression. As Sugar says, "people don't understand how tiring it is to be sweet." She plans to train puppy Shush to work as a therapy dog. Sugar accustoms herself to a foster home, and her mom Reba begins therapy. The narrative and characters are emotionally complex enough to satisfy adult readers along with the intended middle grade audience, and Bauer admirably avoids all trite "very special episode" didacticism while dealing with thorny issues such as parental abandonment and alcoholism head-on. The honeyed, soothing voice of Brittany Pressley not only brings fuller life to the characters (especially Sugar and Reba) but also (in combination with Bauer's trademark mix of humor and pathos) helps make the sadder sections more palatable for listeners. -VERDICT A must-buy for any library collection. ["A memorable novel that is sure to have broad appeal": SLJ 10/12 review of the Viking book.]-Ann Santori, Cook Memorial Public Library, IL © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Like so many of Bauers endearing heroines, Sugar is a girl with a good head on her shoulders, which she needs in order to face a world in which the adults can be so unreliable. Her mother Reba cant resist the persuasions of Sugars gambling father, whom Sugar refers to as Mr. Leeland: "Is she kidding? Trusting Mr. Leeland to pay back money was like trusting a dog to watch your food." When the worst happens and they are evicted from their house, Sugar moves through a series of uncomfortable living situations, finally ending up in a foster home where she finds the space she needs to deal with her "broken places." Sugars wise, often tart observations on how people treat the poor and homeless come organically from her character, and her mixture of distrust and longing for connection rings true. With its cover showing Sugar holding an adorable puppy in her arms, this novel will sell itself. susan dove lempke (c) Copyright 2012. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Through months of homelessness and her mother's breakdown, sixth-grader Sugar Mae Cole and her puppy, Shush, demonstrate what it means to be sweet. Newbery Honor winner Bauer (Hope Was Here, 2000) has created one of her strongest young women yet in the character of Sugar, writer of thank-you notes and poetry, dog-walker, parent-educator and trust-trainer. Her chronological first-person narration works, with notes, emails and poems to document the pain of dealing with an unreliable father, the difficulty of leaving a familiar home and beloved teacher, and the conflicted feelings of a child in a good foster-care situation. Sugar's mother, Reba, has trusted her gambling husband too many times. Can Reba develop the strength to resist him? Luckily, this resilient child has always had the support of other adults: first her grandfather, King Cole; then Mr. B., the sixth-grade teacher who encourages her writing and stays in touch; and, finally, Lexie and Mac, experienced foster parents who provide a safe haven but know when to let go. Sugar's voice is convincing, both as storyteller and young writer; her natural good humor shines through what could be a sad story indeed. Quirky supporting characters--both human and dog--add to its appeal. Sugar, with her natural gift for rubbing down imperfections, will win readers' hearts. (Fiction. 9-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
