Jumping the Scratch by Sarah Weeks

We are taking a bit of a break from our Literature Circle books over the summer to read some of the books on the William Allen White Master Lists for this year. This list is a compilation of books that tell a superb story and are voted on by elementary students and middle school students throughout the state.
It's always been my owner's goal to read as many as we can throughout the summer so that he will know which to read to his students during the upcoming school year. Now, he is a bit odd and instead of reading only those on the elementary list, which his students are, this goofball also reads those on the middle school list as well. So, now it's my job to keep my paws moving and write these reviews for him. Mainly because he has a bad memory and can't remember them when the time comes. Maybe I should give him a treat to help him remember, because if I have to eat one more of those healthy dog biscuits, I'm telling you I am going to find the cleanest spot on the floor and ... well, no need to air my laundry here. So, here goes.

The first book we read off the Master List was a book called Jumping the Scratch by Sarah Weeks. Mrs. Weeks also had a book on the list a couple of years ago called So B. It, and we liked it so, this book sounded like a good place to start. The story is about a boy, Jamie Reardon who has had some bad things happen in his life; his cat dies, his father leaves, and his aunt is injured in a an accident that causes her to lose her short term memory, or skip as Jamie likes to call it. Jamie and his mother move in with his aunt in her mobile home to help her out, and it's Jamie's job to try and find a "trigger" that will help spark his aunt's memory loss. Jumping the Scratch refers to the skipping of the memories that Aunt Sapphy is having. Because of a bully, and an insensitive teacher, school isn't the most pleasant for him and his grades start to slip. Jamie is having other issues of his own that he can't explain, and he has weird quirks of his own, such as placing old cherry cans around his bed at night, and walking through the ditch past the maintenance man's trailer instead of using the road. Jamie meets a strange girl from the same trailer park who, through her psychic abilities, and amazingly enough the help of his Aunt Sapphy, and a local author, Jamie is able to untangle some of the mysteries to his life that have made him "jump the scratch".
As with her other novel, Mrs. Weeks gives all of us some great insight as to her characters thoughts and feelings throughout the whole book. Jamie's interaction with his aunt is sometimes funny and sometimes heart breaking knowing that this is what this boy has to look forward to everyday after school. Although, the story's ending was a bit predictable, sad to say in today's society, held my interest all the way through due to the other sub plots going on. Jamie's secret was handled in a careful way to get the point across. I was anticipating how all of it would tie together in the end. I can see students feeling for Jamie's character and rallying around his triumphs. Kids may find the triggering of the Aunt's memory a bit odd and unbelievable but will enjoy the story all the same.
Overall, a very good story with a happy ending, I give it:

Sarah Weeks has produced two tail wagging good books not a part of her "Regular Guy" series and I hope her next is just as good.

- The Reading Dachshund

Publisher: Laura Geringer
ISBN: 978-0-06-054111-8
Price: $5.99 (paperback version)

*2008 William Allen White Master List - Middle School

I Can Make Jazz Tunes too!

Okay so maybe I've relaxed the past month or so, or maybe two, okay it was three months. But, the good news is, I'm back with the first of several tail wagging reviews. The book we just finished is called Before John was a Jazz Giant by Carole Boston Weatherford. The story is a picture book representation of legendary jazz musician John Coltrane. The story tells about about John's like growing up in the 1930's and all of the influences as far as music is concerned in his life. These influences range anywhere from his grandmother's banging of hambones in a pot to mama's phonograph to listening to the big bands on the radio.
Not having ever heard John Coltrane before, I assume he was a very influential person in jazz history. Thankfully the author included a brief biography about the legendary jazz saxophonist, and provided a list of links and resources to continue to explore this and other jazz greats. The book was a very short read with some vibrant and interesting illustrations. The illustrations were colorful and dominated by lots and lots of circles. While I can't play the saxophone like Mr. Coltrane did, after eating some of those veggie flavors dog biscuits, I can sure belt out a jazzy tune of my own, although it has more effect on people's noses than their ears.
Because of the unique illustrations I am giving this book


I liked the unique look of the pictures and they went along well with the story. Kids will like the pictures as well as the shortness of the book. I doubt they will get the hymnal feel of the story as it was written as a song, but I do think it is a good book to get themselves acquinted with some of those influential people in history without boring them to death.

The Happy Dachshund - Milo








Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
ISBN: 978-0-8050-7994-4
Price: $16.95

Inside the Human Body

You know, ever since I first laid eyes on my owner I wondered, how does he get around in that big 'ol body of his? How does that body work - mainly support all that weight. All cheap shots at my owner aside, a new book we received this week gave us both a little more information about how the human body works.
The book is called Discoverology: Human Body. This book contains very detailed illustrations and explanatory text about the different parts and systems of the human body. But the coolest part, by far, was the many interactive and three-dimensional models that are included throughout this book. Each page contains an interactive aspect of some sort. There are tabs to pull that move body parts, foldout posters, tabs to lift up and look inside a specific part (the model of the brain and skull was easily my favorite).

Models include:

• A pop up skull with flaps that reveal the brain inside
• A pop up skeleton
• A movable set of lungs that show breathing
• A pop up intestine (umm...yummy)
• A pull tab of growing hair and more

This is a very cool book to have in a library. Although I can see some students sniggering and laughing at the page about the human reproductive system. The 3D replicas and models will have kids captivated for a while as it seems that there is always something new to pull or turn. I enjoyed looking through the colorful illustrations and photos. A very informational book.

Four biscuits for this one, simply because the models are fantastic. For a four legged creature who doesn't know much about this human body that sits around the house all day and blames me for the strange noises and smells that periodically make themselves known, this was a very interesting and exciting book.
I found the perfect place in this book to hide my jerky treat (right behind the frontal lobe of the brain model) so I think I'm going to go and smuggle that treat so I can find it later. So long for now!






Publisher: Barron's
ISBN: 13-9780-7641-6083-7
Price: $18.99

Traces of what?

A picture book is something that we haven't had the chance to read in a long long time. We like them because we can read them really fast. The book we pulled out of the box was a book by author, Paula Fox. She is a famous author who has written some popular books including, The Slave Dancer, and other very good literary works.
With that being said, I was very excited about getting my nose into this one, at least I was until I started reading it. The book, I'm guessing, is about the different tracks, or traces, that things leave on the environment and our world. These include animals, children, dinosaurs, and even Mother Nature.

Something, someone was just there,
Now there's barely a trace of it...

This phrase is repeated over and over and over again. Got kind of tiring after a while. I'm sorry, but I didn't get the point of the story. I'm thinking that this is a poem that Mrs. Fox had written and had it turned into a picture book. As I was reading through, I was thinking that maybe there was an environmental lesson in there somewhere, but it wasn't to be found, unless I missed it. I am a dog after all, and any traces I usually leave behind are to be avoided. I guess, knowing who wrote the book, I was a bit disappointed.
The pictures weren't too bad, and had a unique textured look to them. Nothing to get terribly excited about however. This book was a big let down for me, so I'm going to give this book:

This book for me earned an extra half of a biscuit because the illustrations helped out a little bit from it being a total snoozer.

Naked Bunyips? Should I be Hearing this?

A new box came today and my owner ripped it right open. There were about eight new books for us to choose from and what's at the top of the box, but a book called Naked Bunyip Dancing. Naked what? Naked? Should an innocent little pooch like me be listening to a book like this. What the hell is a bunyip anyway?
Naked Bunyip Dancing is a book written in verse by author Steven Herrick. I remember he wrote a book called The Wolf that I read last summer. Anyway, the story is about a sixth grade class who are just starting a new school year with a new male teacher named Mr. Carey. Now Mr. Carey is not like other teachers, he's a bit weird. He takes time out of class to do yoga, listen to Bob Dylan, and loves to recite poetry. The sixth grade class (6C) has quite the cast of characters in it as well. There is the class room romance between Emily and Jason (complete with smooching), the singer, Anna, the rapper, J-Man, the "tough" guy punk rock lover, Billy, and the classroom farter, Peter (my kind of guy). The class decides to put on a concert to show off their various talents. It was either that or the play Romeo and Juliet, that Emily wanted to do so she could have a reason to kiss her boyfriend, Jason. The story is told through each student in the class and each has it's own unique perspective to add to the story.
So, what did I think. I liked it. I did really like it. There were enough funny spots to keep me interested and I loved hearing the story from so many different perspectives. The setting is obviously in Australia, because of all the references and funny words. I think kids in my owner's classroom would like it, even though it is poetry.
I'm a little rusty at this but I think I'm ready to hand out my bones on this one:

I think that being set in Australia will interest American readers if they can get over that the book is written in verse style. By the way, a bunyip is a legendary creature in Australian folklore, kind of similar to our legendary Sasquatch. Well, I need to be on my way and get cracking on the rest of those books, besides, I smell...good god...is that, yes, yes it is. Snausages! A good book and a yummy treat what more could I ask for! See ya!







Publisher: Front Street
ISBN:978-1-59078-499-0
Price: $16.95

The First Box

Wow! There is not a whole lot of rest for the weary. We got our first box of books this week. In it were about 20 books ready to be read. They are all non-fiction books which is something we didn't have the chance to read last year. Man, I am going to be one smart dog when this over. Ever seen Brian on Family Guy, I'm going to be a smart as he is. Let's get to reading these books, so I can begin my intellectual growth.

Reviews to come soon!


Brian Griffin...I mean, Milo!

A New Spring is Dawning

Well, we have successfully completed one full year of this Kansas Reading Circle Committee. My master went to his "big" meeting to discuss the books that we'd read and chose those who his group thought were the best. The good news is, my master gets to continue his work on the committee for at least two more years. And the most exciting part, he will be reading books intended for grades 3-5 so that he can read them in his classroom. No more of those high school books he had to read. I guess that means no more cussing and kissing and, wait maybe he could change his mind after all. Sigh...oh well, I'm sure this new group of books will be just as interesting. Although, from what I hear, he'll get three times the number he got this year. Good grief, our whole house is going to look like a library.
So, until next Spring, when the boxes begin to arrive, we will be sniffing you all later.

Milo out!

Getting lost on Everest

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. You know these summer months are tough to keep up with the demands of my owner's reading habits and the nice weather outside. I like stretching out in the sun and letting feeling that warmth on my belly...aahhhhh, just the thought is relaxing. Especially since my owner read the book, Peak by Roland Smith, to me.
The story is about a 14 year old, Peak Marcello, who has a fascination with climbing things until he gets in trouble for scaling a New York skyscraper. His estranged father (a famous mountain climber) takes him to Everest with he and his climbing company. Their goal: to get Peak to the top of Everest making him the youngest to reach the peak. Will he make it?
The story is told as a journal written by Peak himself, so the perspective is unique and colorful. The interesting thing about the story is the detailed accounts of the various climbing expeditions and the struggles and thoughts they had during each one.
The one thing that I got confused about was the time each event occurred. The number of trips up and down the mountain to prepare for their climb to the peak, seemed to take hours when in reality they probably took several days. The action takes place over the course of a summer, but the number of climbs and descents was confusing. Thank goodness for the map in the front of the book that marked the checkpoints and places the characters set up camp or I'd be totally lost. I had to nose the pages to the front when my owner was finished reading so I could grasp what just happened and where it took place.
As far as the book itself is concerned, it was a very captivating story and one that I think middle school and even some high school students would like to read. The character, Peak's, voice in his writing as he is keeping a journal of his experiences is great, and enjoyable. The book is definitely NOT boring. I liked it so much I'm giving it:


I would recommend this to anyone who wants a book that contains non stop action and adventure or to anyone who is interested in mountain climbing and the determination it takes to do it. Lastly, I'm going to give this book my stamp of approval.



I've got some catching up to do, so I'll sniff you soon!

The Wolf by Steven Herrick

Wolf? Wolf? Did somebody say wolf? I love stories about my canine relatives, although the last story about a dog had him getting his scrotum bit. But I reserve hope that this one will come out good in the end as far as the wolf is concerned. This free verse book was so creatively called, The Wolf, and was written by Steven Herrick. This story begins with two teenagers who live very separate home lives but are drawn together by the story of a mysterious wolf who supposedly lives in the area. Now, since the story takes place on the continent of Australia I know that there are no wolves there, -remember, "The dingo ate my baby!", thus leading to the mystery of the what the animal really is. The story is cleverly told in several different perspectives in what seemed to be short poems, but could be read more like chapters. I'm not so sure why the novel was written the way it was, but it made the words more interesting and meaningful. Even reluctant readers will enjoy.

The author decided to write each verse like this:

Milo: Thoughts
One person's thoughts could
be captured in a rare and
unique form.
Writing in this way seemed to make
the book go quicker and
since the collections were broken up
into parts,
it was tough to stop in the
middle of a section
and we wanted to keep reading farther.
As I said before,
the story was written from the different
perspectives of the characters in
the novel.

Lucy and Jake are the two teenagers who go on a journey to find this wolf which Jake's father tells stories about and Lucy's father wants to kill for eating his sheep. Lucy leaves to escape from her father's verbal and emotional abuse and Jake leaves to prove his father wrong that it is not a wolf but merely a wild dog. Well as they venture out, tragedy happens and Lucy and Jake are forced to stay overnight in a cave - hmmmm, two teenage kids in a cave overnight, I wonder what's going to happen . Kiss, kiss, kissy, kiss, kiss. The adventure turns dangerous when the howls of the creature force one of them to leave the cave and find help.
All in all, this so far has been the best book my master has read to me out of our high school pile. Even better than the one with all the dirty words and sex. So with that that being said, I give this book a biscuit rating of:

5 biscuits. This book was extremely well written and was able to hold the reader's attention to the very end. A love story with just enough humor and adventure to satisfy even the pickiest of readers. I think that high school students will enjoy this book because of the story, but also the unique writing style adds to the novel's mystique. The author is able to identify with the feelings and thoughts of many of todays young adults. This is a book which I put my Paw of Approval on.
This is Milo, wagging off for now, but I'll be back soon with another review. So until next time I leave you with a big fat lick across the face. SLURP!

What Happened? by Peter Johnson

Hello again, we're back with yet another book review. We are reading these things left and right. This novel was one that we both enjoyed. Our latest reading pleasure was What Happened by Peter Johnson.
The story is about a 16 year old who has had many a misfortune in his life including the death of his mother and the desertion of his father. He now lives with his aunt and older brother, Kyle. The plot centers around an accident that happened as the boys were coming home from a high school party along with some friends. There are events that lead up to the accident and then the drama unfolds as the boys try to handle the repercussions of that accident. The events evolve into a climax that is somewhat disappointing.
Now for the pros and cons of the book. Pros: The story and the plot are very engaging and my floppy ears were always ready to hear what was going to happen next. I found myself anxiously waiting to see what the characters were going to do next. The novel is written through a series of flashbacks intertwined in the present tense of the story. It was fun to follow the characters through the story. Another quality of the story I liked, was the language. There were enough F-Bombs to keep this big dog's attention for a while. Name a profanity, it was in there.
Cons: The ending of the book was a definite let down from all the events that led up to it. And, as I mentioned before there were a series of dirty words throughout the book, and while these words perked my ears and kept my nose wet, this book is intended for high school students. Along with the profanity, there were also several sexual references, the lord's name in vain on many an occassion, and the characters drank and smoked pot through the whole book - sooooo, with that being said, I'm not sure that this book is the best for high school teenagers, although I think unfortunately some good relate to the characters and it could be good for them to see how to work out their problems. I know my owner felt uncomfortable at times knowing that this was intended for ages 12 and up, not even close. It should actually be for ages 16 and older.
So with all that said, my tail wagging opinion is that this novel would get:

4 Biscuits. Although this was by far the best book we've read so far, the profanity and other themes in the novel and knowing the intended audience, made me eat one of those biscuits. Not to mention, I was a little hungry.

We have gotten several new books in from other publishing companies, so we definitely have our work cut out for us. So, I've got to get back to laying at the living room window and catch some rays from the sun before my owner begins reading the next book. Yawwwwnn! I'll be back later.