Angus and Sadie [Hardcover]

Cynthia Voigt (Author), Tom Leigh (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Angus is black and white and strong.

Sadie is reddish brown and white and small.

"They don't look much alike," says Missus.

"They don't act much alike," says Mister.

Angus and Sadie are brother and sister. Angus is bigger. He is a good, brave, and clever dog -- and he likes that. Sadie isn't as quick to learn -- or to obey. When cats jump at her, she yelps and runs away. Angus thinks that means she's scared of everything. But Sadie isn't so sure that's true.

Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt's story of border collie puppies growing up on a farm in Maine is for animal lovers of all ages, and for anyone who's ever had -- or wondered what it would be like to have -- a brother or sister just like themselves, but very, very different.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–Two border collie puppies adopted by a Maine farm couple try to decipher what Mister and Missus really want and how to fulfill their role as faithful and useful companions. The pups are polar opposites. Angus is an alpha male with an abundance of self-confidence. Sadie is submissive, introspective, and dominated by her brother. Of course, Mister quickly believes that Angus is the more talented of the pair but Missus reassures Sadie that she is special, too. When Angus's bossiness reaches a peak, Sadie proves to be courageous and smart and he begins to respect her. There is an old-fashioned style to this story about the different personality traits in siblings and learning to respect those differences. The drama is slight–a sheep or two are rescued and two cat bullies are put in their place. Although Sadie is a very sympathetic character, Angus's cockiness borders on annoying, and Mister's attention to him at Sadie's expense seems chauvinistic. The leisurely pace of this story and lack of action may limit its appeal to only the most ardent dog-story enthusiasts.–Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. Mister and Missus go to the animal shelter to choose a dog and come home with two mixed-breed puppies (part border collie, part shepherd, part unknown) that they name Angus and Sadie. The pups explore Mister and Missus' farm in Maine and quickly settle into their routine. Larger than his sister and quick to learn, Angus becomes the leader; Sadie, the runt of the litter and burdened by a cast on her leg, is more timid than her brother. As they grow over the next year, Angus trains hard and participates in dog trials, while Sadie shows her mettle by saving a sheep and standing up to the cats. Children who love dogs may find it fascinating to read a novel that so vividly imagines their thoughts and their communications with each other. Innocent in spirit and illustrated with several small drawings per chapter, this book will also suit younger children who are reading beyond their grade level. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition edition (May 3, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060745827
• ISBN-13: 978-0060745820
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,695,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cynthia Voigt won the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and the Newbery Honor Award for A Solitary Blue, both part of the beloved Tillerman Cycle. She is also the author of many other celebrated books for middle-grade and teen readers, including Izzy, Willy-Nilly and Jackaroo. She was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1995 for her work in literature, and the Katahdin Award in 2004. She lives in Maine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Angus and Sadie Book Review, March 13, 2007

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Angus and Sadie (Hardcover)

Angus and Sadie by Cynthia Voigt is about a couple who adopt two puppies. The male puppy's name is Angus. Angus is more brave and clever than Sadie. Sadie the female puppy is shy, and slow at learning tricks. Angus and Sadie go on a lot of adventures. Sadie almost gets lost in the woods with a sheep. They live on a farm with animals and mean barn cats, who try to jump on Sadie, but she runs away.

This book is teaching you that even though you may not be the same you can still be friends. Like even though Sadie and Angus are different, they are still friends. It is also like that in the world because everyone in the world is different.

Angus and Sadie is a very good book to read if you like dogs. It reminds me of my dog. You might also like to read it because it has good pictures. Angus and Sadie get into a lot of mischief on the farm. You should read Angus and Sadie.

5.0 out of 5 stars Life from dogs' point of view, July 12, 2011

By 

Alice Roddy (Linden, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Angus and Sadie (Paperback)

My granddaughter loves this book. We've read the library copy twice. It's been weeks since the last time and now she wants to read it again. She wants her own copy so that she can read it whenever she wants to.

I enjoyed it too. I was very pleased by the way that it encourages the reader to look at life from a dog's point of view. This is good preparation for pet ownership.

4.0 out of 5 stars four star, September 21, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Angus and Sadie (Paperback)

This book kind of dull.A good book for 8 and 9 year old kids. Still I liked the book. Good for learning friendship and if you like dogs you will probably like the book.