The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa [Paperback]

Bill Wallace (Author)

Book Description

The Nose Knows

Don Franklin's dog, Frank, is a bloodhound, so he can smell when something's wrong. And a lot seems to be wrong in Don's family. Mom and Dad are worried about money, especially with Christmas right around the corner and the threat of the mine closing. Don's worried because he's just discovered how dangerous Dad's job in the mine is. And they're all worried about getting Don's little sister, Susan, what she wants for Christmas, when she won't tell anyone but Santa Claus what it is. It looks as if Christmas might not be all that merry at the Franklins' house.

But Christmas is a time for miracles, whether seen from a boy's perspective or a dog's -- and The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa looks at the Franklins' Christmas miracle from both.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.

One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.

Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.

Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin; Original edition (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416948163
• ISBN-13: 978-1416948162
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #586,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars WARNING - book reveals that parents are Santa, January 11, 2009

By 

lefty3 (MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa (Paperback)

My neice asked for this book for Christmas, and thankfully I browsed through it before wrapping it. The story line has the parents getting the brother to find out from his younger sister what she wants from Santa, so the parents can get it. I would hate to have been the one to reveal to my neice that her parents were really Santa.

Interleaved between chapters of people dialog are chapters of what the dog and other animals are thinking or 'talking' about; cute, but at times confusing, and didn't seem to add to the story a lot. The ending is great, not becaue of the dog, but because of the selfless actions of the brother, so the book might be enjoyed by a child who already knows there is no Santa.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Children, especially dog lovers, should enjoy this tale, December 16, 2008

By 

P. Mann (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa (Paperback)

"The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa" has two narrators. One is human, and the other is a dog named Frank. The story takes place shortly before Christmas, and an Oklahoma mining family has much to worry about. The father, who works in a mine, is worried about the safety of the mines and the fact that the issue of mine safety seems to be dividing the men who work in the ground. The son, eleven-year-old Don, has just survived being a narrator in a Christmas play, but he is somewhat upset since Christmas spirit seems to be lacking, largely because of the mine troubles and general financial difficulties.

Don's younger sister, Susan, is upset because someone told her that Santa isn't real. She's determined to find out the truth, though, by not telling anyone what she really wants for Christmas. This puts her family at a disadvantage as they try to figure out how to wrest the identity of her desire from her.

Meanwhile, Frank the dog tags along and offers his observations, mostly about the smells of emotions. The use of the dog as a narrator has distinct ring of the Hank the Cowdog series but without as much humor. As I noted in the review title, this book should appeal to children who love dogs, but I prefer The Wounded Buzzard on Christmas Eve for a Christmas story with a canine narrator.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Spoiler Alert - Is there a Santa?, December 9, 2011

By 

ASD (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa (Paperback)

This book doesn't hint about there not being a Santa - I tells you there is not a Santa. Why would any child want to read this book? I was lucky to be taking turns reading this with my son. I was able to skip some of the paragraphs that talk about there not being a Santa. Don't give this to any child who still wants to believe.