Dogboy [Hardcover]

Victor Kelleher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2006

He is born on a bare hillside, near the end of the Dry Time. Abandoned by his mother, cared for and suckled only by a dog, he becomes a creature of the wilds. To the poor villagers, he hardly appears human at all, and they reject him. Yet the dogboy, as he is called, proves to be a survivor. Against all odds, and despite his savage upbringing, he grows into a "special" child - someone destined to change the lives of all who cross his path.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7-9–Written in the mythic style of simplicity and mystery slightly reminiscent of Ursula LeGuin, Dogboy follows the life of a nonverbal feral child, abandoned by his mother at birth and nurtured by a dog. As an infant he displays supernatural gifts, surviving not only winters outdoors but also attacks by an eagle, a bear, and a wolf pack. Set in an indeterminate country in a time of extended drought where water has become even more precious than gold, the slightly surreal atmosphere adds to the mystery of the boy's past. His youthful naïveté and lack of socialization make him an easy mark for charlatans, whom he follows to the city. After great personal suffering, he becomes a water diviner, achieving astounding material success but losing sight of his real values. Themes of fate and destiny, social status, survival, and identity are woven into the story through the author's spare narrative. Original in tone and mood, this story will be enjoyed by a wide audience.–Ann Robinson, Moultonborough Academy Library, NH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

In this Australian import, Kelleher explores the measure of man through the life of a boy raised by a dog. As a newborn, the abandoned Dogboy is nursed by a dog and raised along with his canine sister, tolerated as a presence on the fringe of the villagers' lives. He learns to speak, though he refuses to learn the rules of grammar, and he learns the nuances of canine life, though the natural world never accepts him as a true dog. Loneliness and constant longing to fit in haunt Dogboy throughout his childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood as he travels in search of a real home. Existence is punishing for everyone, however, as crippling droughts, sectarian violence, and human cruelty are dominant in most lives; Dogboy, without the guidance and protection of a family, suffers even more keenly than the rest. Kelleher has written a challenging novel: Dogboy, irascible and bereft of empathy, is rarely a likable protagonist, the wide range of the novel (birth through adulthood) is ambitious, and there are few happy endings (or even happy middles) for any of the characters, human or canine. However, there is an elegance, profundity, and richness of language that balances and complements the often-depressing plot. In addition, the troubling of the widely held belief that humans are superior to animals offers an intriguing philosophical issue that will likely haunt readers long after they finish the novel. Those searching for an absorbing, contemplative, and more sophisticated read than the standard YA fare will find that this story fills the bill. --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 214 pages
• Publisher: Front Street Press (November 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932425764
• ISBN-13: 978-1932425765
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,084,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Is he a dog or a boy?, August 31, 2008

By 

Raymond Mathiesen (Armidale, N.S.W., Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dogboy (Hardcover)

This book is set in an unidentified place: perhaps the Fertile Crescent, perhaps Europe. The events take place at some unidentified time in the past. On the upper slopes of a high mountain, the Great Father, a woman gives birth to a boy. For reasons of her own she immediately deserts the child, but a pregnant dog stays behind to protect him. The dog gives birth to her own pups and the boy suckles from her teats. The dog drags the child and pups to a nearby farm, but the farmer immediately drowns all the pups but one, and would drown the child if it were not for the pleas of his wife. This horrible act is the first of many in the history of Dog Boy. The story stretches from Dog Boy's birth to adulthood.

The book is written in simple language, and has the atmosphere of a folk-tale, but it is definitely not simple thematically. It is an excellent story for teenagers who like to think deeply about life. Are we entirely products of our upbringing, or do we have potential to be what we dream we could be? Is man the pinnacle of the animal world, or are we simply good at cheating and destroying things? Do mysterious, uncanny events ever occur, or are all events simply coincidence?

I read this book as an adult and found it fascinating. Its climax is truly moving. If you enjoy fantasy you will probably like this tale, although I do not believe that it fits perfectly into that genre. The book is too much about 'real life', whatever that is.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Australian Aura, December 4, 2006

By 

Kemie Nix "Founder, Children's Literature for... (Peachtree City, GA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dogboy (Hardcover)

Left on a hillside in a satchel in a country decimated by drought, the foundling is nursed by a mother dog. Swept away from the hillside by an unusual flood to the outskirts of the village of Bethel, the satchel is pulled from the river by Magda, a poor servant of the headman. The dog resumes her care of the human infant and her one remaining pup. Rejected as unnatural by the headman, the unnamed child, called "Dogboy," is left to die. He doesn't.

In this totally enthralling story of a wild child, Dogboy grows up on the fringes of the village with only the dogs and Magda as allies. As he matures, he becomes wise in the ways of nature but totally naive in the ways of humans. Because of this naivete, he believes in two visiting charlatans and decides to journey downstream on what Dogsboy perceives is an invitation. He is searching for their ciy in order to study with them to become a great shaman. His journey to self-knowledge is achieved only through great suffering complicated by his canine history. This amazingly insightful story, with an allusive strand of magic weaving through it, possesses an Australian aura from its Australian author.