Dogstar [Paperback]

Beverley Wood (Author), Chris Wood (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up

Juneau, Alaska, 1932, where 13-year-old Jeff is stranded when his parents take him on a cruise to help him get over the death of his beloved dog, Buddy. The problem: Jeff is a 90s kid, with a computer and hightop sneakers. Why has he been transported to the Alaskan frontier? How can he find his way home? Jeff must answer these questions quickly-and his only help is the town's Bull Terrier, Patsy Ann.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7-An adventure-packed time-travel story. To help him get over the death of his beloved bull terrier, 13-year-old Jeff Beacon's parents take him on an Alaskan cruise. At a stop in Juneau, Jeff follows another bull terrier into the past where he is able to help a falsely accused sea captain clear his name. Patsy Ann is not just any dog; she served as Juneau's "Official Greeter" in the 1930s and is honored by a statue in the harbor. She leads Jeff to Captain Harper, a brusque but goodhearted man and fellow dog lover. Over the next two weeks, Jeff learns about shipboard life and gradually finds a way to accept the loss of his pet while working with the captain to solve a mystery and recover money from a shipwreck. The main characters, both bad and good, are a bit one-dimensional, but Jeff matures in a believable way. Filled with details of everyday life, Dogstar helps readers imagine what it would have been like to live in Alaska in the 1930s. Despite the predictable characters, the fast-paced plot and the comforting treatment of loss carry this interesting tale. Information about the real Patsy Ann appears at the end, along with a photo of her statue and a Web address. A good choice for readers who love dogs and plenty of action.
Mollie Bynum, formerly at Chester Valley Elementary School, Anchorage, AK
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-7. Jeff's parents take him on an Alaskan cruise in the hope that he will stop his obsessive mourning for his bull terrier, Buddy. Nothing interests Jeff until they dock in Juneau and he finds a statue of a bull terrier who lived there in the 1930s and met every ship. Following a dog who looks like Buddy, Jeff goes back in time six decades and lands in the middle of an adventure involving counterfeit money, sunken ships, and lost treasure. With the aid of the dog, he makes friends in old Juneau and helps them find the treasure. Returning to his own time, Jeff finds that he's finished grieving for Buddy. Though the characters emerge as types rather than individuals, the setting is convincing and the action will hold readers' interest. A time-travel adventure story with emotional appeal for dog lovers. Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Polestar Pr (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1896095372
• ISBN-13: 978-1896095370
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,675,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disney Productions should be all over this for a movie!, July 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dogstar (Paperback)

I read this book a couple of years ago, and to date, it still remains a favorite of mine...it's the good old fashioned clean fun and mystery that all ages can read and enjoy, and I would expect soon to see it made into a movie...the kind that doesn't have to be rated anything but excellent!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Way cool, April 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dogstar (Paperback)

You are on crack; this book was cool!! we have a bull terrer any my Mom got me this book for my birthday. I thought it would suck, but then it had time travel and treasure hunting and everything. I'm goimng to do a bok report on it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars TIME HEALS ALL WOUNDS, EVEN TIME TRAVEL, September 3, 2000

By 

BeatleBangs1964 (United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dogstar (Paperback)

Grieving over the death of his anvil headed English bull terrier, Jeff's parents take him on a trip to ease his grief. A statue of an English bull opens the door to time travel. As Jeff makes his way through the decades with the English bull, he makes his way through and out of his grief.

This is a well written fantasy that I think will appeal to all ages. It's a great story, but impossible of course.