The Field of the Dogs [Paperback]

Katherine Paterson (Author), Emily Arnold McCully (Illustrator)

Book Description

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

How do you get rid of a bully?

Josh has just moved to cold, snowy Vermont with his mother, stepfather, and new baby brother. As if adjusting to a new home, a new family, and a new school isn't hard enough—Josh also has to adjust to a new bully, Wes Rockett.

Then one day Josh's dog, Manch, gets loose. When Josh follows him to the field where Manch plays, he is surprised to discover that Manch can talk, and his dog's got a bully of his own to deal with. Can Josh find a way to solve all of their bully problems without leading them to danger?

Newbery Medal—winning author Katherine Paterson delivers another touching and accessible story for young readers.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Originally published chapter by chapter in newspapers as part of the "Breakfast Serials" program, this disappointing story juggles an uneasy mix of realism and fantasy. Narrator Josh has just moved from Virginia to Vermont with his mother, her new husband and their infant son. During a snow day (forcing his school closing), Josh searches for his dog, Manch, and finds the pooch in a field playing--and laughing--with three canine pals (Manch tells the alpha dog, Ace, that they'll have to set some ground rules for play, and Ace responds, "Well, it's always three to one. Twelve legs to four"). Josh then listens as they talk in human speech about the River Gang, a rival group of larger dogs headed up by a fierce weimaraner. Manch never speaks in human words to Josh again until Ace is badly hurt, hit by a snowplow while fighting with one of the enemy dogs. In a parallel plot, Josh copes with Wes, a bullying classmate and neighbor, whose help he eventually seeks out after making a futile attempt to shoot the weimaraner with his stepfather's rifle as the two dog packs fight. Paterson's (The Smallest Cow in the World) potentially intriguing premise of talking dogs isn't fully integrated into the tale, so it ends up calling attention to itself rather than moving the story forward. Though minimal and sometimes murky, McCully's (Mirette on the High Wire) black-and-white line art may well encourage reluctant readers, as will the book's brief chapters and the text's relatively large type size. Ages 8-12.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-Originally published as part of the "Breakfast Serials" program in newspapers nationwide, this short chapter book combines elements of suspense and adventure with a touch of fantasy. Josh is having trouble adjusting to his move to Vermont and his life there with his mother, stepfather, and new baby brother. Add to that being the target of local bullies and it is easy to see why his only friend is his dog, Manch. One winter day, the boy is amazed to overhear his pet speaking to other dogs in a field near his home. Shortly thereafter, Manch and his canine friends become victimized by a pack of wild dogs and Josh attempts to help them by taking his stepfather's rifle, leading to a situation in which he is forced to ask one of the bullies for help. Their shared experience leaves readers hopeful that the bonds of friendship have been forged and that Josh's future will be happier. This fast-paced novel examines the cruelty of children toward an outsider and how difficult it can be for a newcomer to adjust to life in an isolated area. Josh's decision to take the rifle and his stepfather's response are handled realistically and will impact readers. A full- or half-page black-and-white line drawing, often of an outdoor scene, introduces each chapter.
Maura Bresnahan, Shawsheen School, Andover, MA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (October 15, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064421473
• ISBN-13: 978-0064421478
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,092,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Katherine Paterson has twice won both the Newbery Medal and the National Book Award. She received the 1998 Hans Christian Andersen Medal as well as the 2006 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for the body of her work. An active promoter of reading and literacy, she lives with her husband, John, in Barre, Vermont. They have four children and seven grandchildren. Visit Katherine Paterson on her web site at www.terabithia.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dog Delight!, February 22, 2002

A Kid's Review

This review is from: The Field of the Dogs (Hardcover)

I liked this book a lot. It keeps your attention going and I like dogs a lot. I would recommend this book to a friend. It's not all about dogs, it's about a boy that moves and he meets this bully and it turns out the bully is not a bully. I would like more action in it but other than that I really like it. I think people that like dogs would love this book.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Story for Dog Lovers, March 28, 2001

By 

S. McCord (Fort Wayne, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Field of the Dogs (Hardcover)

I say this is a great dog story for two reasons no dogs die in the story. This is always very important to me when I read a dog story. The other thing that makes it good is the adventures Josh and his dog, Manch, have in the story feel real. Anyone who is a dog lover, like me, always knows their dog will be there for them in a time of need and the reverse is true too. Josh is there for his dog and Manch is there for Josh.

Josh is a young man facing many difficult situations in his life. His father has died and his mother has remarried. His stepfather has moved the family to Vermont so Josh has no friends besides his dog,Manch. Both Manch and Josh face the same problem in the story, bullies. Manch had made friends with some other dogs in Vermont so at least he has friends but there is a pack of mean dogs that are threatening Manch and his friends. At the same time Josh is being pursued by a bunch of bullies from school. Luckily the dogs successfully save Josh from the school bullies but when Josh tries to help save Manch and his dog friends from the mean dogs things don't go so well. The good part is that Josh even though he is scared to death tries to help the dogs in the best way he can think of by stealing his stepfather's gun, but when things don't work out he lets go of his pride and asks for help, thank goodness.

THere is one element of the book that is interesting but I am not sure it fits in well. Josh discovers the dogs talk. Any dog owner always wishes their dog could talk so this seems neat at first but the dogs only talk to Josh a few times. It is as if Josh has invaded their private world and they don't really appreciate it. Don't get me wrong though I still think the book was great even though I'm not sure about this part of it.

5.0 out of 5 stars COPING, Pets, Faithfulness and Loyalty, January 17, 2009

By 

Cindy J. Greever "michellesmama" (WA STATE USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Field of the Dogs (Paperback)

A wonderful book to instill love, loyalty and faith for our pets while at the same time learning how to cope and deal with changes in family, moves, and even bullies! A very educational book for children.