Nothing Wrong with a Three-Legged Dog [Paperback]

Graham McNamee (Author)

Book Description

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

A heartwarming middle-grade novel about friendship, family, and dogs.

Keath and his best friend Lynda are in the fourth grade. Some kids call Lynda "Zebra," because her mother's black and her father's white. And Keath is Whitey. He's vanilla in a chocolate school where Toothpick, a bully, has it in for him.

Lynda and Keath both love dogs. When Keath grows up, he wants to be a golden retriever. Dogs don't care about what color is the right one. Dogs don't hate anybody. Their favorite dog is Leftovers, Lynda's three-legged beagle. When he got hurt, his first owners gave up on him, but Lynda and Keath turn him into a winner, a pooch that shows Keath that sometimes it's good to stand out, to be special, and that even when you look different, there are ways to fit in.  

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"The author breathes refreshing life into two well-worn themes dealing with the class bully and wanting a dog," said PW of thisbook about fourth grade friends Keath and Lynda. Ages 7-11.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-5-Perhaps the best aspect of this story is McNamee's attempt to illustrate the social problems that can arise in a racially mixed environment. The book centers on Keath, a fourth grader who endures some punches and nicknames such as Whitey, Ghost, and Mayonnaise while attending an urban school. He's a virtual outcast until he is befriended by Lynda, who comes from a biracial family. The theme of social isolation is woven in throughout this book. Keath's grandmother has recently suffered a stroke, and the boy is afraid to visit her because she no longer speaks or looks quite the same. When his father tells him about the pets brought into convalescent homes for therapeutic reasons, he finds it easier to visit. He also begins helping Lynda and her father walk dogs after school and becomes attached to Leftovers, a three-legged beagle with one ear. A lot of interesting information about dog breeds, habits, and maladies is provided. Characterization and background are the strong aspects here; with its focus on issues, the story sometimes becomes thin in plot.
Sharon McNeil, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Copyright 2000 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: 144 pages
• Publisher: Yearling (August 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440416876
• ISBN-13: 978-0440416876
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,379,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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