Puppy Power [Paperback]

Judy Cox (Author), Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

When Fran lands the part of Princess Penelope in the school play, she's thrilled--until her teacher warns her that she will be kicked out if she doesn't improve her behavior. Even worse, her parents threaten to get rid of her puppy unless he shapes up. Will Fran be able to keep her puppy and the leading role?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2–4—Third-grader Fran is so determined to be the boss of the playground that she cheats at tetherball, shoves to advance in line, and finds that no one wants to play with her at recess. She's a match for mean Jean in Alexis O'Neill's The Recess Queen (Scholastic, 2002) but, with above-average reading skills, Fran breaks the stereotype of a dumb bully. She brings home gold stars on the days she behaves, her parents gently and patiently coach her on impulse control, and her teacher is also more patient than one might expect. Readers may relate to rude behavior that occurs beyond the sight of school staff. More importantly, they may be inspired by Fran's determination to cultivate self-control in response to negative comments from peers and teachers as she strives to maintain her lead role in the class play. Readers will also enjoy the parallel plot of Fran and her father taking their Newfoundland puppy to obedience classes, and Fran's joy about the dog's progress. A light tone, clear writing, action, vivid descriptions, and realistic school and family scenarios earn this book a place on library shelves. Björkman's expressive black-and-white illustrations appear on many pages, sustaining the mood and giving young chapter-book readers a text break. Offer this story along with Elizabeth Starr Hill's Bird Boy (Farrar, 1999) and Carolyn Marsden's The Gold Threaded Dress (Candlewick, 2002) for a broad view of behavior.—Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Vociferous, boisterous third-grader Fran has difficulty controlling her behavior. She teases classmates, pushes her way around at recess, and carelessly shoves her reading buddy, injuring him. Then she wins the leading role in her school play—with the caveat that she will be replaced if she misbehaves.  Despite being labeled a bully, Fran remains clueless about  her conduct, until she takes her Newfoundland puppy to obedience school, where both dog and child learn valuable lessons about good behavior. The author of Butterfly Buddies (2001) offers another entertaining novel full of believable kids with recognizable problems. The concept of female bully-antihero is unusual in books for this age group, and the idea works particularly well here, as Fran is truly shocked to realize how others perceive her. With a brisk plot, short chapters, and frequent pen-and-ink illustrations, this story will be a good pick for children making the transition to short novels. Grades 2-4. --Kay Weisman --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Paperback: 91 pages
• Publisher: Holiday House (P); Reprint edition (November 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823422100
• ISBN-13: 978-0823422104
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #843,349 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in San Francisco. I'm the oldest of five children and enjoyed telling stories from an early age. I am a reading teacher at a small rural school. I am inspired to write children's books by my own love of good literature, by raising my son, and by teaching my students.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, very believable characters, November 1, 2010

By 

Aaron (Iowa, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Puppy Power (Paperback)

Wow! What a great book. I read this book to my daughter, who is in Kindergarten, and she loved it. We finished it in three nights. Amazon says that this book is for ages 9-12, but I think that's a little high.

As a parent, I liked the fact that the main character, even though she starts out as a bully, is very likeable. My daughter could easily identify with her. The books that portray bullies as huge stupid uninteresting shallow morons are fine, but kids aren't likely to see themselves in that role, won't identify with them, and consequently won't learn anything from them.

Overall, a great read. I have a feeling we'll be rereading it in a few weeks. Highly recommended!