Shiloh (Paperback)

by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Author), Barry Moser (Illustrator) "The day Shiloh come, we're having us a big Sunday dinner..." (more)
Key Phrases: Judd Travers, Dara Lynn, Doc Murphy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
When 11-year-old Marty Preston chances upon a mistreated beagle pup in his hometown of Friendly, West Virginia, he is not prepared for the ethical questions he has to face. Should he return the dog to its owner, only to have the animal abused again? Should he tell his parents? Should he steal food to help the poor creature? Marty's efforts to cope with these questions provides the moral backbone for this story, which is presented in a language and manner that will be understood by third- and fourth-grade readers. The heart and beauty of this 1992 Newbery Medal winner lies in lessons children will take away with them. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly
This 1992 Newbery Medal winner revolves around an 1 1 -year-old boy who finds an abused dog near his West Virginia hills home; PW noted that this heartwarming novel should win new fans for the popular Naylor. Ages 812.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689835825
• ISBN-13: 978-0689835827
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (320 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,511 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Boy, a Beagle. . .and a Dilemma, July 20, 2000

By	Mike Powers "mkp51" (Boothbay, ME United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Shiloh (Yearling Newbery) (Paperback)

What a wonderful book! I read it after my 11-year old son suggested it as a change from my usual reading fare of history and biography. It turned out to be much more than just a summertime reading diversion...it became for me a deeply moving reading experience in its own right. I was quickly captivated by Marty and his family, Shiloh, the beagle, and yes, even the despicable Judd Travers.

The story is straightforward: Marty Preston is an eleven-year old boy living with his parents and two younger sisters in rural West Virginia. It is a close-knit, loving family with traditional values and a clearly defined set of rules to live by. His father is a mail carrier and his mother a homemaker.

One Sunday afternoon, as Marty is walking along a backwoods road, he spies a young beagle hiding under a bush. He calls to it, but the dog doesn't respond. When Marty walks away, the dog follows him. Marty tries to get the dog to come to him several times, but the animal, which has obviously been abused, cowers miserably. Finally, the dog happily comes to Marty when the boy whistles at him. Marty immediately falls in love with the dog, whom he names Shiloh. The little beagle responds with trust and affection. The boy quickly figures out that Shiloh belongs to Judd Travers, a local ne'er-do-well, and a man with an unsavory reputation for dishonesty, a hot temper, and animal abuse. Marty wants to keep Shiloh, to protect him from Judd. However, his parents insist he return the dog to its rightful owner, which Marty begrudgingly does.

Shiloh runs away from Judd a second time and finds his way back to Marty's house. This time, Marty vows to keep him. He hides the dog, sneaks food out of the house to feed him, and begins to lie to friends and family when questioned about Shiloh's whereabouts. A tragic accident causes Marty's secret to be found out by his parents. He is forced once again to return Shiloh to his master. Marty, desperate to keep Shiloh, offers to do almost anything to get Judd to give him the dog.

I won't give away the ending of the book; suffice it to say, it is a dramatic and compassionate ending, sure to move anyone who reads this book.

"Shiloh" is a beautifully and masterfully written in every way. It is written in the first person, from Marty's point of view. The narrative is written in a rural West Virginia dialect that sounds totally natural and unaffected. It seemed almost possible for me to hear Marty speak as I read along. The book's plot is absolutely superb - tightly woven, dramatic, and realistic. Each of the characters come to life with complete believability. All of the situations presented in the narrative are easy to understand and appropriate for young readers.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor proves why she is such a gifted writer of children's books, mainly because she so brilliantly fires the reader's imagination and teaches positive values. In the story, she presents Marty with an ethical dilemma which, at one time or another, all children face. Marty's predicament is this: whether to do what is right in the eyes of a higher authority (his parents) when it is a reasonable certainty that the action will result in a great wrong being done by someone else; or to do what his heart says is right, even though that action is wrong in the eyes of the higher authority (his parents). Marty's dilemma is compounded his conscience, which speaks loudly and often to him, demanding from him both honesty and a sense of fair play. How Marty responds to these challenges is the great lesson taught by this book.

"Shiloh" is a winner of the Newbery Medal and a classic of children's literature. I heartily recommend it to kids of all ages...from 9 to 99.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Both boys and girls will love Shiloh!, May 31, 2000

By	"iloveprovence" (Columbia, S.C. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shiloh (Yearling Newbery) (Paperback)

Shiloh is a wonderful example of realistic fiction for children. The story revolves around Marty, a small town boy in the hills of West Virginia. There isn't much money, and putting food on the table is difficult and all consuming for the adults of his community.

Marty spends his free time roaming the hills with his rifle, until he discovers Shiloh, a dog, whom he learns lives with constant abuse by his owner. Marty determines to rescue Shiloh and care for the dog he immediately becomes attached to. He finds, however, that simply wanting something, is not a determinant of taking possession: he is stunned that the abusive owner has rights, which is confusing and heartbreaking for him.

Throughout the story, Marty is confronted by moral issues which he must wrestle with as he focuses his attention on loving Shiloh and finding a way to make life better for the dog. In doing so, his values are questioned and his morality is strengthened. He must learn to solve moral dilemmas by analyzing the choices he has. He realizes that adults don't always do the right thing, nor do they always have the answers to questions. Most, important, he learns to recognize that he has the ability, within himself, to realize the resolve it takes to do the right thing in the face of adversity.

Young readers will experience these dilemmas with Marty, and the story provides youngsters with the opportunity to develop their own moral skills along with him.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The bond between a boy and a dog, October 11, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

"Shiloh," the novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, received the 1992 Newbery Medal "for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children." While the book is certainly ideal for younger readers, don't be misled by either the award or the publisher's marketing approach: this moving, well-written book is good for adults, too.

"Shiloh" takes place in rural West Virginia. It tells the story of Marty, an 11-year old boy who seeks to shelter an abused beagle from his hard-hearted owner. Reynolds lets Marty tell his story in the first person, and her excellent prose captures the rhythms of rural West Virginia speech (and I say this because I spend a lot of time there with my extended family). Reynolds had me hooked with her opening sentence: "The day Shiloh come, we're having us a big Sunday dinner." Reynold's skill at rendering American vernacular speech evokes, in my mind, favorable comparisons to such authors as Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker.

"Shiloh" is rich with the details of life in that region: the food, the hunting, and social customs. Reynolds creates a wonderful portrait of a poor but loving family. But the heart of the book is the way she captures the special bond between a boy and his dog.

"Shiloh" is an "issue" book in the sense that it deals with animal cruelty, but Reynolds wisely tells a realistic story without overtly preaching at the reader. But the book still raises very relevant issues. Marty's moral dilemma is not presented as an easy "black-and-white" situation. Shiloh's owner, Judd, is not a cardboard villain. Marty's ethical and theological inner struggle is comparable to that of the title character in Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Like Huck, Marty is a compelling hero: courageous, loyal, and thoughtful.

In short, "Shiloh" is a contemporary classic, a book with true moral and psychological resonance. Naylor's portrayal of the enduring ties between a child and a beloved animal is comparable to such enduring works as John Steinbeck's "The Red Pony." This moving book deserves a wide audience.