The Puppy Sister - Hardcover

Grade 2-3?A gifted author of books for YAs has written a story that is cautiously clever but painfully precious. Nick, from Big David, Little David (Doubleday, 1995), wants a little sister; his parents bring home a puppy instead. The story is told from the young dog's point of view as her desire to please her new family turns her into a little girl. Mom, Dad, and Nick take this in stride. They tell the neighbors they had to give up their puppy but are adopting a child instead. Aleasha is kept out of sight until the transformation is complete. There are a few close calls but not enough to create any real tension. Scientific tidbits about the difference between dogs and humans are interesting though not compelling. The effort to keep the text easy enough for beginning chapter book readers results in simplistic writing. The few black-and-white sketches are unremarkable. Too little conflict and character development result in a fantasy that falls flat.?Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma City
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

With this whimsical animal story, Hinton serves up an entry as memorable in its genre as her classic The Outsiders is in YA literature. From the time they bring her home, the Davidsons treat narrator Aleasha, a lovable Australian shepherd, just as if she were young Nick's "puppy sister." When Aleasha finally realizes that she is destined to grow into a dog, not a person, she is horrified. Concentrating all her willpower, she begins to develop fingers and to speak. Her owners, who have always wanted a little girl in the family, are as pleased as they are shocked. Their attempts to hide Aleasha's transformation and to see her through her awkward "in-between" stage lead to much hilarity, while the reactions of a nosy neighbor and of the Davidsons' aloof cat, Miss Kitty, magnify the merriment. Offering a unique, consistently witty account of growing pains and family life, this irresistible fantasy can take its place alongside Stuart Little and Babe the Gallant Pig. Ages 7-11.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.