Notes from the Dog

Paulsen, Gary. 2009. NOTES FROM THE DOG. New York: Random House, Inc. ISBN 978-0-375-73845-3

During the summer, middle-schooler, Finn Howard Duffy, plans to limit his contact with other people to twelve which includes his single-parent father. Little does he know when he meets the new neighbor, graduate student Johanna Jackson, things are about to change. Also during the summer, Finn’s border collie, Dylan, delivers notes like “You’re not as ugly as you think.” and “Family is who you find.” in his slobbery snout, helping Finn learn about life. Finn and his “true friend,” talkative and confident Matthew, are hired by Johanna to cultivate a garden in Finn’s yard for her to enjoy as she struggles with the effects of chemotherapy while battling cancer. Johanna’s tutelage and friendship have a profound effect on Finn as he breaks out of his shell – dating Karla, speaking in front of construction workers encouraging them to donate to to Johanna’s triathlon fund-raiser, and being there for someone in need.

“Paulsen’s fans may miss his trademarks: the notorious exploits of boys, the page-turning wilderness adventures, or the sled dogs that often take center stage. Yet this candid and tender tale, told with his signature humor, is a salute to the bravest of the brave (Follos, 2010).” Unlike his usual genre of adventure stories, renowned novelist Gary Paulsen creates a believable story about a lonely middle school boy determined to spend his summer isolated from human contact reading novels. Narrated by Finn, readers will be able to relate to typical awkward teenage moments – freezing when the girl you like walks up – and some that not every teen has experienced – using self-tanning solution and having it make you look “like a highway caution cone.” While the setting of a normal neighborhood is downplayed, moments such as when Finn has overwatered and fertilized his backyard turning it into a swamp of “reconstituted cow poop” add to the entertaining and sensitive plot. Reluctant readers will find this a refreshing read due to it’s brevity, humor and connection to real life.

As Tracy A. Fitzwater states in the Library Media Connection (2009), this novel is “dedicated to everyone who has faced cancer, this is a story that will make readers think about what the important things in life are, an d written by Paulsen to show that cancer can’t crush the human spirit.” Included in the back of the novel are Internet resources for those interested in learning more about breast cancer and how women and their families deal with it.

Included on the Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year list in 2010, Notes from the Dog also received the 2009 National Parenting Publications Award as a Gold Book for Children 12 years old and up.

References

Follos, Alison. 2009. "Notes from the Dog." School Library Journal 55, no. 9: 170. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 19, 2011).

Fitzwater, Tracy A. 2009. "Notes from the Dog." Library Media Connection 28, no. 3: 79. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 19, 2011).