Dog Days: The Carver Chronicles by Karen English

Dog Days: The Carver Chronicles 

Written by: Karen English 

Illustrated by: Laura Freeman 

Originally Published in: 2014 

This early chapter book is centered around a young boy named Gavin and his aunt's Pomeranian dog, Carlotta. As a way for Gavin to earn the money to replace his cousin's snowglobe that he broke, he starts walking Carlotta regularly, but he quickly runs into issues as Carlotta wears a frilly, pink outfit regularly. This makes Gavin very self-conscious to walk the dog and he is even bullied as a result of it. An older boy even steals one of Carlotta's toys at the park, so Gavin replaces the toy on his own, embarrassed that it was taken from him. On the last day Gavin is supposed to take Carlotta on a walk, he comes to find she is missing. Gavin and his dad search for Carlotta but cannot find her, they decide to put up posters in an attempt to find her. Gavin later does find Carlotta, as he sees some girls from his class walking her. He is able to get her back and returns to his aunt and cousin feeling very courageous.

As this is an early chapter book, it would be best for students grades first through third. While it is a chapter book, there are some illustrations, but it is still in chapter book format. It may be too easy to read for students any older. This book highlights a huge issue in our society: bullying. Gavin endures bullying for something that he has absolutely no control in. But yet he is bullied anyways and even forced to replace something that the bully has stolen. This is something that some students may be able to understand, that feeling of embarrassment and being smaller than someone else. And other students may realize that they have been the bully themself. No matter what student reads this book, if they are in the appropriate grade or reading level, they should learn something from the book.

Other information:

 Dog Days: The Carver Chronicles is a Fiction & Humor early chapter book.

English, K., Freeman, L. (2014). Dog Days: The Carver Chronicles. Clarion Books.

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