Eva Ibbotson's final masterpiece, a tale of a boy and dog who were meant to be together.

All Hal had ever wanted was a dog. "Never!" cries his mother. "Think of the mess, the scratch-marks, the puddles on the floor." But on the morning of Hal's 10th birthday, the unbelievable happens. He's allowed to choose a dog at Easy Pets, a rent-a-pet agency (a fact his parents keep from him). The moment he sees the odd-looking terrier, he knows he's found a friend for life. But no one tells Hal that Fleck must be returned. When Hal wakes up on Monday morning, Fleck is gone. If dog and boy are to stay together they'll have to run away. . . . From the reknowned Eva Ibbotson comes her final novel, a tale laced with humor and brimming over with heart, stunning in its beauty of the love of all things dog.

One Dog And His Boy

Eva Ibbotson is famous for her classic children's stories filled with adventure, fantastic characters, terrible (but hilarious!) villains, and droll humor. One Dog and His Boy does not disappoint! Ibbotson's last book—published just after her death—has all the charm and delight of her previous works. I loved Hal's story from the first word to the last. The plot was tight and compelling, the characterizations were perfect, and Ibbotson's ability to turn a wry phrase frequently had me laughing out loud as I read. This book is perfect for children and adults alike—dog lovers or not!

Profanity/Language: One religious exclamation.

 Violence/Gore: A boy kicks a man in the shins. A young girl puts a bully's head in a toilet. Several dogs have tragic but comical pasts that include a few instances of absurd violence (a dog who mistook her mistress's finger for a sausage and accidentally bit it; a mother dog who accidentally sat on several of her offspring). A man mandhandles a boy and locks him up; he also throws a stone at a dog. A group of loyal dogs attack a villain (no serious harm is done).

Sex/Nudity:

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Running away from home, parent/child troubles.

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