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!

Audiobook Review:  One Dog and His Boy is a great book to listen to with your family.  The reader has a fun British accent and the story is full of quirky dog and human characters. One caveat is that if you have a stance on not getting a dog, this book might make you feel snooty and stuckup–so only read this with your kids if you already have a dog or plan to get one. – Amber, CBR Reviewer

This book was sent to Compass Book Ratings for review by Scholastic

Content Analysis:

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 manhandles 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:  None

Mature Subject Matter:

Running away from home, parent/child troubles.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None