Hound Dog True by Linda Urban (Harcourt/2011)
Fifth grader Mattie Breen has moved countless times – every time Mama feels like the going gets tough. This time they’ve moved in with Uncle Potluck. Mattie has a plan – as she accompanies him on his rounds as janitor at her soon-to-be new school, she decides she will prove herself a useful custodial apprentice and maybe he will allow her to continue working with him during recess and lunch so she will not have to face being friendless. She keeps notes in her notebook – the same kind of notebook she used to write stories in before something happened at her last school to make her stop. When Quincy Sweet visits her aunt next door, Mattie would like to avoid her, but it seems impossible. Could Quincy be another girl to make her feel bad? Or could Quincy be a friend?
A story about a painfully shy girl, who wants a friend, but doesn’t know how to go about making one. I was cheering her on the entire time. Heart-warming with touches of humor, this is a fabulous story about being brave.
I loved Linda Urban’s debut book, A Crooked Kind of Perfect, and was so happy to read this one! I can’t wait for her next!
I love both of these books! Fantastic middle grade voice in each one.
Definitely!
Oh! I loved A Crooked Kind of Perfect, too and have recommended it to my book group and to my writing students, too! I can’t wait to read this one. (I was a painfully shy kid who moved around a lot, too and wish I’d thought of hanging with the janitor!) Thanks for the review, Deb! XO Sharry
I really think you’ll like this one, too!
xo
Sounds like a fantastic book. I will put it on my TBR list today.
Let me know what you think!
This sounds like such a sweet story. I’ll have to track this one down sometime.
I hope you like it!
Excellent review! I love both of these books. My class had the pleasure of Skyping with Ms. Urban, and she is has amazing as her books.
Wow! That’s fantastic about your Skype visit with Linda! What a treat for you and your students! Glad you loved her books, too!