Star (American Dog) by Jennifer Shotz* (Clarion Books, 2022, 334 pages, $7.99 for the paperback or the Kindle or Nook version, $12.99 hardcover, grades 2-5, ages 10-12), 4th in the American Dog series. Read Chapter 1 of 26 chapters here.
As the fourth book in the series, all written this year by the very prolific Jennifer Shotz, Star is a long book that reads quickly, especially the second half, even though the educated, erudite junior high school reader can guess what will happen (and is usually correct, but not all the time).
The Dog, The Boy
Star is a blind, very scared shelter dog who lashes out so that nobody can approach her until 12-year-old Julian starts volunteering, not his idea, his volunteer hours substituted for Saturday morning detention for not turning in his homework time after time.
Julian really tries hard but school is very hard for him. He has trouble reading, a condition which we know as dyslexia - well-known but not well-understood or accepted. Julian is teased and ostracized, and not understood even by his family.
The Plot
Julian loves maps and never gets lost. The boy who shows him the ropes at the shelter is Bryan, the principal's son and also a loner in Julian's class but even Julian stays away from Bryan until he realizes how talented Bryan is with dogs. We soon find out Julian is better with dogs and when Julian reveals his dyslexia to Bryan, Bryan only laughs. Read Chapter 6 to find out why!
And, guess what? Bryan helps Julian with his dyslexia, teaching him different methods to help his reading. And reading the dogs' biographies at the shelter is easy because the topics are the same (age, name, favorite treats, etc.) and because Julian loves dogs.
So, that sets the stage on the shores of Lake Michigan. . . .
Together, the boys train Star while she is in the shelter. And Julian has always wanted a dog so he is so excited and seems to be a natural at it. Fortunately, they use clicker training and positive reinforcement. And Julian's grandfather was a dog handler in the military and knows some hand signals which are imperative to use with deaf dogs.
And Then, . . . .
A book also has to have a hidden treasure and boys who don't always use good judgement. There are plenty of exciting mishaps, from a hurt dog to secretly 'taking' a dog from the shelter to not telling an adult where you are going and getting into trouble. But there is also learning and growth and love and acceptance - and dogs!
This reviewer is so glad the readers are being exposed to reward-based dog training and come to realize a 'different' kid is special and a deaf dog is just as normal as a dog who can hear - she just uses different methods of learning but loves just the same.
*Shotz also wrote Max
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