How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of How to Steal a Dog
Book Review: Best Book Ever
Summary: 5 Stars
By MJ (9)
How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O'Connor
This book is about a girl named Georgina and her little brother Toby. They live in a car and their mother has to work two jobs to get money for food. Georgina gets sick of it and she decides to steal a dog when she sees an old reward sign for a lost dog. It says "Lost dog REWARD: $500".This gives Georgina an idea. If she steals a dog, the owner will put signs up. Then she takes the dog back, she gets the money, and her family can buy a house or an apartment. Georgina knows it's not the right thing to do. Will it work?
I really enjoyed this book. What else can I say? I loved How to Steal a dog! It's a story that is unforgettable. It's like a roller coater you've never been on yet. You don't know what will happen next! I must admit, Barbara O'Connor`s work is pretty good! Something at the end of the book made me so happy! You wanna know what it is? Well, I it's for me to know and you to find out! Get How to Steal a Dog today! Seriously!
Book Review: Caution is advised for selecting this novel.
Summary: 2 Stars
Mostly positive reviews have been left for "How to Steal a Dog" by Barbara O'Connor. Along with another person who left a different perspective on the contents of this book, we likewise purchased the book from a school advertisement. Coming from a household with just a father and son, I was a little dismayed on the negative "daddy left us with no reason" excuse; not once but several times. There are state laws and agencies that find parents who leave and try to avoid their responsibilities of supporting a child. Yet, here we have the classic dead beat "dad" scenario. Add that to a situation that would leave any responsible pet / dog owner concerned for the lack of care of a dog with the excuse of hard times, and I don't think we'll be swallowing this pill twice.Book Review: Caution to young readers
Summary: 1 Stars
This book came to my attention when my son's school made it required reading for 3rd grade. My husband and I read everything before we let our children read it and my son will not be reading this book. The first red flag for me was the title. As I read this book I was very concerned because of the disrespect from the daughter Georgina to the mother, the lies the little girl tells over and over and that it says the mother cussed a couple of times. The main point of this book is that Georgina steals a dog hoping to get reward money which her family does need because they are living in a car and have fallen on hard times since their father left. Usually when a family has to pull together during a crisis they tell each other that they love them, but not in this book. The mom says repeatedly that "everything will be ok", but no "I love you". At the end of the book Georgina's only consequence for her actions is a "tummy ache". She finally tells the lady (which she became friends with) that she stole her dog and that's pretty much it; no discipline for stealing, no taking responsibility for her actions and the mother never even knows what she did. What message was being sent in this book? Certainly, no positive or morally sound message that I could discern. The only message I could come up with is that if you are in a bad situation it's OK to steal and lie to get what you want. That is not a message I want to teach to my 3rd grader. I would not recommend this book for any young child to read.Book Review: Down and out girl deceitfully dognaps.
Summary: 2 Stars
Unless "dishonesty is the best policy" is now in, I'll just have to continue to wonder about the message this book was designed to send to its readers. The story is is pretty simple. After the supposed man of the house dumps his wife and kids to go off to who knows where, young Georgina Hayes, her little brother, and the kids' mother end up homeless, living out of a car and struggling to survive. Mrs. Hayes assures her daughter that they will get a place when they can afford to, that is, after they get together enough money to do so. Georgina hatches a plan of her own (after seeing a sign offering a cash reward for the return of a pet): steal a dog. She chooses her prey, and strikes. But her plan goes awry after she befriends her victim, a kindly woman of average means who desperately loves and misses her lost dog. Although things work out in the end for everyone concerned, the repeated deceitfulness of Georgina (even taking into account her situation) is disconcerting. For one thing, she steals. For another, she blatantly lies to her distraught victim, whose beloved dog she has stolen so heartlessly. And she continues her lies until pretty much any person with a heart more than two sizes too small would cave. With so many other better-messaged books, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone. Choose instead: Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now by Lauren Child.Book Review: Found Cute Smart Little 'not-so-lost' Dog and One Very Wise homeless Guardian Angel?
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this book to my daughters, ages 8 and 6. Wow! We couldn't put it down. Life in a car makes for desperate times. My daughters were shocked to learn how hard Georgina's life is and that she could be a real girl somewhere in the US. We found ourselves thinking of her in between our readings, wondering how she was coping and what would be her next move in her hairy plan to solve her family's terrible dilemma. I anticipate that my daughters will read this book again on their own in the future and I am certain it will bring tears and smiles in the end just as it did the first time.