Recent Reads: The Misadventures of the Magician's Dog by Frances Sackett

The Misadventures of the Magician's Dog by Frances Sackett
Publisher: Holiday House
Available: NOW! August 1, 2013

 

Format: Paperback ARC
Source: Publisher at BEA

My rating:





Goodreads Synopsis:

Peter Lubinsky doesn't even like dogs and can't understand why he asked for one for his birthday. But it turns out that this pet, whom Peter calls The Dog, can talk and do magic—and he needs Peter's help. In return, The Dog promises to teach Peter conjuring and to help him bring his father home from the Middle East, where he is deployed with the air force. Soon Peter finds himself flying through the air on a mission to rescue The Dog's master. But as Peter's magical powers grow, he finds himself filled with a dark anger.

A bedroom full of dinosaur fossils, a waiter who was formerly a mouse, and an epic battle of magician's make for a thrilling read. This imaginative middle-grade fantasy is about the power of enchantment and love.

Review:
The Misadventures of the Magician’s Dog was one of the middle grade books I picked up at BEA in May… I know I am still trying to work through them, but I am getting there. This one was interesting the second I saw it, who doesn’t like a cover with a glowing dog and a dinosaur on the front?? Right?! It was an easy read in the MG style, about a family of kids and their mom. Their father went off to war and the kids are not too pleased about the situation. Enter a dog…and not a normal one, this dog can talk and do magic and has joined the family in need of help. His master, The Magician, accidently turned himself into a rock and Dog needs their help to return him.

Peter the main character and Dog’s companion throughout this adventure is a young boy with issues surrounding his father leaving and the book pulls at this sadness and entices him to learn magic and help the crazy Dog. Throughout the book, I found myself wondering a lot about the Dog, he is a bit of a pain and a lot of the things he want the kids to do are not right, for instance, to use magic Peter must be very angry and he will stay angry, they leave in the middle of the night, the dog says his master is mean and will probably kill them when he comes out…and they still need to help him.

I’m sorry but if I was told…please help this person but when you do they will kill you anyway….I would probably say no thanks… but these kids trek on.

I think this was one of those books that you really have to read as a kid for the full effect, I questioned too many things and didn’t give in to the imagination behind it all. The story never really drew me in completely.



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