Felix Powell, Boy Dog

Starred review from May 6, 2024
In this engaging novel by Kelly (The First State of Being), eminently likable, curious eight-year-old Felix, who cues as white, is inexplicably drawn to a seemingly nondescript blanket in a thrift shop. Bearing his purchase, he returns to the home he shares with his nan (the kind of grandmother who serves dessert as dinner once a month). While playing hide-and-seek with his faithful dog Mary Puppins, Felix crawls under the blanket, and when Puppins uncovers him, boy and pet are startled to discover Felix has become a dog. Beguiling descriptions of the expanded sensitivity of Felix’s sense of smell and hearing as well as the joy of running on four legs follow as Puppins teaches him all about being a dog, including the subtleties of tail wagging. Though he’s elated by his transformation, Felix worries about Nan and how she will feel when she can’t find him. Meanwhile, Felix and Puppins’s interactions with a snooty cat engage readers in a cat-vs.-dog superiority contest that tests Felix’s understanding of friendship. Short chapters create a well-paced narrative with an appropriate amount of suspense, while Kelly’s plentiful b&w drawings enhance the friendly ambiance, occasionally taking over the storytelling. Overall, it’s a just-right book for a developing reader. Ages 8–12.

June 1, 2024
Grades 3-5 It's summer in Louisiana, but eight-year-old Felix insists on buying a threadbare blanket at the thrift store, certain it has a special quality. Once home, he tries to pinpoint its powers. Will it fly? Turn him invisible? Nothing happens until he takes it to play hide-and-seek with his beloved dog, Mary Puppins. Felix pops under the blanket as a human boy, but he emerges from the cover as a scruffy canine. Puppins is delighted; Felix is understandably bewildered but intrigued, as he's suddenly endowed with incredible senses of smell and hearing. The neighborhood cat claims to have insight on how to remedy the situation, but it will take all the pups' powers of persuasion to coax it out of her. The hysterical high jinks happen over the course of one day, and the brisk pace, ample illustrations, comic-strip interludes, and hilarious commentary will appeal to even reluctant readers. Vivid descriptions set the stage for silliness, and Felix's experiments with his new canine capabilities are an absolute riot. A creative canine conundrum packed with humor and heart.

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June 15, 2024
A magical thrift store blanket turns an 8-year-old boy into a dog. While Felix Powell and his grandmother Nan are exploring Birdie's Thrift Shop, a well-worn blanket catches his eye. Though Nan points out that it's summer in Louisiana--hardly blanket weather--he's certain that it's something special. At home, Felix tries to unlock the blanket's power. Can it make him fly? Is it an invisibility cloak? As Felix has a backyard picnic with his dog, Mary Puppins, with whom he can communicate, the two of them play a game: Can You Free Felix From the Blanket While He Holds On as Tight as He Can? When the blanket comes off, another dog stares back at Puppins--it's Felix Powell, Boy Dog! While Felix discovers the joys of being a dog, he soon begins to worry: Will his grandmother, who adopted him after his mother couldn't care for him, want him now that he's a dog? Will he ever be a human again? Woven effectively into this whimsical story are animal facts and insights into how dogs perceive the world; animal lovers like Felix will be pleased. Kelly folds in lessons of empathy and compassion from Puppins and Gumbo, a haughty yet friendly stray cat. Short chapters feature simple but effective black-and-white illustrations that help move the plot forward. Felix has skin the white of the page. Final art not seen. A charming dog's tale sure to reward curious readers. (Fiction. 7-11)

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September 6, 2024

Gr 2-5-Eight-year-old Felix and his grandmother are thrift store shopping when he purchases an old blanket, despite it being summer in Louisiana. Felix, knowing the item is special and understanding the importance of active research, decides to test out what makes his blanket magical. At first, it seems like a regular blanket, until, while playing a game of hide-and-seek with his dog Mary Puppins, he transforms into a dog too! Felix has a great time with Puppins and learns about being a dog, but eventually realizes he would really like to be a boy again. The neighborhood cat, Gumbo, might have the answers for him, but the relationship between dogs and cats is a fraught one. This is a fast-paced, humorous tale of friendship and empathy filled with fun and informative interstitial art and graphic panels. The epilogue teases more adventures, with further transformations into other animals. VERDICT This charming, lightly magical tale is a wonderful addition to all libraries serving young readers.-Kristyn Dorfman

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