September 1, 2010
Gr 1-3-Lackluster titles for early chapter-book readers. Poor Buddy. He's a sweet pup that has lost his family, specifically his best human friend, Kayla. He is adopted by Connor and his mother but the mysterious disappearance of his first family continues to haunt him. In Mixed-Up Mutts, Buddy must put aside his concern for Kayla and help two dogs who have been switched. The pugs, Jazzy and Muffin, look a lot alike so when they go to the same dog park one day, they accidentally return home with the wrong owners. Thanks to Buddy's quick thinking and his ability to get himself out of a number of tight spots, the dogs are reunited with their families. In Missing Family, Buddy is able to focus on his concern over the loss of his first family. He stows away in a moving van when he observes some mysterious people moving his old family's furniture. In the end, Buddy finds Kayla and her father but he's not allowed to stay with her and is eventually reunited with Connor. If you have young readers who absolutely love dogs, then they might be satisfied with this series. However, Mary Labatt's stories about Sam, the Dog Detective (Kids Can) are more satisfying.-Julie Shatterly, W.A. Bess Elementary School, Gastonia, NC
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