Have you noticed all of the Heights Libraries’ dog-friendly programs in the latest Check Us Out? From the K-6th grade read-to-a-therapy dog program, Sit! Stay Read! (Lee Road), to dog safety and Reading & Rescue collaboration with City Dogs (UH), Heights Libraries is ready for some tail wagging fun! With that in mind, here are some middle grade fiction titles that feature delightful dog tales (and tails).
Dogtown by Katherine Applegate imagines a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them. When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses.
No Place Like Home by James Bird Opin, his brother Emjay, and their mother are trying to get to Los Angeles, where they hope a new life is waiting. When Opin finds a stray dog who needs him as much as he needs her, his longing for a stable home intensifies in this emotionally compelling story of family, history, and hope.
Both Can Be True by Jules Machias explores identity, gender fluidity, and the power of friendship and acceptance in this dual-narrative story. Daniel and Ash are two kids who join forces to save a dog and wind up saving each other.
Code Name: Serendipity by Amber Smith Eleven-year-old Sadie’s school year is off to an awful start, but when she comes across a stray dog, she discovers something wonderful and magical–she and the dog, Dewey, are able to communicate telepathically. When Dewey is captured and sent to a shelter, Sadie takes action in this reaffirming, magical, and uplifting story of friendship, family, and believing in yourself.
I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak A golden retriever narrates a hilarious, heart-tugging tale of a dog and his humans as he tries to keep his family together while everything around them falls apart.
The Dog Knight by Jeremy Whitley This first in series graphic novel follows a nonbinary middle schooler who saves a dog from bullies and is offered the chance to become the Dog Knight, protector of a magical pact between humans and dogs.
From realistic fiction on emotional topics to imagined tales and adventures, these heartwarming and fast paced stories are likely to hold the interest of dog-lovers of . Don’t worry, readers… the dogs are okay in these stories.
