Valerie Hobbs (1)Recensioni

What a sweet little story of riches to rags to riches for a puppy named Oliver and of a rags to riches for a sweet little girl named Maggie.

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Super quick, feel good read. Loved the main character. Have to suspend reality a LITTLE bit-but overall good message of standing up for yourself and doing good for others.

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Sheep is written in a manner of an aged book. Told from the dog's POV through his many owners and many experiences. Death, murder, crime, abuse, it's all there, if you read subtext as well as catch onto what the dog is talking about. Jack's life goes from something normal to a stray starving or following homeless people around. He assists in crimes, follows goats, and herds animals. Jack's story is not an interesting one, it's an overly depressing one.

To edge into the sadness of death, abuse, and animal cruelty, Jack meets Luke, an orphan, and becomes his dog. Luke's unable to read and very down in the dumps. Knowing how foster cares and adoption places are filled with abuse, this is even more saddening.

All in all, this is not a happy book, or one worth reading, really. There's a lot better dog books out there. This one drags and feels very old-fashioned in writing. Jack's life is saddening and it ends on the implication he'll be with Luke for life, but going off his track record of luck, that's unlikely. Jack also has dreams of his past owners which is sad, as some of them are abusive or dead.

A very somber book, worth passing up for another dog book. I took nothing away from this and couldn't really find a reason to like Jack, his personality is nonexistent as are most of the supporting cast's personalities. Very bland.

As the new girl in school, sixth grader Minnie McClary doesn’t know what to say. She’s nervous that she might say the wrong thing and her classmates or her new teacher, Miss Marks, won’t like her. But Miss Marks is encouraging the class to ask all the questions they can think of, especially the ones with difficult answers. The more questions Minnie asks – about her uncle who lost a leg in Iraq and now lives in her basement, about her Muslim friend Amira who gets bullied, about her unconventional but inspiring teacher, about her dad’s courage to lose his job over doing the right thing, and especially about herself – the more she feels the need to speak up.

This is a fabulous book. The story has plenty of its own questions to ask – about war, religion, prejudice, kindness, taking a stand – and doesn’t pretend that there are any easy answers. Whether you are someone who always speaks up or someone who sometimes has trouble speaking to people at all, you need to give this book a try.

I picked this up as a possibility for my Intermediate readers who want accessible realistic fiction with a few tears at the end and "Defiance" proved to be just that. It opens with 11-year-old Toby, who has undergone treatment for cancer, meeting a neighboring cow. He is away on vacation with his mother, while his dad comes in on the weekends from work.

Toby develops a fondness for Blossom the cow, and eventually gains a job as her milker and as a house-helper to Blossom's aged, infirm owner, Pearl, a poet with failing eyesight who refuses to relinquish her independence and her farm. You can envision the trajectory of the story with the overprotective parents, the children who want to institutionalize their ailing mother, Toby's secrets to protect both himself & Pearl from loss of freedom, and (spoiler!) the eventual demise of Blossom. Pearl lives to be 100 & Toby lives on to become a doctor.

It delivered what I had hoped and I already have a list of readers lined up with the tissue box.

I picked this up as a possibility for my Intermediate readers who want accessible realistic fiction with a few tears at the end and "Defiance" proved to be just that. It opens with 11-year-old Toby, who has undergone treatment for cancer, meeting a neighboring cow. He is away on vacation with his mother, while his dad comes in on the weekends from work.

Toby develops a fondness for Blossom the cow, and eventually gains a job as her milker and as a house-helper to Blossom's aged, infirm owner, Pearl, a poet with failing eyesight who refuses to relinquish her independence and her farm. You can envision the trajectory of the story with the overprotective parents, the children who want to institutionalize their ailing mother, Toby's secrets to protect both himself & Pearl from loss of freedom, and (spoiler!) the eventual demise of Blossom. Pearl lives to be 100 & Toby lives on to become a doctor.

It delivered what I had hoped and I already have a list of readers lined up with the tissue box.

I read this book back in middleschool and every now and then remember it. I loved it but could never find it! All i remember was a hardcover with hearts, a blonde pregnant teen with an alcoholic parent, and a group of friends. I will definitely be picking this book up and taking a peek back at pre-teen me.

Oh, I like this book. A lot.

And it's not just the story of a young Border collie separated from his first home, that endears this tale to me, and it's not just the characters, either. There's something sweet, yet wise, that pulled me in...and didn't let me go until the last page was turned.½

Carolina lives with her mother, Melanie, and baby sister Trinity on an old school bus. They live in poverty, because Melanie doesn't hold a job or stay in one place long enough to settle down. Carolina makes friends with wheelchair bound Stefan, son of extremely wealthy parents, on whose land Melanie has parked the bus. Carolina also adopts a baby crow, who is growing up living on the bus, and sitting on her shoulder all day, but doesn't seem interested in learning to fly. Carolina eventually meets Stefan's mother, a deeply sad, but good-hearted socialite. In time, Carolina has to make a truly difficult decision that will affect the rest of her life, as she learns what freedom and responsibility really mean.

(Fiction, Children's Chapter)

This chapter book for older children and adults, that tells the tale of a homeless border collie (his sheep farm burned) looking for a home, and an orphan, will pull your heart-strings.

It’s told from the point of view (mostly, as I remember) of the dog.

A great story that I’d like to read to my grandchildren.

There is a sequel called Wolf, which I’ve added to my reading list.

4 stars

Eleven-year-old Toby Steiner is spending vacation with his mom in a summer cabin. It's a break at last from his hospital stays, surgeries and medications for cancer. He enjoys riding his bike and exploring the country but his mother's protective ways drive him crazy. It's partly why he hasn't yet told anyone about the new lump in his side. While exploring the area, he befriends Pearl, a no-nonsense elder woman who owns a farm with a cow and was once an esteemed poet. Her daughters argue over whether to place her in a home. Toby and Pearl are kindred spirits in that they both are sure of where the belong no matter what family says. Yet each pushes the other to stretch beyond their personal boundaries.

The ageing border collie Jack first introduced in the novel Sheep takes on a rabid wolf. A short engaging dog story told well from the alternative perspectives of the dog and the wolf.

This would be a great read aloud for third grade and an excellent addition to a fourth grade library. There is also a sequel: Wolf.

Cute historical fiction about an orphaned girl, Maggie, and an orphaned dog, Oliver. Both are trying to find their way, with no where to turn, until they find each other.

Jack, a border collie, has been lead dog for years and cherishes his role. But the years are catching up with him even though no other dog is ready yet to take his place. Then some sheep are killed and he sees a strange new animal. He's used to looking out for coyote, but this is a rabid wolf and he's never seen anything like it. Jack and his owner, teenage Luke, are devoted to one another and both are determined to protect the other and the others on the farm. An adventure story that introduces a way of life and its perils to middle grade readers.½

Oliver the dog finds himself homeless when his beloved Bertie dies and Maggie the orphan foundling finds herself on the street when she angers the mistress of the house in which she has been working.
"Pluck, gumption, and optimism stand them both in good stead as they cope with cold, hunger, and loneliness. Things look up when their stories intersect, and our inkling of a happy ending is joyfully fulfilled when Maggie discovers that she is the long-lost granddaughter of the wealthy duchess who has been peeking in from the edges of the story all along. This is Victoriana with no steampunk shenanigans and no tongues in cheeks, just well-orchestrated, straightforward storytelling for newish readers -- with a bonus of warm pencil drawings reminiscent of Lois Lenski." sarah ellis Horn Book 11/1/11
Good for a classroom read-aloud.

The bulk of the plot takes place over Winnie’s (and what should have been Bernie’s) freshman year of college. Narrated from alternating points of view. Highly recommended for Hobbs’ very realistic and contemporary portrayal of 1) the college experience – or at least freshman year, 2) the process of figuring out who we really are (and whether or not that is who we want to be), and 3) will Winnie and Bernie get back together? Should they get back together?

Winnie and Bernie are both “outsiders” who meet and become best friends in the 8th grade. All through high school the two misfits are thick as thieves and plan their futures assuming they will always be together. But when plans to attend college together go awry (Bernie isn’t able to go), both Winnie and Bernie learn what it means to stand on their own two feet. Hobbs also explores what it means to be special, ordinary, and grownup. The bulk of the plot takes place over Winnie’s (and what should have been Bernie’s) freshman year of college. Narrated from alternating points of view. Highly recommended for Hobbs’ very realistic and contemporary portrayal of 1) the college experience – or at least freshman year, 2) the process of figuring out who we really are (and whether or not that is who we want to be), and 3) will Winnie and Bernie get back together? Should they get back together? For high school and up.½

I read this book at the request of a friend who wanted to recommend it for a county read. I tend to avoid books like this knowing that I will be bawling my eyes out and have puffy bleary vision the next day. And that's just what happened.

A young boy has been growing up mainly in hospitals undergoing treatment for cancer. His parents rent a cabin in the country for the summer and he defiantly rides a bicycle down the lane, much to the consternation of his hyper-vigilant mother. He meets a cow and her owner, an elderly blind woman who lives by herself but manages to have an impressive vegetable garden. Toby is mistaken for a boy sent from the village to help her and is made to read her mail for her and learns how to milk the cow and retrieve eggs from chickens.

This is pretty heavy stuff for young kids. I don't know if my own kids would have read a book like this and I doubt I would have ever chosen it for them. It is inspirational and uplifting at the same time as tragic.

A fast read for an adult but it still packs a punch!

This book was about a dog who got taken a way from his family. He got treated very badly and like if he was bad. He found this guy who had goats and a trailor. This man took sheep and treated him with respect. they traveled the united states and bonded. One day the man got very sick and went to bed. Sheep waited for him to wake up but he did not. The old man had died. Sheep went on and lived his life leaving the goats and the old man.

I gave this book a four star rating because it had a lot of details. She used very descriptive words. She had a very high vocabulary. She did not make it a bad book but a book that you would want to keep reading.

The best part of the summer is the week Lucy spends with her Gram in her cabin on the lake. She can leave behind her "job" of caring for Eddie who has Down Syndrome, and anticipate beginning middle school. Lucy loves her Gram, and she never wants her to change. She cherishes the magical time they spend together. How do Gram, who is getting older, Megan, her best friend, and her Top 12 Ways to be Popular and Eddie, who is a job, not a friend, fit into Lucy's life?½

This book is well written and poignant. I think the story is interesting and moves the story along. I like it because while it draws the reader in, it teaches important lessons about treating others with respect, figuring out how to be responsible, growing up, and realizing what is important in life and what isn't. It's a terrific moment when Lucy realizes that not hurting Eddie's feelings is much more important than being popular.

I think girls in middle school will relate to this book and enjoy reading it. I think it's something they can relate to and I hope they'll learn a lesson from it.

"Do not go gently into this good night. Rage, rage, against the dying of the light." - Dylan Thomas Toby, an 11 year old boy, learns to fight for his life instead of giving in to the cancer that ravages his body with the help of an aging poet who learns to do the same for herself.

This is an incredibly powerful book that weaves poetry in throughout the text to bring the potentially sad story to the next level. It is good for any young teen who is dealing with illness or other negative things in their lives. It is relatively short and easy to read which will appeal to reluctant readers. It could be a good springboard for learning more about poetry.