Dylan is an American Cocker Spaniel although the story
begins with Aidan purchasing the dog from a South Korean pet shop. Aidan is
forced to give up Dylan so the dog finds himself flown across the ocean to live
with Aidan’s mother and little brother Casey. This creates a conflict with the
mother since Dylan is a “serial chewer” and Casey has one month to prove Dylan
won’t be a problem. As the plot unfolds, Dylan does typical doggie things but a
mother might view them as definitely not things a good dog should do. This
becomes the conflict driving the story as the family tries to improve Dylan’s
obedience and impulsive behavior to become a permanent member of the family. The
fact that Casey is impulsive and mischievous only complicates matters.
The story is told from Dylan’s viewpoint with his thoughts
displayed in italics. He finds the pet carrier too cramped with not enough room
to turn around in order to drink from his water bottle. He likes the taste of
nice shoes and claws up pictures on the floor to make a comfy bed for his nap. He
likes to snatch food from unsuspecting humans and he can’t resist any
opportunity to playfully chase geese and other animals. Dylan can’t communicate
with the human characters but his thoughts indicate he understands English, but
sometimes misunderstands situations. There are moments when humans seem to
comprehend what Dylan’s thinking and they respond to his thoughts in kind.
The highlights are found in the second half of the book but
I don’t want to include any spoilers. Casey leaves Dylan leashed in a public park
but the dog’s natural instincts create a problem that results in legal issues.
As a result, Dylan and Casey begin a journey of community service that elevates
their relationship and their public image. These chapters expose readers to
common efforts to improve childhood literacy and care for patients at a children’s
hospital. Dylan encounters a potentially life-threatening problem when visiting
a fair but his actions add to his emerging social popularity. It seems like
this problem might lead to the plot’s climax but Dylan’s legend continues to
grow until the end.
What didn’t work as well:
Most of the communication between Casey and Dylan is inferred
so the moments where Casey seems to actually hear the dog’s thoughts are
unusual. In other scenes, Dylan’s thoughts indicate he’s aware of everything going
on and reacts “logically” to situations. The overall book is realistic fiction
but these moments give it a slight feel of speculative fiction. Whatever, the
story is fun to read.
The Final Verdict:
Pet owners will love this book and dog owners will probably
identify with many of the mishaps found in the first half. With the narrator inside
Dylan’s mind, readers will connect with the dog’s kind spirit and curiosity and
root for him to have a happy ending. I recommend you give this book a shot.
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