What the Dog Said

What the Dog Said

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4.03 of 5 stars 4.03  ·  rating details  ·  128 ratings  ·  41 reviews
Ever since her police officer father was killed a few months ago, Grace Abernathy hasn't wanted to do much of anything. She's pulled away from her friends, her grades are plummeting . . . it's a problem. The last thing Grace wants is to be dragged into her older sister Regan's plan to train a shelter dog as a service dog. But Grace has no idea how involved she'll get-espec...more
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published February 28th 2012 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
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P.M.
13 year old Grace is trying to deal with the drive-by shooting death of her father, a police detective. Her older sister decides they should adopt a dog from the shelter and train it to be a service dog. Grace's attention is caught by mutt Rex who persuades her to adopt him rather than some of the purebreds available. Apparently Grace is the only one to whom Rex talks. At first, she thinks this is a sign that she is losing her mind as well as failing every class in school. When she attends the f...more
Christina
Things I liked:
- Overall, it's an easy to read, entertaining dog story with a happy ending.
- This is very minor, but isn't the cover design nice? It caught my eye.
- Support for pet adoption. The girls go to a shelter to adopt a dog, and the service dog trainer is enthusiastic about using shelter dogs.
- Gives some insight into service dog programs.
- Although I had annoyances with some aspects of it, I think Rex's personality and speech were pretty acceptable as things belonging to a dog. He did...more
Randi Reisfeld
May 29, 2012 Randi Reisfeld rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  (Review from the author)
OK, I wrote it -- but...I'm really proud of it. The story's about an otherwise "normal," if slightly quirky 13 year old who loses her detective dad in what seems to be a drive-by. Grace is devastated and quickly spirals downward--won't see her friends, lets her grades drop, locks herself in her room going over memories. One of the ways she's able to heal is through her seemingly selfish sister's plan. The family adopts a shelter dog -- a very special mangy mutt -- and it falls to Grace to train...more
Karen  Yingling
Grace is helping out her older sister with a college application project-- adopting a dog from a shelter and training it to be a service dog. Regan isn't very interested in the dog part, and since she is into fashion, is tending toward a cute little maltipoo. One of the dogs, however, TALKS to Grace and asks to be taken home. Grace is so taken aback that she agrees, and Rex goes home. Regan feels that Grace needs the distraction of the dog because while the family has suffered after the shooting...more
Meichler
I loved, loved, loved this book. I don't normally read books in the young adult genre, but What the Dog Said was recommended to me, and I am so glad it was. It was a great story about a 13 year old, fairly typical, teenage girl, who is struggling with her father's untimely death (a murder). Her (fairly shallow) older sister and her decide to adopt a dog and train it for Canine Companions, an association which trains dogs to work with the disabled, for her sister's college essay. The dog winds up...more
Sarah P
What the Dog Said is by Randi Reisfeld and HB Gilmour. It is about a girl named Grace Abernathy, who lives with her mother and her older sister, Regan. Her dad, who was a detective at the local police station, was shot while he was leaving the police station to go see Grace’s softball tryout. Grace used to be an excellent student, got high grades, played sports, and hung out with friends, but ever since the accident, Grace has been holed up in her room, not talking to any of her friends and flun...more
Luisa
I thought this book, about a girl who can hear her rescue dog Rex could talk, would be stupid, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Gracie is thoughtful and articulate as she works through guilt and grief over her father’s death while training a rescue dog to be a service dog for a child with disabilities. Rex may be a result of magical thinking, may be the voice of her dead father, or even the voice of her mom coaxing her out of a deep depression. Whatever he is, his voice is strong, but Gracie...more
Faith
Grace hasn't been the same since her father was killed. She doesn't hang out with friends and her grades have dropped in school. Her sister, Regan, doesn't seemed affected about this and that makes Grace angry. All Regan wants is to adopt a dog and train it to be a service dog, so she can write an impressive essay and get into Parsons School for Design. The two sisters go to the shelter for a dog. One dog grabs Grace's attention by talking. No else seems to hear him. Grace can't believe what he...more
Treasure
Grace, deep in grief over her detective dad’s death, helps her bossy older sister complete a project for a college entrance essay—training an adopted dog to be a service dog. At the pound, Rex speaks to Grace, but no one else can hear him. As his training begins, her isolation and guilt become evident. Is Rex the key to finding the truth about her dad’s murder and providing her family with healing? Realistic (despite the talking dog!), honest, a bit funny, and plenty sad, this book will appeal t...more
Jackie
Feb 17, 2013 Jackie rated it 4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Jackie by: Alex E.
The day Grace's nearly-perfectly-idyllic family life ended, was the day her police-detective father was gunned down in a drive-by. Grace's mom and her sister, Regan, have found a way to move past the never-ending grief and get back to the 'new-normalcy' of their lives. Grace can't. Her near-perfect grades have dropped, she's ignored her friends, and she is furious with her mom and sister for getting past all of it.

With a little sisterly manipulation, Grace is roped into adopting a dog from a sh...more
Caitlintobin
It took me a few chapters to get into this book. The story begins with a middle school girl trying to cope with her father's death. The older sister brings a foster dog home to train as a service dog. Rex, the dog, and Gracie, the main character begin talking to each other, which guides Gracie through her grief. I loved the relationship between the dog and the girl. I did not like the side story as much about Gracie's dad. The book did hook me enough to make me cry at the end.
Lauren Lakow
I am not one to get all emotional but i just finished this book and i was crying. It was so sad... My parents have not passed thank goodness, but the saying, "say goodnight gracie." Really got to me, its such a sad, but heartwarming book. I really felt strongly about the book. I wanted rex to stay with grace! I felt like letting go of rex was letting go of her dad but rex helped her cope with the loss of her dad. What an amazing book.
Christiane
Thirteen-year-old Grace is already floundering after the death of her police-officer father, so she is not thrilled when her older sister's project to train a service dog becomes her responsibility. Especially when she starts hearing the dog speak to her. This is a well-written and engaging story about dealing with grief, with a fair amount of humor as well, particularly from Rex, the talking dog. I’d recommend this for 5th graders and up.
Betsy
I absolutely loved this book! Years ago a beautiful golden dog appeared at my side during a very bad rain storm. Something told me that she had to stay in my life. She and I had the most amazing rapport and I always wondered who she really was. Whoever she was, she appeared at the perfect time in my life. I never told anyone about this connection I felt with the dog-thank you for writing this book! I'm not crazy after all!
Alice
After her beloved father is shot and killed, Grace spirals into despair until her normally selfish sister suggests training a dog to help her with her college essay. Grace is too kind to disagree even though she knows she will wind up doing all the work, and when she meets Rex at the pund he speaks to her - literally. Training Rex becomes just what Grace needs to slowly make her way our of despair into grieving for her father. Excellent.
Donna
I read this one in a day. What a touching and moving story of a young girl's struggle with grief and the amazing dog that comes into her life. Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, this book helps us see the different ways that we all deal with loss. We all need love and understanding and this is what the dog was able to give to Gracie, the girl in the story. Loved it!
Lily
this book touches really close to home especially if youve lost someone important in your life or had to give up your dog i love how the dog talks to her and the whole time im thinking this is her dad talking through Rex.when i first picked up the book i thought jj was a guy she had a crush on nut it turns out he helped her get justice over her dads murder.
P Heath
Gracie is flattened by grief after the murder of her policeman dad. She helps her sister train a service dog...and it talks, but only to her. We never do figure out if this is magical realism or if Grace is imagining it, but it is a sweet story about grief, justice and getting on with life. By the same author that wrote Twitches.
Jennifer
A sweet middle grade chapter book about a 13 year old girl who is struggling after her father dies, until her sister signs them up to train a service dog for children with disabilities. The twist - the dog talks to her! Funny and sad and a good story. A little too heavy for my seven year old, but I'll let her read it in a few years.
Stacie
I read this one aloud with my little guy who's eight. We both cried at several points during the story. The author had an interesting style and cadence to her writing which at times felt forced. The story is written for an older middle grade audience. We enjoyed the story, and I'm glad we read it together.
Jennifer
Very interesting book filled with strong characters. Powerful story dealing with themes of death of a parent/grief, gangs, sister relationships, and disabilities/service dogs. Sounds like a lot but the plot is explained well. Mature 4th graders-8th graders.
Sandy
I thoroughly enjoyed this childrens book. Sympathetic characters, interesting on many levels. Very moving too-it made me tear up more than once. A must for children who have experienced the death of a parent but others will find it moving and satisfying.
Geebowie
this book was pretty darn good. I liked the character of Rex and he interacted with grace. the book had very funny moments and sad ones too. I don't think I good ever do one of those dog training programs i would not be able to give up the dog.
Anna Hinze
This book is obviously fiction. It's about a girl named Grace and her sister Regan, and their dad recently died at his job as a cop. Regan gets over it, but Grace is devastated. So Regan and her mom decide to get a dog to help Grace become happy again. Grace goes along to get the dog, but when they get there, the dog talks to Grace. Nobody else can hear it though. So they get the talking dog and name it Rex, and you will have to read the rest. I reccomend this book to anybody. It was very cute...more
Holli
It was pretty good, but very emotional. I did like that the dog could talk though. Overall, it was okay. I mean, it wasn't oustanding, but it did pretty well. Let's just say, read it if you have nothing else to read.
Zeldabel
This book should appeal to anyone who's ever loved and lost a beloved parent or pet. Sentimental without being sappy, What the Dog said is a sweet, gentle read parents and kids can enjoy together.
Sophia
It was a great story I loved the way it was written. It was very good. I thought the way Regan changed her essay so that Grace would be the role model for her essay.
L
Grace can't believe her ears...the mangy dog at the shelter is talking to her and insisting he is the one they should take home!
Betsey Hanson
Megan has been asking me to read this forever. Cute book about the power the love of a dog has on helping heal people.
Lauren
Good story about a girl who lost her father and sees him in the new dog she brought home.
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What the Dog Said (Kindle Edition)
What the Dog Said (ebook)
Randi Reisfeld has written over 60 books, primarily for ‘tweens and teens; non-fiction (celebrity biographies, two of which have made the New York Times best seller list); and fiction. She wrote the Clueless series, original stories based on the characters in the movie, as well as six books based on the character of TV's Moesha. Her original fiction series called T*Witches is a Disney Channel TV m...more
More about Randi Reisfeld...
Making Waves (Candy Apple #10) The Power of Two (T*Witches, #1) Building a Mystery (T*Witches, #2) Seeing Is Deceiving (T*Witches, #3) Don't Think Twice (T*Witches, #5)

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