McTavish Goes Wild

The McTavish Stories #2

by Meg Rosoff

It's summer and the Peachey family is in crisis – again. Youngest child Betty Peachey is trying to persuade the family to go to the Faraway Campsite of Ma Peachey's idyllic dreams. But most of the Peacheys are still resisting. Pa Peachey is convinced that terrible dangers lurk in the `wild', Ollie only cares about whether there's a `disco', and Ava has her nose deep in philosophy books…But marvellous McTavish, always one step ahead of the Peacheys, quietly works out a way to get the family enjoying their holiday, together.

Genres: Middle Grade, Dogs, Chapter Books, Fiction, Childrens, Animals

128 pages, Paperback

Published May 3, 2018

About the author

Meg Rosoff was born in Boston and had three or four careers in publishing and advertising before she moved to London in 1989, where she lives now with her husband and daughter. Formerly a Young Adult author, Meg has earned numerous prizes including the highest American and British honors for YA fiction: the Michael L. Printz Award and the Carnegie Medal.

Reviews

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ironic part of this book was that I picked it up to read at the same time as the previous one listed (War is Over) and they BOTH have character's named McTavish. I suppose that doesn't seem that unusual based on where they are centered, but for my own reading, that name doesn't come up too often, and even in this situation, they are at very different ends of the spectrum. Just goes to show you the name does not make the person. Anywho...the McTavish here is a dog and he's GONE WILD, or so the title says, but the wild he goes is in order to get the family back on the same page. It's a creative way to handle things, but it works because they band together and stop their squabbling (eventually) to track him down. Perhaps we all need a McTavish in our lives to make us slow down and appreciate what's right in front of us.


**ARC received for review; opinions are my own

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who says dogs don't take care of their families? This could be re-titled "McTavish Knows Best". Meg Rosoff shows he really does take notice of the family who does not often agree, on anything. This time youngest child Betty is trying to have the family go camping for their summer vacation choice. Ma Peachey does, too, and remembers a long-ago campsite that has made a wonderful memory. Pa Peachey says terrible dangers wait; Ava, the older sister, only wants to read her philosophy books; and Ollie, the older brother, wants to find a dance place (and a girlfriend). They do go and despite the varied opinions, nice things do happen, all because of caring McTavish. It is a cute early reader, but would also make a nice read-aloud in order to discuss the different family members, how each one changes, at least a little bit.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for the copy.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, delightful read! McTavish the dog is very much the head if the Peachy household and helps the family have a fun camping trip. Love it!

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

George en de familie Appeltje zijn terug! Ditmaal is het tijd voor vakantie en zon! Perfect voor dit seizoen.


Ik had dit boek eerst meegenomen voor de illustraties van Georgien Overwater. Ik HOU HOU van haar illustraties, ze zijn altijd superleuk en tof. En terwijl ik aan het lezen was kwamen me dingen bekend voor. Dus ik maar even kijken of het officieel Engels was. Ja, dat was het. Blijkbaar is dit een deel in de McTavish serie! Ik heb deel 1 gelezen in het Engels en vond het een leuk boek. Tja, toen had ik nog meer motivatie om dit boek te lezen!

In dit boek gaat de familie Appeltje op vakantie! Maar waarheen? Nou moeder weet het wel! Een mooie camping VER weg van alles met mooie natuur en veel leuke picknicks. Ik had er helemaal zin in. Ja, ik zou echt zo mee willen en samen met Bettie, George, en moeders lekker leuke trips maken. Ik kon me ook wel een beetje relaten naar de oudere zus. Ik moet ook altijd boeken bij me hebben als ik op vakantie ga. Alleen dan niet van die saaie boeken die zij leest. Goed, filosofie is leuk hoor, maar ik kies dan iets minder droge stof. Ik genoot dan ook van Bettie en haar moeder en ik moest wel lachen om de reacties van de rest van de familie. XD Voor de zoon, oh mijn hemel. En zoals de meeste kampeertrips… er gaat altijd wel iets mis. XD

En George heeft ook genoeg plannen om te zorgen dat zijn familie blij is en dat ze samen zijn. Sommige vond ik er tof, sommige een tikje vervelend. Zo moest ik wel lachen om dat hij ze de berg op joeg.

Ik vond de vader echt SUPERIRRITANT. Dat vond ik in het eerste verhaal al, maar hier nog meer! Echt wat een hypochonder en hij ziet ook echt overal gevaar en gedoe. Totaal ongezond en ik zou toch echt hopen dat die man eens hulp zocht. Maar ja, dat vind ie waarschijnlijk eng of zo. rolt met ogen

En de illustraties van Georgien Overwater maakten het helemaal geweldig, dat was ook de hoofdreden dat ik het boek wilde lezen. Haar illustraties zijn gewoon top en brachten het verhaal tot leven.

Al met al, ik wil graag meer George/McTavish. Ja, de hond is een beetje pretentieus maar het is toch echt leuk om te lezen en ik moet lachen om deze familie.

Recensie ook gepost op https://boekeneiland.nl/

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic copy from Candlewick Press through NetGalley.
McTavish returns to continue training the Peachey family. This time the adventure involves a camping trip and plenty of arguing. Ma Peachey and McTavish turn the negatives around, and the entire family enjoys a day of hiking on a beautiful mountain.
Rosoff keeps the story moving forward and draws readers in to the relatable world of the Peachey family. Pa Peachey is still not a likeable character to me but she maintains the character development.
Elementary level readers will enjoy the continued adventures.

[J.L. Slipak · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Good Boy!
It’s summer and the Peachey family is in crisis – again. Youngest child Betty Peachey is trying to persuade the family to go to the Faraway Campsite of Ma Peachey’s idyllic dreams. But most of the Peacheys are still resisting. Pa Peachey is convinced that terrible dangers lurk in the `wild’, Ollie only cares about whether there’s a `disco’, and Ava has her nose deep in philosophy books…But marvelous McTavish, always one step ahead of the Peacheys, quietly works out a way to get the family enjoying their holiday, together.

Out May 2020

83 Pages

MY THOUGHTS:

I received this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love these books. They’re a sweet and comfortable read about a dog and his humans. Great read for ages 7-10 for those who like quick reads, easy reads and chapter books. This is a lovely story taken place in the summer and the author draws you into the setting and on the adventure the Peachey family set off on through her lyrical writing style and descriptions. This book is about family time together, something the Peachey family doesn’t seem to have for each other until good old McTavish and Mrs. Peachey come up with a great idea–Mrs. Peachey: camping; McTavish: bringing the family together and into nature.

Love this dog and the series and I know children will too.

[Rosi Hollinbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

McTavish has a return appearance in this sweet second book in the series. I, for one, hope this is a series with lots of books. McTavish was rescued by the Peachey family in the first book, Good Dog, McTavish, but it was clear that McTavish thought of himself as the rescuer of the family, and with good reason. That theme continues here. The Peachey family is going to go off on a camping trip, and Betty and Mom are excited, Dad is apprehensive, Ollie would be happy if the camping place had dancing and lots of girls, and Ava is only interested in reading esoteric philosophy books, a stack of which she takes along. The first couple days of being at the beautiful camp ground with a river for swimming and a mountain for climbing are wasted with a lot of complaining, worrying, and stick-in-the-mudness, until McTavish takes over and leads the family on what seems to be a wild goose chase, but that's not really what it is. It is McTavish to the rescue.

Author Meg Rosoff has a great franchise going with the McTavish books. The characters are believable and properly flawed, the writing is crisp, and the story is fun, funny, and compelling. That along with the cute illustrations by Grace Easton will keep the youngest of independent readers happily engaged. This is a real winner.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally published in the UK, this is the second book in the McTavish Stories series, starring a rescued dog and his adopted family - although, as McTavish would tell you, he's the one who rescued them. The Peachey family is a little quirky, as most families are; in this second installment, the family frets over where to go on vacation. Young Betty Peachey wants to go camping, but Pa Peachey is convinced that nature is far too dangerous to be out and about in. Teenage brother Ollie just wants to be somewhere where there are dance clubs where he can find a girlfriend, and big sister Ava wants to stay home and read German philosophy. Thank goodness for Ma Peachey, who sides with Betty. Once out in nature, McTavish sees that it's up to him to get this family acclimated to the Great Outdoors, in sweet and fun fashion. The story is gentle, moves at a leisurely pace with humor throughout. Black and white drawings give life to the text. Intermediate readers will get a kick out of this quirky family and their canine companion, who seems to be two steps ahead of the game. You won't need to have read the first book, Good Dog McTavish, to jump right into this series, but animal fiction fans will want to - make sure you have both on the shelf.

[Christina Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

McTavish is back and nobody could be happier than this reader - this series is a real winner! Warm, realistic family interactions, a dog who is smarter than (most of) his owners and a warm, upliftng feeling at the end of each book.Not to mention that the font is dyslexia-friendly and the pages are laid-out in an accessible, inviting way. I am delighted to add this to our school library!
In this story the Peachey family decide to go on holiday - bot no destination seems to suit every family member so they end up going camping. At first, it is great as the sun is shining and everything is a novelty, but the novelty soon starts to wear off when it pours for an entire day and everyone becomes soggy and uncomfortable.
McTavish to the rescue again, as he pretends to run away, leading the Peachey family on a merry chase up a mountain and into a lake for a swim, leading them to forget entirely that they were intent on packing up and going home!
I liked how mum is more present in this book and that she seems perfectly aware of just how manipulative their family dog is being.
Perfect for dog-lovers or for anyone who fancies adding a bright spot to their day!

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

 This easy, short chapter book turns a sappy dog rescue story into a wry dog-tells-all family profile. McTavish takes his job as a rescue job seriously: " .. he had helped the Peacheys become far more organized and relaxed than when he had first decided to rescue them." And he has his work cut out for him: Ma Peachey has had it with her distracted family; Pa Peachey assumes the worst will happen in any situation; Ollie just wants to find a girlfriend; Ava spends most of her time reading existential philosophers; luckily, there is Betty, who is the reasonable one. When Ma decides that camping is just what the family needs this summer, McTavish steps in to make sure that their experience is all that he knows it can be. Mainly, he helps the family find joy and success with whatever is on the table. This humorous story makes fun of all the ways we find to sabotage ourselves, and helps the reader understand that a wise dog is the answer to most questions. The black and white media and collage illustrations add more fun appeal. I pictured Pa Peachey as a grumpy older man from his textural characterizations, but the art depicts him as an overgrown teenager!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, let me tell you about "McTavish Goes Wild"! It's a super fun book about the Peachey family and their summer adventure. The Peachey family is in a bit of a pickle because they can't decide where to go for their summer vacation. Betty Peachey wants to go camping, but everyone else is unsure. Pa Peachey thinks the wild is too dangerous, Ollie just wants to dance at a disco, and Ava is busy reading smart books.

But guess who saves the day? It's McTavish, the clever dog! He always knows how to help the Peachey family. He comes up with a plan to make everyone happy and have a great vacation together.

I loved reading about all the funny things that happen on their trip. McTavish is the best because he's smart and always knows what to do. And the Peachey family learns that sometimes, the best adventures happen when you're all together.

If you like stories about families, funny adventures, and smart dogs, you'll love "McTavish Goes Wild"! It's a cool book that will make you laugh and maybe even inspire you to go on your own wild adventure with your family.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

McTavish, the Peachy family's rescue dog is back with another grand adventure. In this second book of the series, McTavish has got to figure out a way to get the Peachy family camping trip back on track. Can he get the whole family back to nature or will the trip end in disaster? A fun-filled, light-hearted story that engages early readers with believable characters in relate-able situations. Simple black and white illustrations interspersed throughout the book add charm and visual detail to this winning series!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the perfect series of books for beginning chapter book readers, McTavish is a smart rescue dog owned by a zany family, the Peacheys. Camping is on the agenda for the Peacheys, and only two of the family members are enthusiastic about their summer camping trip. Even though I’m retired from teaching and camping, I think this book would be an excellent read-aloud for second grade classrooms near the end of the school year.

[Rosie Lindqvist · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mysig familjehistoria med den handlingskraftige hunden McTavish i spetsen. Pappan är lika delar rolig som jobbig. Hade jag varit gift med honom hade jag nog lämnat honom vid första bästa tillfälle! Jag har inte läst första delen men det behövs inte heller för att få glädje av den här. Kommer nog inte läsa fler delar i serien men kan rekommendera den som högläsning för barn som går på lågstadiet och uppåt.

[Kelly Garlinge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the McTavish series although we hadn’t read the first one and it really didn’t matter. It was the perfect book for my almost 6 year old who is just starting to read small chapter books. Sometimes this can be a awkward length for a book and they can be pretty dull but I loved the characters and thoroughly enjoyed the few evenings we spent with them on holiday. We both decided that perhaps our own family is need of a rescue dog like McTavish to rescue us.

[Kest Schwartzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

--Received as part of librarything's early review program--

So. This book. It's.... fine? I guess? It spends a LOT of time belittling the elder siblings and father. It spends an UNCOMFORTABLE amount of time belittling these three characters. The story is cute, if simple, but... just a whole lot of belittling.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first McTavish book and I loved this one.
It's sweet, full of humour and I liked the drawings and the style of writing.
I look forward to reading a lot of stories featuring McTavish.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

When people say the vocabulary in early or skinny chapter books is weak, they haven’t met McTavish! This 82 page chapter book packs a punch, complete with illustrations that remind me of The Wild Robot.

[Jessica Joines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved the story

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it ok, but my 8yo daughter lost interest.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book two in Meg Rosoff's three-part series following McTavish, a dog who was rescued from a shelter and now sets out to rescue his new family, the Peachey's. McTavish has his work cut out for him as several members of the Peachey family are quite resistant to change. In this volume McTavish hopes to open the eyes of the Peachey's to the beauty and enjoyment of nature. Will he succeed or will the family become food for the notorious river sharks?

This book is brightly paced and works very well when read aloud. Rosoff uses spare prose which is delightfully free of unnecessary plot entanglements. It's a simple light-hearted story that works quite well.

#McTavishGoesWild
#MegRosoff
#GraceEaston

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Peachey family are going on a family trip - whether certain family members want to or not! - and they're taking their rescue dog, McTavish. McTavish loves the meadow campsite they go to and frolics and swims in doggy bliss. Mr Peachey, being extremely risk averse, doesn't really feel comfortable out in the wild, older daughter Ava just wants to read her philosophy books, son Ollie is more interested in girls than he is in the country but young Betty and her mum love the simpler way of life camping offers. Clever McTavish leads the family up a mountain , helping them to appreciate the beauty of the scenery and talk to each other more. Lovely gentle story about the joys of taking a break from technology and the busyness of our everyday lives and getting back in touch with nature and enjoying each others company. Great for children just starting to read chapter books, dog or family lovers.

[Garance J. Bonadonna (The Nerdy Artivist)]

Another wonderful adventure of McTavish and his adopted family!
It was less fun than the first one, but I highly appreciated the development of the characters. I especially liked Ma Peachey and Betty.
It was another fun time with the smartest dog!

[Ria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Het is zomer èn bijna vakantie. Ook voor de familie Appeltje is het tijd om een vakantiebestemming uit te zoeken. Ma Appeltje wil op yoga-retraite, Ollie ziet uit naar een discotheek terwijl Aaf het liefst de geboorteplaats van Nietzsche zou bezoeken.

Bettie, de jongste van de drie kinderen, geeft met een diepe zucht toe dat ze heel graag zou willen kamperen. Pa Appeltje ziet bijna letterlijk leeuwen en beren en is zijn overlevingspakket al aan het inpakken. Ollie hoeft niet zo nodig één te worden met de natuur, hij wil een vriendin. Een levendige discussie volgt. En George? ‘We zouden hem mee kunnen nemen.’ oppert Ma Appeltje.

George is direct alert. Wie deel 1 las (Vlag en Wimpel 2020), weet dat George dit een goede stap vindt in het proces m.b.t. organiseren en ontspannen voor het gezin. Volgens hem dan. Ma Appeltje en Bettie regelen een tent en een camping waar een hond welkom is. Die camping met een dorp 9 kilometer verderop, wel een rivier en bergen in de buurt. George is blij dat hij hen kan begeleiden tijdens deze onderneming, een ‘janboel’ zal het vast worden met de vijf totaal verschillende Appeltjes.

Het verschil is ook te zien in de bagage die meegaat. Pa Appeltje zeult met een koffer vol overlevingszakken en slangenpoeder en meer overbodige zaken. Aaf stapelt kilo’s filosofie op. Ollie pakt elektrische apparatuur in, voor in een tent zonder elektriciteit. Aan praktische spullen wordt door Bettie en Ma Appeltje gedacht. Op naar camping ‘Vergelegen’!

Het is aan reddingshond George om dit zooitje op één lijn te krijgen zodat er enigszins sprake is van een actieve vakantie zonder ‘gekibbel en geluier’. Alvorens hij aan deze taak begint, neemt hij eerst een duik in de rivier. Die positieve ervaring kan hij goed gebruiken tijdens de komende wandel- en regendagen, vooral als hij ze op een dwaalspoor brengt.

Een heerlijk lezend tweede deel voor goede lezers vanaf ong. 8 jaar waaraan je als volwassene evenveel plezier beleeft door de diepere laag naast de nodige humor.
De illustraties in kleur van Georgien Overwater zijn geweldig. Ze vertellen het vlotte verhaal op eigen hilarische wijze en verlevendigen zondermeer de tekst. Hond George is een prachtig karakter met zijn eigenwijze snuit, zijn capriolen met jonge berggeitjes en zijn zwempartij die op het aantrekkelijke omslag al wordt aangekondigd.

George is niet ‘maar een hond’. Het is er eentje die alles in de gaten houdt, de Appeltjesfamilie vermaakt èn redt met een ‘bergje klimmen, meertje zwemmen, wandelingetje maken-spelletje’. Goeie ouwe George gaat helemaal los in deze buitenvakantie!

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

McTavish the rescue dog is back, and he's still taking his title literally and seriously. This time his adopted family, the Peacheys, are in danger of not enjoying their family camping trip, and McTavish is determined to salvage it! Meg Rosoff does a wonderful job of portraying the mixed-up Peachey family as well as the intrepid, clever dog McTavish. And Grace Easton's illustrations are modern yet cozy. A brilliant, must-read story for middle-grade children who love dogs, humor, and just a little bit of adventure. It's also a good reminder for adults who are in need of reconnecting to nature.

Thank you to Candlewick Press and LibraryThing for the advanced copy of this book!*
*This did not affect my review or rating.