The Dog's Meow

by Michelle Schusterman

A kitten is adopted and raised by a pack of huskies -- and even develops some canine characteristics!

When 12-year-old Mina discovers an abandoned kitten, Nukka, in the outskirts of Fairbanks, Alaska, she knows she has to take it in. And with the help of Mina's huskies, Nukka quickly becomes part of the family.

There's only one problem (or is it?): Nukka is a cat, and with only a pack of huskies to raise her, she develops some... interesting characteristics. Nukka learns to pant like a dog, play fetch like a dog, and even wants to become a sled dog, just like her canine siblings. But they're so much bigger and stronger than she is. How could Nukka ever keep up?

But things take a turn for the worse when the pack is stranded in a forest during a rescue mission. With a blizzard on its way, will Nukka be able to save her family before it's too late?

Genres: Dogs, Animals

225 pages, Paperback

Published January 4, 2022

About the author

Michelle Schusterman is the alleged author of less than one hundred books for kids and teens, most of which are not published under a secret pseudonym, and all of which include various characters. She lives on a steamboat with her pet crawfish, unless she's lying, in which case she lives among the spiders beneath the stage at the Metropolitan Opera, unless that's another lie, in which case she lives in an apartment in Queens with her chocolate lab, who can talk.

Reviews

[Amy Goff]

This was such a sweet book about fitting in with the pack!

[Pamela Hatch]

This is the second time that I have read this book -- and I liked it as much this time as I did the first time. I think the main theme of this book is identity.

Mina lives in Fairbanks, Alaska and is about to start 7th grade. She has spent the summer without her best friend. She finds out by accident that Emily had become overwhelmed with Mina's obsession with the music band ClockWork. Mina needs to decide what she really wants.

In the meantime, Nukka, the little stray kitten that was rescued by Niko, the lead husky. Nukka doesn't remember anything of her life before being rescued. Living in the midst of a pack of huskies, she herself takes on the personality and characteristics of a husky. She must decide who she really is.

The story takes place in Alaska. I love the family business of dog-sled excursions and rescues. The family dynamics of human, huskies, and now kitten is a wonderful mix. Very realistic fiction. It does have the animals communicating in their own language and it is written so that the reader can understand the conversations.

Highly recommended for 4th-6th graders, especially animal lovers.

[Natalia Rosales]

The Dog's Meow is a super cute and funny book that I loved. The story is about Mina, a little girl who feels a little lonely because her best friend doesn't include her as much anymore, and also about Nukka, a kitten who acts like a dog because she grew up with a sled team. I really liked how Mina and Nukka are finding their place and learning that being different isn't bad, in fact, it's the best thing about them! Also, the sledging and life in Alaska part makes the story different and special.

The best thing about the book is that it makes you feel a lot of things, like tenderness for Nukka and empathy for Mina, because we've all felt out of place at some point. I also liked that the story is easy to read and the chapters from the animals' point of view are super original. I think it's a perfect book if you love animals and you like stories about friendship and accepting yourself as you are. I definitely recommend it!

[Jennifer Baxter]

Extremely cute book, my daughter read it after reading Some Bunny to Love same author and encouraged me to read it as well, it was super cute! This author has a way of really putting life into all her characters, I will be starting her 3rd book called My Otter Half and soon she will be releasing her 4th book. All are stand alone but she is such a good auther we can't wait to read future books of hers. My daughter is in 5th grade and absolutely loves animal books.

[TupaKitty Reads]

My 8-year-old son says, "I loved it. My favorite parts were when Nukka was introduced & the cat-like behavior." This was a cute animal story, but I feel like the human aspect was lacking (Mina's friendship bit seemed resolved without any depth). Overall, it was entertaining, & all of my elementary age kiddos would recommend it for cat & dog lovers.

[Isabelle Fedorick]

Cute but a bit boring

[Becky B]

Nukka is a tiny kitten that middle schooler Mina, her dad, and their lead husky Niko found in rough shape under a bush by the highway in Fairbanks, Alaska. Once Nukka is strong enough she goes home with them and meet the rest of the sled dogs and Mina's mom. Surrounded by so many sled dogs, Nukka thinks she must be a husky destined to pull a sled too. But can a tiny kitten really join a sled team? While Nukka figures out her place in the world, Mina is also figuring out her place in middle school. Her best friend and she drifted apart over the summer and now Mina is feeling left out and lonely. She's trying to start her own t-shirt design business with designs that honor her favorite boy band, but no one seems to appreciate them but herself. The one bright spot in her days is watching cute little Nukka frolic with the husky pups. Can her year get better?

This story is told from the perspective of Nukka, Mina, and Niko by turns. It is realistic in content but the fact that the animals talk to each other and to readers brings it into the fantasy realm. Ultimately all the storylines are about finding how to be true to your own heart but also work well with and relate well with others. A lost hiker during the year's first blizzard provides a climax for everyone to find their place. Mina and Nukka's issues are relatable, especially to middle schoolers. Sled dog stories are pretty popular with our readers here in Thailand (it's pretty much as foreign as you can get from the climate of Thailand 😅, so this is their kind of escapism story). Nukka and the puppies are very cute, and I was left wishing I had a kitten to cuddle while reading this.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Little lost baby Nukka and the lost hiker are in perilous situations but everyone ends up ok.