The Field of the Dogs

by Katherine Paterson, Emily Arnold McCully (Illustrator)

It was all so unfair. Josh hadn't wanted to move with his mother to Vermont. Now, on top of a new stepfather and new baby brother, Josh is faced with a new school, and a menacing bully. Then Josh stumbles upon a secret. Following his dog, Manch, out to a field near the woods one day, Josh overhears Manch and his other dog friends talking! Not only that, Josh discovers that Manch and his friends are also faced with a bully--a pack of bullies, in fact, who are threatening a fight. The dogs don't want Josh's help, but still Josh thinks he can solve their problems and his own with one simple solution. The only hitch to his It's dangerous. Taut and suspenseful, Katherine Paterson's exciting chapters, together with Emily Arnold McCully's pen-and-ink drawings, debuted in more than a hundred newspapers across the country as part of the Breakfast Serials program and are here published for the first time as a book.

Genres: Animals, Fantasy, Childrens, Audiobook, Fiction

96 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Katherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.

Reviews

[Josiah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Famed for her realistic, deeply affecting novels, Katherine Paterson explores different territory in The Field of the Dogs, which borders on magical realism. Josh is the new kid in snowy rural Vermont, a transplant from Virginia, and the move has been rough. His stepfather, Greg, tries not to antagonize him, but Josh's tired mother has no time for Josh now that the new baby is here. The worst part of being in Vermont is Wes Rockett, who mocks Josh in and out of school on a daily basis. Wes makes it clear to Josh in front of the other kids that he's not a true Vermonter until he proves his toughness. Josh wishes he could go back to Virginia, but his negative focus is suddenly diverted one day by a discovery in a field near his house: Josh's dog, Manch, is playing with three other dogs...and they're conversing in human language. Is Josh losing his mind?

Eavesdropping on the canines, Josh learns that Manch and his pals—Ace, Honey, and Wicker—have their own troubles, an aggressive pack of bigger dogs called the River Gang. Ace is large enough to fight back, but the rest are vulnerable to attack. The dogs go silent when Josh approaches, pretending they weren't speaking, but he knows what he heard. Over the next several days, Josh and Manch's problems intensify: the River Gang mounts an assault against their smaller rivals, and Wes informs Josh that the only way to prove his mettle is to steal the collar of the weimaraner who is boss of the River Gang. How can Josh protect Manch and think about snatching a vicious dog's collar at the same time? He sneaks his stepfather's gun from its locked case, hoping to put a bullet in the weimaraner and end the problem. But Josh has no experience with guns, and a firearm added to the fray only creates chaos and bloodshed. Can Josh get out of this situation before someone important to him is killed?

The Field of the Dogs isn't Katherine Paterson at her legendary best. The fantasy aspects are left unexplained, and I'm not sure I see the big picture the story is intended to present. Also, Wes's character trajectory confuses me a bit by the end. I love Emily Arnold McCully, but I prefer her art in full color, as in her picture books. The Field of the Dogs would not be the Katherine Paterson novel I'd recommend either to someone who had never read her or who loved her books and was eager to try a new one, but you might enjoy it if you like offbeat stories, and I'd rate it one and a half stars. You never know what will tickle someone's fancy.

[Dee Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible Plus 1 hour 6 minutes Narrated by Johnny Heller ((A)

[Lesley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book takes place in VERMONT (so meets my 50 states book challenge), other than that its a fast read as it is a large print older child book, but I would not recommend this to my daughter. The talking dogs, the gun violence (shooting a dog) can be upsetting and I just found the story weird (but I am an adult reading it)

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think it’s possible that if this had been written by anyone other than Katherine Paterson, it either would have remained an unpublished personal project, or undergone far more writing and revision before being published. As it is, it’s not the dogs briefly speaking English that’s unbelievable, it’s the interactions between the main character and his bully, and the main character and his stepfather that end up making this book seem unbelievable and poorly thought out.

The bully and the main character/new kid suddenly become instant friends and the fear and pain the bully caused is instantly forgotten. The boy steals the key to his stepfather’s gun case, takes bullets, and uses the gun without permission. No humans are harmed, but still, the stepdad lets the kid pick his own punishment and isn’t upset about it. I’m ok with the concept of kids picking their own punishments, but in an instance as dangerous as this, the parent should at minimum have been very upset.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The girls and I listened to this on the way to school. It was a random audio find at the library and was a bit of a disappointment mainly because of the length -- felt like a writing exercise that never really came together.

The confrontation between Josh and his stepdad Greg had some redeeming gentle parenting elements.

[H.L. Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still love a well-written children's book, and this one was an easy read. Strange little tale that ended on a hopeful note. Thankfully, because it was written before the world lost it's collective mind, there is no social or political agenda being pushed in what is just a good story.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strange story. The boy lies and has a bad attitude.

[Hope Alden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Katherine Patterson is normally great but this story was just really strange. The talking dogs weren’t explained and I didn’t enjoy the gun violence at all.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talking dogs, new kid at school, new baby brother and new step dad... this kid has a lot stacked against him but all ends well.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not only people have problems with bullies - in this story, Josh discovers that his dog has joined forces with other dogs in his new neighborhood to confront the River Gang, a group of local bully dogs. But the way he discovers this is a unique part of this story: he comes across the dogs meeting and talking (yes, talking!) about it. Very interesting take on the talking-animal genre, and an enjoyable and very simple read for anybody who loves dogs and wants to understand the difficulties of being a new kid in the neighborhood trying to find his place amongst rowdy, sometimes mean peers.

[Sylvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Josh has many negative feelings about his life (new "dad", baby,etc.) The story is quite depressing through his eyes. He must face up to some bullying and help his dog face up to danger. (He can understand dog-speech) A moody story, but you care about the character.

[Jamie Byrum]

Interest Level - Grades 4 - 7

Reading Level
Grade level Equivalent: 3.8

Genre-
Adventure
Science Fiction and Fantasy

Theme/Subject-
Confronting and Resolving Fears
Animals
Life Experiences
School Life

[Miss Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Because of a bully, a boy ends up stealing stepfather's gun to shoot and injure a dog. (dog survives)

[MaryJane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would make a good read aloud.

[Klyon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bullies, talking dogs, suspense, short book. Great for some students!