Review: Boys Are Dogs by Leslie Margolis

Boys Are Dogs by Leslie Margolis

Annabelle’s all-girls elementary was very different from Birchwood Middle School where the boys run through the halls like wild animals. But with a little experimenting, Annabelle realizes that like her new puppy, maybe boys can be trained too.

Featuring Annabelle’s hilarious take on friendship, boys, and her all-new life, this novel/survival guide perfectly captures the joy—and agony—of junior high school. And it might just teach you how to tame the wildest beast of all, the teenage boy.

Review:

Boys Are Dogs was another fun, light read. It was definitely targeted for a younger audience, but I still enjoyed it. Annabelle was a relatable narrator and her troubles brought back a lot of my own sixth grade memories. I could definitely understand what Annabelle meant about the boys! Sixth grade boys are about as far from mature as you can get. Although this plot line can be a little overdone, Margolis added her own cute twist to it. I loved how Annabelle dealt with the boys in her own unique way- by using her puppy training manual. Use a stern voice and hold eye contact? Check. Be the alpha dog? Check. Never back down? Check. Annabelle was a great narrator and I enjoyed reading the story from her point of view. I loved Pepper, her little puppy, and he definitely added a lot to the book. I have my own puppy right now and I could relate to a lot of the things she was dealing with with Pepper. All in all this was a fun book and I’m looking forward to reading the sequel. I would recommend Boys Are Dogs when you are looking for a quick, light read with well meaning characters and an original plot line.

In addition to dealing with the boys, Annabelle was also always worried about what people would think of her. I felt bad for her when her best friend Rachel’s older brother was so nasty to her, but I’m glad she stood up for herself. The book pretty much focused all on Annabelle and I wished there was a little more background on some of the characters, so I’m hoping to hear more about them in Girls Acting Catty. I think the cover really suited the novel and the puppy actually looked a lot like Pepper! I’m definitely planning on passing this on to a girl I know going into sixth grade. It’s a perfect read for her age group and will definitely help her prepare for the boys she’ll encounter(:

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars

October 13, 2009/Bloomsbury/208 Pages/Middle grade/Book One

Source: Bought (Paperback)

Other books in the series: Girls Acting Catty (Book #2)