A beautifully told, disturbing, yet ultimately hopeful fable that lingers.
In a gloomy, dank forest in Transylvania, a lonely, homeless dog meets a frightening stranger who challenges him to reevaluate his life.
He is 5 or 6 years old, and the only name he has ever had is “Dog.” He has lived with several masters, some kind, others terribly cruel. But now he is on his own, he hasn’t had anything to eat for days, and he is cold, without hope. Perhaps it’s time for him to succumb to starvation and end his misery. Then a tall, dark figure, dressed all in black, approaches him. The stranger speaks: “Good dog. Don’t be frightened.” Dog wonders how he can understand these words? Dog can converse only with animals, and this figure looks human. The man explains: “Just say I live in the shadows between the worlds of the living and the dead. I cannot die, but the life I lead is one of anguish.” Readers soon realize that the man is a vampire. Dog begs him to take him with him, but the man cautions: “You’ve suffered a great deal in your life—I can tell that—but I’m also guessing that you’ve experienced moments of happiness.” If he takes Dog with him, the man continues, the pup will be given eternal life, but one of darkness and misery, from which there is no return. It is time for Dog to decide. And so, he ponders his life thus far. He thinks about his beloved mother, and his littermates, all of whom he has now lost. He remembers the violence inflicted upon him by his first master. Chapter by chapter, Dog reviews his experiences with humans, a few who treated him with love and kindness, but all of whom have left him behind to fend for himself. There are also treasured moments with nonhuman friends, such as the Dancing Bear in the circus and the wise Old Owl. But they too are gone.
Protsik’s achingly melancholy YA narrative mixes harsh reality with a bit of Old World mysticism, lightened by moments of humor and tenderness. Simple, carefully structured prose captures Dog’s emotions and his canine understanding of the confusing, frequently dangerous human world. When the stranger in black makes a sudden move, Dog responds with a heartbreaking plea that speaks volumes about the perilous life he has been living: “Don’t throw stones at me. I hate it when they throw stones. I hate being kicked. Please, please. I’d be a good dog. I’d bite your enemies. Don’t hurt me.” Dog, sweet, loving, and soulful, leaps off the pages in his attempt to find a forever home. The novel, thought-provoking, insightful, and engaging, is sure to generate more than a few tears. Thankfully, there are also inspiring sections that will leave readers smiling. And one especially lovely section includes a wealth of information about wolves and the dynamics of their pack culture. However, the tale might be too unsettling for the youngest readers.
A beautifully told, disturbing, yet ultimately hopeful fable that lingers.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781792345173
Page Count: 231
Publisher: Beaconsfield Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 5, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression.
After surviving a suicide attempt, a fragile teen isn't sure she can endure without cutting herself.
Seventeen-year-old Charlie Davis, a white girl living on the margins, thinks she has little reason to live: her father drowned himself; her bereft and abusive mother kicked her out; her best friend, Ellis, is nearly brain dead after cutting too deeply; and she's gone through unspeakable experiences living on the street. After spending time in treatment with other young women like her—who cut, burn, poke, and otherwise hurt themselves—Charlie is released and takes a bus from the Twin Cities to Tucson to be closer to Mikey, a boy she "like-likes" but who had pined for Ellis instead. But things don't go as planned in the Arizona desert, because sweet Mikey just wants to be friends. Feeling rejected, Charlie, an artist, is drawn into a destructive new relationship with her sexy older co-worker, a "semifamous" local musician who's obviously a junkie alcoholic. Through intense, diarylike chapters chronicling Charlie's journey, the author captures the brutal and heartbreaking way "girls who write their pain on their bodies" scar and mar themselves, either succumbing or surviving. Like most issue books, this is not an easy read, but it's poignant and transcendent as Charlie breaks more and more before piecing herself back together.
This grittily provocative debut explores the horrors of self-harm and the healing power of artistic expression. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-101-93471-5
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
