A Ghost Called Dog

This was such a fun book! The characters were all interesting, the children were believable, and I liked figuring out the mysterious bits.

You don’t get a lot of magic right away (other than the ghosts), but you do get a little bit of history as to why magic is mostly gone from the world. I liked the ghost animals, though I didn’t like how cats are portrayed. The ghost T-Rex was a fun surprise.

The book is apparently set in the UK somewhere, as there were a few phrases that were different than what we would say in America. Also, all the mentions of football were really soccer if you’re in the U.S.

The transformations of the children at the end needed a bit of suspension of belief. Mostly because they spoke and acted like adults instead of children. While part of that can be explained away by the magic used, it was still strange for a 7 and 11 year old to start talking and acting that way. I don’t think children would notice however.

I liked the 3 challenges Abby and Chris have to face in order to save their mother. And the twist with the Fairy King was unexpected. I kind of wish this was a series, or at least a duology because I liked the kids and the world so much. I want to know what happens next with Chris. If they stay in contact with the old women, and what other fun magic things may be in store.

This is not a scary book by any means, the ghosts for the most part act like normal animals. If you like middle grade, and are looking for a quick read, you need to try this book.

I read this book to see if it fit the type of books my nephew has been reading lately and it does quite nicely. It is a well written book and contains nothing that would be troublesome for a youth to read. It is a refreshingly well written and easy to follow story and the children are easy to get to know and like.

I would have liked a little more interaction with their dad but otherwise I found it to be great book and one I will happily purchase for my nephew for his birthday.

Princess Fuzzypants here:
Before I go any further, let me voice my one complaint. While the book does have a ghost kitty named Tabitha, as a cat I believe the author has a decidedly anti-feline bent. She is not portrayed as nobly as the ghost dog, Dog, but it is a small matter in the scheme of the entire book.
This is a delightful story of two very special children discovering their hidden powers when they move into a new home. Luckily, they have neighbour's who can help guide them and are also joined by two "familiars", the dog and cat (and a bunny named Fluffy).
They learn about a world of magic which is both wonderful and fearful.
As they are learning to hone their skills, their mother is kidnapped by a Fairy King. They must gird their courage and strength to go rescue her.
It is a charming story that has enough suspense and danger to please the older reader yet not so much to scare the younger one. It is an excellent book for the youthful reader but my Momma enjoyed it too. She's old.
I can give this a rousing five purrs and two paws up- despite the dog bias