(4) 4-6 German shepherd Hoss works hard to keep his cattle herd safe and happy. The arrival of a headstrong calf, Cookie, riles up the entire ranch. When feral dogs attack the rancher's daughter, Hoss learns how to best help Cookie become the leader he wants to be. The story is predictable and didactic, but the animal perspective lends some appeal.

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Don lives in an Oklahoma mining town in 1957. Tension grips the community as questions about the mine's safety are raised. Chapters alternate between Don, who's worried his parents won't have enough money to celebrate Christmas, and Frank, the family dog, who reports events from his particular canine perspective. Though the outcome is unsurprising, the throwback narrative is comfortably folksy.

Reviewer: David Elzey

(4) 4-6 As Tom helps Grandpa with his hunting dogs, he becomes attached to one particular puppy. Fearing it will be the pick of the litter, he considers stealing it. Through letters to a friend, Tom chooses to do the honorable thing. The beginning of the novel is scattered, but the story becomes more focused as Tom wrestles with his conscience.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 4-6 In a misguided attempt to assuage her grief after the death of a beloved horse, Kristine's father gives her a puppy. She avoids the dog until she fears her grandparents and new baby sister are sick, and then the dog becomes a good source of comfort. Although believable in dealing with real emotions, the story is heavy-handed.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 4-6 In this slow-to-get-started story, narrator Kent and his friends go on an overnight fishing trip and encounter a pair of glowing eyes beneath the surface of Cedar Lake. Though it turns out not to be a monster, the real solution to the mystery is almost as preposterous. Nevertheless, this mild melodrama contains just enough adventure and humor to satisfy undemanding fans of the genre.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by John Steven Gurney. Freddy and his friend Spike, two dogs on the run from a mean junkyard owner, find sanctuary with Bethany and Andy, two animal lovers. Adventure and humor abound, and the dog's point of view keeps interest high. The book is illustrated with pencil and wash art.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers. T.P., a four-year-old bird dog, must adjust to sharing his home and his adolescent boy owner with a chocolate lab puppy. T.P. narrates the story, and his translation of puppy yipping into incessant questioning is particularly funny. The plot is familiar: older family members are initially jealous but ultimately protective of new additions. The unexpected point of view enhances the story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by John Steven Gurney. As in Bub Moose, this sequel mixes nature with anthropomorphized characters. The young moose and his mother, along with a wolf pup, some beavers and otters, a horse, and two "people" children, have small winter adventures, during which they encounter Burly Bear. Predictably, the friendly animals and humans win out in the end. The black-and-white pencil and wash drawings look dated.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Gray Cat leads the puppy Chomps on a series of messy adventures that land them in trouble with their owners, but when Mama is in danger after her car stalls in the middle of the creek, the pets and their mockingbird friend save the day. Although the prose is somewhat pedestrian, the likable characters will appeal to animal lovers. Black-and-white drawings illustrate the accessible novel.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by John Steven Gurney. A baby moose describes his first few weeks learning about his new world. Although the moose's mother has warned him about roads, traffic, and people, Bub and his new wolf friend venture into town and encounter all these fearsome objects. Mildly amusing in its attempt to let the reader see the human world from a slightly different point of view, the writing is sometimes clumsy. The pen-and-ink illustrations look dated.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 An archetypal plot in juvenile fiction is played out in this story of Brad finding an orphaned coyote, raising it, then realizing the animal needs to be released back into the wild. It's pretty familiar stuff, and there is nothing in Brad's first-person narration that makes this version particularly distinctive, despite its quick pace and genial tone.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) 4-6 Although the premise is weak--eleven-year-old Bailey earns a reputation as a coward because he jumps at firecrackers and must find, and prove, his courage--this is an engaging novel about life in Texas and Montana in the nineteenth century. Readers will get a good sense of the hardships of daily life and the hardiness required of young people--and families--to survive.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 1-3 When Gray, barely more than a kitten, befriends a young mockingbird who is afraid of heights, he names her Flea. He and his friend Callie, an elderly cat, must teach the bird to fly before winter sets in. Gray, the narrator, has a strong voice; however, the first half of this short novel is slow and lacks focus. Black-and-white drawings illustrate the story.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley