How to Steal a Dog by Barbara O'Connor

How to Steal a Dog

A Novel

Barbara O'Connor

Square Fish · Print & ebook · April 27, 2009

From the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Wish A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Parents' Choice Award Winner This heartwarming and witty novel is perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Kate DiCamillo.

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Who it’s for
A warm, witty story balances a hard family situation with a morally uneasy choice.
Themes
Family housing insecurity, Sibling caregiving, Desperate choices
Genres
Dog Stories, Homelessness & Poverty, Family Stories

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Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genre: Dog Stories.

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For older readers: Saving Red, Say Goodbye for Now, Whippoorwill

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About this book

From the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Wish A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Parents' Choice Award Winner This heartwarming and witty novel is perfect for fans of Katherine Applegate and Kate DiCamillo. Half of me was thinking, Georgina, don't do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong.

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The other half of me was thinking, Georgina, you're in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it. Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is "borrow" the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected. Don't miss Barbara O'Connor's other middle-grade work: Wish Wonderland Greetings from Nowhere Beethoven in Paradise Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis On the Road to Mr. Mineo's The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester Halfway to Harmony Dream

Wit Under Pressure

A warm, witty story balances a hard family situation with a morally uneasy choice.

Come here for

  • A child weighing a risky choice against her family’s needs
  • A dog story with an unexpected turn

Expect

  • Humor alongside housing insecurity
  • A family-centered story about a desperate plan

Where it sits

Homelessness & Poverty83%
Dog Stories58%
Family Stories27%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Dog Stories
  • Homelessness & Poverty
  • Values & Virtues
Authors
Barbara O'Connor
Publisher
Square Fish
Published
April 27, 2009
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Family housing insecurity · Sibling caregiving · Desperate choices
Reading lane
Dog Stories