I enjoyed reading this book. It is different than other books as it is written in verse/poetry style, and the wording on each page is less than other books. ( )

Lots of good themes in this book -- Tony is struggling to come to terms with his new foster placement with a great-uncle he didn't know when his mom goes to prison for running a dog fighting ring. Things I loved: in verse, talks about toxic emotions and how to choose what will rule you, Tony's connection to the dog, Gabe, and his newfound sense of pleasure in helping people, watching him gain confidence in both writing and math, the strength of the new found family connection and discovering about his immigrant heritage. Quite accessible and the animal connection is appealing, as its the peace he discovers in mountain/trail life. Things that weren't as strong for me: the dog point of view poems, the pacing -- sometimes becomes internal/atmospheric and a little slow. Great messages, though. ( )

After Tony's mother goes to jail for running pit bull fighting rings, a social worker discovers a (previously unknown to him) great uncle for Tony to life with. His Tio Leo, a forest ranger, lives near the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) with his SAR (Search and Rescue) dog, Gabe. Tony has led a very unhappy life with little love in it, but slowly, as his Tio shows him how to train SAR dogs and teaches him about the wildlife biology along the PCT, Tony slowly starts to open up. One of the biggest events in the story is when Tony starts looking for a missing hound dog and hunter and gets lost himself.
There are a lot of different subplots - Tio Leo and Tony's mother were both immigrants who escaped from Cuba. Although, he doesn't know much about his family's history, toward the end of the book, Tony realizes he would like to know more about his heritage. Tony's mother is a very selfish character. She does have one scene where Tony thinks she might change, but for the most part she hurts his feelings by refusing to even show up for his visits. Finally, in school Tony doesn't think he will do well, but by forming a friendship with his bossy classmate Gracie, he starts to grow confident in his abilities and even starts a blog to teach others about wilderness survival skills. ( )

Easy to read and real issues. Here's what holds me back: the language didn't ring true to me. Almost, but not quite. Still, I intend to recommend it to my grands. An 11 year old neighbor boy recommended it to me, so that is high praise! ( )

How would you feel if your Mom was sent to jail and you were sent to live with a great-uncle you'd never met? I know I'd feel scared. Mountain Dog is the story of Tony's adaptation to a new life with the help of a kind community and a loving dog named Gabe. Gabe helps Tony learn to live in the present, enjoy the moment and celebrate life.

I am amazed by Margarita Engle's ability to write from both a young boy's and a dog's point of view. Both voices are honest and real. Dogs can sense people's moods and feelings. Engle brings this to life in her potent verse:

"Gabe the Dog: Togetherness"
"I don't understand sadness,
but I can smell the way it make
they boy feel unnaturally heavy,
so that his breath doesn't seem
to be made
of air."

Tony's sadness about his Mom is vivid in Engle's words:

"Now, at night, my dreams
are filled with the spiky fences
around fighting-dog kennels

and the electrified ones
around prisons

and the wall between Mom's mind
and mine."

Share Mountain Dog with friends and family, young and old, for an exceptional reading and life experience. ( )