Dog House Blues

Sylvia Pantaleo is an associate professor of education at the University
of Victoria. She is the co-author of Learning with Literature in the
Canadian Elementary Classroom.

Erika lives with her parents, her brother, Marcus, and the family’s
three dogs. Last year some of her peers began calling her “Dog
Girl.” Erika is torn by her love for the family’s pets, adopted by
her veterinarian mother, and her embarrassment at the name calling. The
bullying is lead by Kyla, a former friend and, unfortunately for Erika,
her Grade 6 classmate. When a new girl in the class, Mercedes, befriends
Erika, Kyla attempts to circumvent their friendship. However, Mercedes
remains loyal to Erika. When one of Erika’s dogs destroys a nearly
completed project and a second dog runs away because of Erika’s
negligence, she is inconsolable. A frantic search ensues and during the
hunt for the lost canine, Erika confides in her mother about the
bullying. In the end, Erika deals with Kyla without becoming a bully
herself.

The novel is full of stock characters—the victim, the sly female
bully, a self-confident new friend, a pesky character who seems to turn
up wherever the protagonist is, an aware teacher who attempts to assist
the victim, and caring parents. As well as a highly predictable plot,
the book’s messages are didactic and the detailed explanations of the
everyday habits of the dogs detract from the more important issues in
the novel. Not recommended.