D-39

This was a really interesting read. I'm going to be honest, I only picked it because of the dog but this book was so much more than I thought it would be!
The language in this book took some getting used to but once you do its really interesting. The wording is similar to what we all use everyday but just a little bit off. It feels very much like something a child growing up in a post-apocalyptic world would create.
Speaking of the setting of this book is great! The whole post-apocalyptic vibe is amazing especially set against the farming community the MC finds herself in. While we still get an idea of the bigger picture of things from what is mentioned in the media. It as a truly masterful setup.
My only real concern about this book is the formatting. I'm not exactly sure why it formatted the way it is. It doesn't really add to the story in any meaningful way. In this point it just felt like the author was trying to do something unique and eye catching but it wasn't needed.
This was a really interesting book with a lot more than I was expecting. This book deals with some hard subjects but it does so in a unique way that really adds to the story. This is definitely something I will be recommending to my customers. This is one of those rare middle grade books that seems to transcend age and gender. I am definitely excited to get to talk up and hype this read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy.

It's a fun read.
I picked the book because the cover has a dog. The the plot and the vocabularies are suitable for upper elementary school students.

Dystopia, in free verse with some created vocabulary. During a US civil war, 12 year old Klynt, living in the desolate Worselands as the conflict intensifies, finds a vintage robodog, D-39. After spending weeks hiding from robofighters in an underground burrow, Klynt, D-39, and a young friend cross a post-apocalyptic war zone in hopes of finding Klynt’s mother. This is an unusual story, but an engaging one, of determination and grit and facing difficult truths, and finally, trusting oneself.

I would like to thank Charlesbridge Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

D-39: A Robodog's Journey by Irene Latham is a story of hope, courage, and survival in the midst of violence because of civil war. I just love dogs, so when I saw the title and the cover, I was expecting that the main focus would be on the dog's perspective, but it was mostly about the girl Klynt.

The story followed Klynt a young tinkerer who lived with her father in a farm of the Worseland. She kept storing things of the past in her Museum of Fond Memories. A D-39 robodog showed up in their farm, she felt a connection with it and adopted the robodog as her pet since real dogs where all killed by the government because they were carriers of a deadly virus. When the war reached their place, Klynt was separated from his father. With continued effort and determination, she and D-39 had to go on a journey to find a safe place for both of them.

If you like slow, atmospheric pacing, this book is for you. Although the dystopian setting was not quite explain, since readers would only get the snippets of information through what the media mentioned in the story. The virus, BrkX, which the dogs were carriers was not explain as well. I was not able to understand the heavy implication of it to the point the government had to decide a drastic measure of killing all the dogs. On the other hand, the writing style was quirky. I liked how the word at the end of each chapter started a new one. There were also some made-up words which I got used to eventually and I appreciated the glossary at the end of the book.

Klynt was a brave character, and you would root for her throughout the journey. Of course, D-39 was an adorable side character as well. Klynt had this positive attitude, so I really liked how the author also included her worries and fears as well. This made her more real and a relatable character, especially for younger readers. She went through hard themes and subjects that highlighted her perseverance.

Overall, D-39: A Robodog's Journey is a story of finding courage and hope in difficult circumstances. I enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to more books like this one.

3.5 stars!

This book was unlike any I've read before and it was beautiful for it. The vocabulary was hard to understand in the beginning, but it added so much to the story. The verse format cemented that this was a child's brain we were in, everything was connected, yet separate. And finally the story itself was riveting. K-K is amazing and her adventures with D-39 and Papa were thrilling and nervous-wracking and brilliant. My favorite part was without a doubt, the ending. There is no magical tie-up, but K-K ends the story with the family she's always needed, rather than the one she wanted, and she's better for it.

I’ve been craving dystopian middle grade lit. I was enthralled with The Middler by Kirsty Applebaum and haven’t really found many others. What was unique about D-39 is that it was written in a free verse form and the final word of each “chapter” was the chapter title for the following chapter. It was quirky and I was very intrigued with the world it was set in.

Thank you Netgally and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

There aren't very many dystopian middle grade novels that have been recently released, so this one had me intrigued. This is a novel in verse/narrative broken into chunks of thought. D-39 is about a girl and a robotic dog in an apocalyptic civil war setting. Klynt, the main character, was so brave, and it was easy to root for her the entire novel. She was a real and a relatable character, especially for younger readers. I love that she was able to find courage and hope through her difficult journey and the situations she went through.

Sorry if I hadn't posted a review for this book. My life had major changes and I had a hard time finding time to read.