Oh, goodness! I love everything about this book. I love the illustrations. I love the switching perspective. I love how they save each other. I love how mom is honest and raw even though she probably shouldn't be. I love how brave, and strong, and faithful Patrick is.

It gave me all the feels. I almost cried at the end. Which is pretty much the same as bawling my eyes out. I don't cry.

The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer really impressed me. This book took several difficult subjects and combined them into a story that is easy to understand for younger children and middle-aged children alike. This story takes a little dog through an abusive situation to homelessness to being rescued by his forever family and learning what true love is. At the same time, this story also follows a young boy that has to learn about the difficulties of adult relationships, his family breaking up, a parent finding a new partner, the feeling of not being good enough, and - to top it all off - he feels like he has to decide two of the most important members of his family. But through it all, he also learns the power of love and patience and what true loyalty really means. I am in love with this book and highly recommend it to those whose family and children may be going through similar issues or even those that aren't. Use this to teach love and loyalty, or use it to start a difficult conversation. Make of this book what you need it to be.

At first glance, I have to say what first caught my attention on this book was the beautifully illustrated cover. Inside the book, the rest of the illustrations by P.J. Lynch are wonderfully done in pencil sketch and match perfectly with the story.

This story features Oz the puppy who has lost his bark due to traumatic experiences from his previous owners. Oz has been abused first by his original owner and then adopted out only to be abused again by his adopted owners. Oz is found in an abandoned dump site half-starved and taken to a rescue shelter.

Patrick and his mother are spending the summer with his grandfather. Patrick’s grandfather teaches music out of his home and his mother is planning on helping her father with the lessons. Patrick’s father is also a musician but traveling with a band and never home. So when his mom suggests he can have a puppy, Patrick is surprised as his Dad is allergic to animals. When Patrick adopts Oz he works hard to bond with him and help him get over his fears. During this time, Patrick discovers that his parents are divorcing and that his father has started a new life with someone else.  

Well, that was an emotional ride of a book and not exactly what I was expecting. It was definitely heart wrenching at times! This story is not for every child, and I do believe you need to take your particular child and their comprehension and maturity into consideration. There are some very emotional and tough subjects this story deals with, animal abuse, separation/divorce, and parental abandonment. In saying that, I do think it does reflect the reality of the world and life we have around us. For children who may be dealing with similar issues, they may be able to associate with Patrick’s situation and his feelings. Although Oz the puppy is left with a happy ending living with his new owner Patrick, Patrick’s family situation is left hanging at the end of the book. I do realize this is the story of Oz (The Dog Who Lost His Bark), but since Patrick does play a huge role in Oz’s recovery and finally finding happiness, I would have liked to have seen Patrick a little more settled.

Oz’s transformation from an abused puppy without a bark, to a happy, loving pup is inspirational. The book is well written with wonderful illustrations. Just be aware of the subjects this book deals with and choose wisely for your particular child.

A puppy is taken from his mother, purchased as a birthday gift for a cruel boy from his equally cruel parents. Abandoned at a dump, wrapped in linoleum tile, he is rescued, and chosen by another boy - a boy named Patrick. But Oz, as Patrick names the pup, is afraid of humans. He's never met a kind one, and he doesn't want to be hurt again. Patrick, ever patient, sits with Oz, talks to Oz, and waits for Oz to warm up to him. But Patrick's life is about to undergo upheaval, too: his parents are splitting up... is it because his father is allergic to dogs? Patrick swears that he will make the painful sacrifice and send Oz back to the shelter if it means having his father back home.

The Dog Who Lost His Bark is a sensitive, sometimes painful, ultimately soothing story about trust, betrayal, and family. Eoin Colfer creates wonderfully memorable characters, both canine and human, and PJ Lynch's black and white illustrations give them form. Oz's playful innocence is so harshly broken by his first family that it becomes painful; Lynch's illustrations give us a sweet dog that just wants to be loved, but is terrified of opening himself up to that possibility ever again. It's all there, right on the cover image. Illustrations introducing us to Patrick, the boy who adopts Oz, give us a sensitive boy who wants to reach his pup.


The Dog Who Lost His Bark reads like classic kidlit. I'll be recommending this one along with my EB White favorites and Kate DiCamillo's books, for sure. Beautifully written, wonderfully illustrated, and an absolute must for your reading lists next year, educators. The Candlewick website offers a free, downloadable discussion guide.

There is a lesson that can be taught from pets, or many lessons really. This is a story about a dog who has been mistreated and has to go through a bit of a journey to “find his bark”. But this is more than a story about that dogs journey to find his boy, it’s about proper care, treatment, time and commitment that pets require, family, separated/divorced parents, starting over, trust, perseverance and friendship. The boy goes through a stage of “losing his bark” and his mom and the dog together try to bring him back. It would be good for a child who wants a dog. I’m not completely sure how I feel about the parent separation bit and the father who is unwilling to tell his son the truth. It is most definitely a reality, but I’m not sure yet exactly what kind of role it plays in this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Dog Who Lost His Bark by Eoin Colfer is a wonderful story that will have readers feel emotions from a dog’s point of view and a boy’s sorrow as his family dynamic changes. The story describes how a boy tries to help a dog find his bark again after he had been subjected to extreme conditions. The story also describes the feeling and thoughts of the dog as he tries to navigate his place in the world and help his boy find happiness. The boy and dog had similar experiences with sadness and how they overcome those feelings as result of the other will bring smiles and tears but also a message of hopefulness. This is an amazing story that will engage young readers. Loved everything about this book! Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rated: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Received an arc from NetGalley for an honest review.

Expected Release: September 10th 2019

This review isn't going to be super long or anything because this is a book I don't really have a lot to say about. That isn't a bad thing at all! Sometimes books just evoke emotions but there isn't much to say about that besides sharing what emotions it made you feel.

The beginning of this book was really sad. It featured animal abuse and the thoughts of the dog that was abused. I love dogs with my whole being, and I currently have a dog that we rescued from the shelter. When we first got him he was super skittish and shy because he was abandoned on the side of a road with his litter mates. They were eventually found with no hair and fleas all over them but they were rescued, thank god. Reading this book made me think about how my dog must have felt when he was abandoned like that. It's hard for me to think about, but it makes me feel better to know that we have given him a home for 8 years now, and that he has become a much happier, healthy and strong doggo.

Anyways, I thought the beginning of this book really evoked emotion and I respect how serious they talked about animal abuse in what is considered a children's book. I think this will make children more interested in rescuing dogs and helping them get their bark back, whatever it is their bark is.

I really liked this book and the connection between Oz & Patrick.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
A cute story. Both Patrick and his dog have lost something, and together they help one another deal with what's missing. Recommended for those kids in your life who are dog lovers or dealing with a divorce.

A heartwarming and touching children’s book about the friendship between a scared puppy and a lonely boy. Deals with mature themes of divorce and animal abuse in a child friendly/simple way. Made me tear up on multiple occasions.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is a children's book. The illustrations were fantastic. I was really surprised by the story. This is not a super happy story and not one I would want to read.to my kids or grandkids. There are so many things happening in the story from animal abuse to divorce and allergies. A lot of discussion could come from this book. Random words are capitalized. The ending is positive but getting there was heartbreaking. I rate this a 3.

Patrick wants a dog, but his dad is allergic. Oz has lost his bark and endured atrocities that no puppy should know. His experiences have taught him to distrust humans. Can Oz find his bark again? When will Patrick’s dad come home? The pictures are adorable. The story is beautifully written that shows readers how a boy and his dog can help each other, and the role music can play in our lives. Fans of dog stories will enjoy reading this book.

I can see this book on my school library shelves....and going out over and over again. The story is sad, and sweet, and shows the bond between boy and dog. The beginning of the book was a bit hard to read...as I am tenderhearted when it comes to animals. It also deals with the scenario of a family coming apart. The illustrations are lovely. Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC.

This was probably not the best of times for me to be reading a story like this, but I pushed through. The first couple of chapters were rough ones for me. I have rescue cats, and know what a couple have been through.... So reading about animal abuse will always break my heart. If the reader can punch through this, they will be rewarded with a wonderful and happy tale. Good for 4th grade up, I'm thinking...or maybe as a read-a-long with an adult at a younger ages. Eoin Colfer is one of my favorite authors, actually, he's a really great writer, I think. He's wrote the Artemis Fowl series, which I also enjoyed.

The perfect book for all dog lovers. Also a good story for kids dealing with parental divorce. I love Oz’s use of capitals when he thinks. I cannot wait to purchase this for both of my libraries.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.

I have been a fan of Eoin Colfer since 2001 when the first Artemis Fowl book, Artemis Fowl, was published. I had to jump at the chance to read his latest book, The Dog Who Lost His Bark.

The Dog Who Lost His Bark is a moving and uplifting story about a boy, a dog, and music's ability to heal and connect people. I used to work with first-grade students and they would thoroughly enjoy this story. As with any book you read to children, read this to yourself before you read it to them. Make sure you will want to reread it over and over to them because this is one they are going to request again and again.

The illustrator is P J Lynch. The Dog Who Lost His Bark is listed as his only work but his website, http://www.pjlynchgallery.com, states he "has won many awards including the Mother Goose Award, the Christopher Medal three times, and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal on two occasions. PJ has recently been announced as the fourth Laureate na nÓg, Ireland’s laureate for children’s literature."

BTW, according to Goodreads, Eoin is pronounced Owen. Apparently, I have been saying it incorrectly for years.

This review was published on Goodreads on 7/1/19. and will be published on multiple sites on its release date, 9/10/19.

I have read other works by Colfer and those were great... this one, not so much. The story opens with Dog in an abusive household. Great way to start a kid's book, right? Animal abuse is something all kids need to read about. Then comes a quick-tempered family, animal shelters, and human family issues of divorce, sadness, and loneliness. From an adult standpoint, I get the whole arc, but as a kid's book? This is definitely not one I would recommend for most kids.

Thank you NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

While I've not read anything previously by Eoin Colfer, I am familiar with his works so this book for younger readers was a bit of a surprise to me. I was more familiar with P. J. Lynch as the illustrator of one of my favorite Christmas books. The cover alone is enough to enchant youngsters.

And then I opened the book and was immediately ANNOYED that random words were in CAPITAL letters. I was not SURE if this was just a technique to INDICATE that it was the dog talking? Or was it JUST to try to be unique and DIFFERENT? But in today's world of ALL-CAP SHOUTING, I have to say the format drove me CRAZY. I'll stop now as I'm giving myself a headache. That was Strike #1.

Story opens with a pupply getting chosen right before Christmas but the new owners are the family from below. Dad with his explosive temper slams on the box the dog is hidden inside, the boy expects the dog to understand "sit" immediately and when he doesn't, the boy responds with STUPIDDOG (more CAPS!!). That lovely name is repeated over and over (why would I want to introduce my child to name calling?!). More violence when the puppy has an accident and the next thing you know the dog is being dumped down a hill by the side of the road. So after making it through the first two chapters, I was seriously wondering what parent in their right mind would consider this wholesome reading for a child? Strike #2.

Time passes and readers learn that puppy has lost his bark. Another family comes along looking for a pet at the shelter. The owner cautions the family that the puppy was abused and will need lots of patience and love. Patrick is suprised that his mom is even letting him get a pet since his Dad (away on a musical tour) is so allergic to pets. At this point, I had my suspicions where this story may be heading.

I did enjoy Patrick's efforts to help the puppy trust people again. He poured his heart and soul into that puppy and discovered a surprising form of therapy that really made a difference. Those chapters about their growing friendship were truly heartwarming and I had hopes for the book until it turns out that Patrick's parents are getting a divorce. Over the summer Patrick has texted back and forth with his Dad but he hasn't had a chance to talk with him face to face.

I felt like the book spent so much time describing the puppy's recovery and the book could have also offered so much help and encouragement for kids going through a divorce. But things end abruptly and Patrick hasn't seen or talked to his dad face to face. The book could have ended with a strong message to children that they are still loved by both parents, etc. Kind of feels like the reader just got dumped at the side of the road. That was Strike #3.

The only redeeming thing about the book were the amazing illustrations by P. J. Lynch. Charcoal sketches were liberally spread throughout the book. The amount of illustrations would normally make this a perfect book for readers transitioning from picture books to chapter books. But given the content, I would reserve this for either a read aloud (with some discussion with a parent) or as an option for middle grade struggling readers.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

This is a lovely story about love, loss and healing.

Patrick names the dog Oz and helps him find his bark but something happens along the way when Patrick realises that he too has lost something. As Patrick deals with his own loss can Oz help him recover in turn?

The story has excellent illustrations and tells a really beautiful story.of hope and how we can still love even when the people we love hurt us. I have a rescue dog who was abused and we have helped each other so I really connected to the story.

I highly recommended for both children and adults.

I requested and received an Advanced reader Copy from the publisher and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a sad tale which began from the dog's POV as an abused puppy. The boy in the family who finally rescued him discovered his dad wasn't coming back home so he was also in a sad state. Story ended without a clear direction for the boy to take in his life. As far a writing mechanics, there were random words in ALL CAPS throughout the story. This might be confusing to young readers.

Unfortunately this book was no what I was expected and I did not end up enjoying it. I also do not tho l that I would recommend this book to my students or families. I also don’t think that I would be able to use this book in my classroom. That being said I think that there are people that would enjoy this book and would highly recommend it.