This is a peculiar book -- the kind that only M.T. Anderson could write. It feels almost otherworldly despite being grounded in reality and fantasy. I liked the audiobook quite a bit, but was sad to miss out on the spot illustrations from Junyi Wu -- so I had to go back and find them. Very engaging and very interesting.

This is a fun pandemic adventure. Clay is stuck at home sharing a single computer trying to do school and stave off boredom while the country is in lockdown because of the disease. Thankfully he is next to the woods and is able to go exploring whenever he wants. He meets a "Bulgarian Wolfhound" and decides to adopt her while trying to find her family. Instead he discovers that their are multiple worlds and creatures and he's not so bored anymore. It's a lighthearted story about family and ingenuity in the face of the unknown. Narrator was nice to listen to and it was a relatively short book.

Wow, this book... I haven't read anything like it! It's whimsical, it's action-packed and exciting. I would recommend this book to children of all ages - it's so different and fantastical.

Excellent world-building. I was immersed immediately and upon finishing the book, felt that touch of sadness that I was leaving the world!

I especially enjoyed the scenes with the giant and DiRossi. Very funny!

I enjoyed the narration greatly too. The narrator kept me immersed in the story as well.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Pretty cute read! Perfect amount of creepy and adventure for a kids book!

Adored this book! The narrator was fantastic and also performed multiple voices for the different characters. This book gave Over the Garden Wall vibes but not as creepy/eerie. I was completely enveloped into the beautiful descriptions M.T. Anderson laid out. I felt like I was in the magical forest with the Owl Head Boy, Human Head Boy and Elf Dog. I highly recommend reading this during summer as there is a big Midsummer Party.

Additionally, in case you are worried for your littles, the dog does not die. Also, while this book takes place during a pandemic, it is not a strong focus.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book!

This is a fun twist on 'boy and his dog' tales, with some great messages about prejudice and inclusion thrown in. Budding fantasy readers will likely enjoy the gentle introduction to world-building.

This was a fun, middle-grade fantasy novel and I like that this book takes place during a pandemic and that we get to see the family struggling financially and emotionally. I think a lot of kids will relate to that aspect of the book. I wish I could have an elf hound now, they sound beautiful. Pete Cross did a great job narrating this book, he managed to make each of the characters sound like the voice of a person that age (i.e. the children sound like children and the giant sounds very old). I will definitely look for more books narrated by Pete Cross in the future.

What a fun imaginative read! I can picture my kids really connecting with this especially with talk of the “sickness” that shut everything down in the book. Clay and his new found elf dog friend were such a great pair and the family dynamic was very realistic. I loved all the adventures that they all got to go on and really liked getting different characters point of views throughout the book.

I think this is a story that children would enjoy; it reminds me of those old cozy fantasy you would hear as a child.
I loved the narrator! He really added to the experience of the story and made it more enjoyable.

When a dog, Elphinore, saves a 12-year old boy, Clay, from an unidentified creature in the woods, Clay decides to bring his new dog home. However, Clay and his two siblings, Juniper and DiRossi, quickly find out that Elphinore is magical. Elphinore, a lost royal hound, has the ability to lead the children on hidden pathways that take the children to other worlds; worlds that have villages of Owl-headed beings, hills that house a slumbering giant, huge wyrms, and a kingdom of ancient elves that live under the mountain. These adventures are great for the Clay and his siblings as they make new friends and go to magical parties until Elphinore's real owners come to reclaim their hound and want to take revenge on Clay and his loved ones.

I enjoyed how the author created the tension of boring life in reality during a pandemic and the magical adventures that the Otherworld offers Clay and his sisters, Juniper and DiRossi. And, ultimately having the children embrace the simple magic of family, friendship, and comforts of home.

ELF DOG AND OWL HEAD


This is exactly the kind of book that I wish I had been exposed to as a kid. A story of magic, strange beings, and wondrous lands all seen through the eyes of a boy and his magical dog. Clay is stuck at home with just his mom, dad, and his annoying sisters. He can’t go to his friends house, or them to his, because people all over the world have started getting sick. All he can really do is take walks in the woods that are near his home. On one of the walks he comes across a very beautiful dog with strange red ears who can do magical things.

After agreeing to his parent’s request to put up a notice asking if anyone has lost a dog his parents agree to let the dog stay till her real owners claim her. As the days go by Clay discovers that the dog (Elphinore) is able to see and travel paths in the woods that no one else can see. The strange and unseen paths take them to places where long sleeping giants rest, and a village whose inhabitants have human bodies but the heads of Owls.

Of course since Clay is just a normal human being who isn’t supposed to see let alone visit these lands things start to go wrong. Clay will need the help of his new friend Amos, his moody older sister DiRossi, and all the courage he can muster if he is to have a chance at avoiding disaster and saving his dog. Hopefully it will be enough.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Pete Cross’s narration of this book! His character voices are spot on and makes it fun and engaging to listen to. The story is very well written and I know my middle grade daughter will want to read this so I’m planning on buying her a copy! The only thing I felt was missing is the beautiful illustrations, which I can’t wait to see when I purchase my own. If you have a child, early high school or younger, that struggled with staying home during the pandemic, I’m sure they’d completely relate to this book!

Elf Dog and Owl Head by M. T. Anderson is a sweet midgrade book about a boy who just wants a little adventure in his life in the midst of a pandemic. This story is follows the journey of an elven hunting dog and a human boy who discovers a magical world just beyond his. I enjoyed reading Elf Dog and Owl Head and learning about all the different creatures. The world building was imaginative and fun and the family ties in the story were comfy. This is a great mid grade fantasy that is sure to delight any readers who dream of grand adventures.

This one is a perfect adventure-filled fantasy read for young ones or people looking to try out fantasy books if they've not read one before. It gave me major nostalgia for my childhood and how I felt when I first picked up a fantasy book in middle school at a scholastic book fair.

The book did have a virus in the plotline which had shut the book's world down and it felt too similar or was a nudge to COVID which I feel was too much like the real world and too soon since the pandemic is still going on.

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook and I would recommend it!

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for this audiobook advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the advanced electronic audio review copy of this wonderful book. Great short story full of adventure and wonder. Definitely recommend it to the fantasy lovers out there.

This was such a delightful read! Thank you so much for the opportunity to access this advanced listening copy.

Elf Dog and Owl Head gave me major nostalgia for cozy fantasy books of my childhood. The narrator, Pete Cross, is phenomenal -- he truly brought the story to life. There's magic, adventure, siblings, a dog! I mean, when the story has a magical dog you can automatically count me in. The love a young child has for their dog is something I can really relate to.

"The virus" has basically shut the world down, so Clay and his sisters, DiRossi and Juniper, are stuck hanging out in their home and playing in the surrounding forest. (fyi, Since I listened to the audio, I'm not confident I'm spelling DiRossi's name right). On one of those days outside, Clay finds a beautiful, but rather odd looking dog. He immediately falls in love with her and she becomes part of their family. He quickly learns that she's a magical dog with the ability to cross worlds. Her name is Elphinore, and she brings Clay to the village of the Owl Head people. As a rule, they aren't trusting of humans and tell Clay to never come back, but he did manage to make friends with one young Owl Head boy.

Clay and DiRossi sneak into the Midsummer's Eve party where all the magical beings gather once a year. They run into the Master from Under the Mountain -- the one who previously owned Elphinore -- and take her! Clay has to fight to get her back. (I was actually getting pretty upset thinking she went back to her Elf Dog home).

Elf Dog and Owl Head is an engaging and heart warming story. I can't recommend it enough!

Elf Dog and Owl Head was an entertaining story that had a little bit of everything. It had Adventure, suspense, magic, friendship, and family. It even had something unwelcome, Covid, or simply “the virus”.

The virus played a big part in the story because it was what led to the main character Clay, going on adventures.

Clay finds a magical dog that lets him cross between worlds and see magical places that were always right in front of him. Like any dog owner, Clay will do anything to protect his dog and I really loved those parts of the story.

Being that this is a children’s book I did enjoy the teachable moments the book has, such as we should all get along no matter what we look like.

This is a book I will definitely tell parents to pick up for their kids. It’s a lot of fun and it’s an easy adventure for young readers.

A magical middle-grade book that merges the boundaries of reality and fantasy. When a special dog catches the attention of a young boy in the woods, it can be said they are bound to end up together. What's strange is that the dog doesn't look or behave ordinary at all! It seems to walk through the walls, doesn't understand the fetch ball game and most of all is of a breed never seen before. From there starts the adventure of these two that takes them exploring the gains, mountains, owl heads and much more.

I loved how cute and cozy this book made me feel. This was one of those books that had a good storyline, with a decent amount of pages. Would love to gift this to my niece. Though it's for middle-graders I like that they have not made everything seem too easy and also convey the message 'everything worth keeping in life, comes at a price'.

Genre: #middlegrade #fantasy
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media @candlewickpress and @_mtanderson for the Digital ARC book.

This is a magical story about a young boy and his elf dog. The story is set in a time similar to what we experienced during COVID. People have been forced to isolate in their houses due to a global plague. I think many young readers will be able to relate to the isolation and loneliness that Clay and his sisters experienced in the book. The magical world is full of many unique and interesting characters. This book will be a fun, thought provoking read for young kids.

The narration was very enjoyable and really brought the characters to life. I definitely recommend the audiobook version.