Bestselling middle-grade authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko have paired up to create a heartwarming illustrated novel. And maybe I included it in the best new books list because it reminds me of Homeward Bound. If you have no idea what that is, just trust me. If you like the idea of stray dogs adventuring to find their forever homes, you’ll love this book.

Chance, a three-legged dog, is the top dog in the Dogtown Shelter. The management seems to think he's pretty cute, but Chance has some concerns about Dogtown since they also keep electronic pet dogs. Chance doesn't much care for this idea, but he does admit that the metal dogs increase foot traffic which increases the likelihood of pet adoption. Helping the other dogs get adopted is a big concern for Chance and he sees it as his job to help everyone out. He is concerned mostly for two other dogs ... Geraldine, a very old Saint Bernard, and Metal Head, a quirky, electronic dog.

All the dogs go through a phase of the Boo Hoos - when they believe that their previous owners will come back to rescue them. Chance has gone through this himself and through the course of the book we learn a little about his very uncomfortable story, which includes the tale of how he lost a leg.

I am a little conflicted on this book, mostly because I'm not clear on what we are to take away from the story - is it just a feel-good story for kids for young readers? It's okay if it is, but it feels like there should be more moral, or more obvious moral, or just more actual story?

Initially I was kind of excited for the inclusion of the electronic dogs, but here, too, I found that I didn't understand what they were. Is this a scifi, robotic dog with AI? Is this a remote control robot? And more importantly ... why do we have electronic dogs?

I know this is a children's book (with some very fun illustrations by Wallace West) and it's kind of a buddy adventure story, but I really felt cheated in the end (despite a very happy ending). I wanted to 'get' something from this, and I didn't.

Looking for a good book? Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko is a middle grade reader - a buddy adventure story featuring dogs - real and electronic - that just kind of sits flat. Sales are likely to be good because A) it has Katherine Applegate's name on it and B) there are cute drawings by Wallace West, and C) it's about dogs. Young readers may enjoy it in the moment but it won't likely have a lot of life.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.

This middle grade book is so sad and sweet and accurate in regards to dog rescue. If any of you are rescue advocates and/or looking for a quick read/listen this is such a bittersweet, heartwarming book!!

The premise of the book discusses the various types of dogs that end up in the shelter: those who have lived a pampered life but their owner passed away, those who get easily adopted due to their breed but then returned over and over again by people who don’t know what they’re getting into, the ones who are constantly overlooked (old, “damaged,” loud) and end up on “the list” to make room for others looking for a home, etc. It tells the story of how many humans fail, while so many others save, these sweet creatures.

The end of the book has a list of things kids can do (with the help of an adult) to help shelter pets and the humans who run the facilities. This is such an important read to help all ages understand why it’s so important to adopt, not shop, when looking for a pet to add to your home.

I give this one all the stars, and I highly recommend it!!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I love both authors so I was excited to read it.
I thought that it started out a little slow at the beginning, but once Chance and Metalhead began plotting to get out of Dogtown, the pace of the story picked up.

What an engaging read. I got this to read with my goddaughter but I was so engrossed in this story! As a former shelter worker for 10 years I understand “the list”. There are some realities that you never forget. This book gave me so much emotion.
In this world there are the dogs we know, and robot dogs. Robot dogs have a higher adoption rate. Chance, a 3-legged dog knows it time to breakout, time is running short. Metal head, a robot dog also wants to go home, and seems to be not like the other robot dogs. With the help of Mouse, they break free and embark on an adventure.

With short chapters, engaging illustrations, and lovable characters, this book is an easy and entertaining read.

Dogtown is told from the point of view of Chance, a three-legged dog living in Dogtown, an animal shelter for both real and robot dogs hoping and waiting to find their forever homes. There’s a rivalry between the shelter’s real and robot dogs, as the easier to care for robot dogs are often adopted first—and they don’t end up on “The List” when they’ve been at the shelter for too long. After robot dog Metal Head arrives, Chance soon finds that Metal Head isn’t like the other robot dogs in the shelter. Both he and Metal Head want to return to their homes. With the help of Chance’s buddy Mouse (a mouse), they devise a plan and head out of Dogtown on an adventure to reunite with their loved ones.

With quick chapters, engaging illustrations, a fun cast of characters, and lots of adventure, this heartwarming story will be enjoyed by middle grade readers. The information about ways to help shelter dogs that is included at the end of the book is a great way to help bring reader attention to the issues raised in the book. I’m looking forward to sharing this one with my school’s readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

A middle school age book just made me bawl my eyes out. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this emotion from a kid’s book.
This story is led by Chance, a rescue pup at Dogtown shelter. She’s one of the older dogs there so she knows all about what goes on and sort of acts like the leader of the gang. One day, a robot dog is dropped off. But he’s not like the other robot dogs, Chance finds out. Metal Head, as he’s named, seems to have a heart and he misses his old home and his human. Taking Chance and their buddy Mouse along for the ride, Metal Head escapes from the shelter to go back home. On their journey, each dog shares their story and how they ended up in the shelter, and ultimately each learns that sometimes home is someplace new, and in some cases if you leave you can find yourself home again.
This story depicts some very real parts of shelter life for dogs and the struggles shelters face with overwhelming amounts of dogs needing homes, leaving shelters understaffed and over capacity. While sad to read, it was important to share the seriousness of this part of reality. I adored the part about reading with shelter dogs. I do this in real life and it is so beneficial for shelter dogs! Finally, I loves the tips at the end telling kids how they can help shelter dogs.
This was a very special book.

When I began this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. I will admit, it started off strangely and it took me a little while to get into it. In the end, however, I enjoyed the quirky story of friendship and what it means to find home. I think the story will appeal to animal lovers and the short chapters will appeal to reluctant readers. I think there is something here for everyone and I am looking forward to getting it for my library.

Wonderful sci-fi story with a realistic feel for the younger elementary aged reader! Set primarily at a rescue center for flesh and blood canines and their robotic counterparts, Dogtown is a search for home and for purpose. Readers will be rooting for both Chance and Metal head as the duo form an unlikely friendship and join together on an adventure to find forever homes for both of them. Along the way, young readers will learn about dog-human reading programs and let their imaginations race as they muse about how they would feel about a dog-pet made from metal and programmed to do doggish things. Frequent sketches augment the text beautifully and will provide encouragement to keep on reading. Perfect for ages 8-11 to read on their own and for younger listeners to hear read aloud.

This book will definitely tug at your heartstrings. It’s such a sweet story, from the perspective of a shelter dog. It has such a great ending, thankfully. My kids and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has great tips at the end for helping shelter dogs.

Thank you NetGalley and McMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this book prior to publication.

This is a sweet story that is heartbreaking at times because you really feel for the dogs in Dogtown. The main character has been abandoned by his dogsitters, and the twist to the book is that the shelter doesn't have just real dogs, but also robot dogs. It's a bit wild to think that robot dogs would also get abandoned, but the story makes it make sense. Reading about all of these dogs and their search for their forever homes was interesting and I loved how it becomes a story about unlikely friendships.

Applegate has always done an amazing job writing from an animal perspective, and this book is another shining example of it.

I appreciated that the end of the book had info about how to help actual animals that are unwanted, because it makes you not feel helpless.

Thanks to Netgalley, I was able to read this book before it was officially released. Once I saw that Katherine Applegate had a new chapter book series coming out AND it was about dogs, I had to get my paws on it. It did not disappoint either! I loved the shorter chapters, the illustrations sprinkled throughout, and how it was written from a dog's perspective. She does a great job of building empathy for Chance and Metal Head. I think many kids will connect with this story and I can't wait to read more of this series.

I am so grateful for the advanced copy of this phenomenal new middle grade book. I absolutely adore this one!
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This book is set in a shelter (Dogtown) where Chance and other dogs have found themselves due to a variety of unfortunate circumstances. These “flesh and blood” dogs ban together against the robot dogs who are also at the shelter and are now very popular among humans. Things take an interesting turn when Chance is asked to help Metal Head, one of the robot dogs.
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I love how this book portrays the loving, loyal, goodness of dogs. The way the dogs in this story love and long for their humans reminds me that we, as humans, are not worthy of our dogs. The friendship between the dogs (and Mouse) remind me of the friendship/bonds in The One and Only Ivan. This made my heart SO happy! Dogtown is also a great story about having compassion for others who may be different from you and the importance of getting to know people (and their story).
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The illustrations throughout this entire text were adorable. I know this will become a read aloud favorite in my 3rd grade classroom for years to come! I have already told so many of my students from last year about it.

I’ve been reading this book to my second grade class as our first read aloud of the school year. I am a huge fan of Katherine Applegate and have read The One and Only Ivan and Odder with previous classes and was so excited to see that there was a new co-written book coming, especially one with robot dogs?! I knew my kiddos would love that!

When we first started the book, the kids were a bit fidgety, and I had a few who complained about reading time, but as we continued reading, story time is now the quietest my room gets all day! They are absolutely enthralled. You could hear a pin drop. Chance, Metal Head, Mouse, and the rest of the Dogtown gang have been an absolute hit! Thank you to Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with an e-ARC and giving my class the “chance” to read this book a bit early.

Chance is a three-legged pup that lives at the local dog shelter, and tries to help her doggy friends get adopted to their forever homes. This shelter also takes in robo-dogs, When one of those robot dogs starts insisting that he needs to get back to his kid, Chance initially balks and ignores him but she slowly realizes that sometimes even junks of metal can develop the ability to have feelings too.

Initially, I chose this because it looked like it might be a cute picture book, not bothering to read the info about the book closely before requesting it. It's a chapter book with bunches of illustrations, so it's suitable for a kiddo new to the idea of chapter books.

I enjoyed the story. It's a great option to help a family that may be looking into getting a dog of their own, or possibly a good one for dealing with the idea of a pet running away. The book reminds us that most shelter pets are desperate for attention, and none of them deserve to be put on "the List" due to age or disability. All a pup wants to get is our love and affection, and whatever is attached to those smells wafting over from the kitchen. It reminds us that helping out a shelter nearby is the best way to help those wonderful fur babies to their forever home.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

I thoroughly enjoyed this charming tale of canine friendship set in a shelter for dogs! Chance, a three-legged dog with a heart of gold, has the run of Dogtown, a community of dogs who need families. Chance uses his freedom to roam among the cages and help his fellow boarders, as well as his friend mouse, Mouse. Like the other dogs, Chance is not too keen on the robot dogs in the shelter, but he learns not group all robot dogs together when his fate becomes intertwined with that of the rather inscrutable Metal Head. Together, Chance, Metalhead and Mouse form a team as they go in search of Metal Head's original family.
I'm a school librarian, and I read an advanced copy of this book in order to figure out if I want to include it in our upcoming reading challenge. This is a perfect book for students in grades 3-5. The plot is easy for this age group to follow, and the length is ideal, with events unfolding at a perfect pace to keep the reader engaged. I loved all of the characters, and even the dogs playing bit parts where really well drawn. I found myself wanting to visit Dogtown! The supplementary material at the back of the book about how to help dogs in shelters will be welcomed by many young readers. The illustrations match the tone of the book perfectly and will be a big draw for less confident readers, while delighting all who see them.

An absolute delight of a read. I wouldn't expect anything less from Applegate. She is amazing. My kids loved reading this one (one by themselves and one read with me). I loved the idea of real dogs and robotic dogs. Thanks for making this lovely book and I can't wait for it to be out in the world for other kids (and adults) to enjoy! This would be a great book for teachers to read in their classrooms.

Not surprisingly, I loved this book. I say not surprisingly because so far, I've loved everything that Katherine Applegate writes. And yes, not surprisingly, I teared up at times. This was a sweet story about a three-legged dog (Chance) who finds herself at a shelter after being injured and abandoned by irresponsible pet sitters while her favorite humans were abroad. The creative bit is that robot dogs are a thing and the shelter includes both abandoned real dogs and robot dogs. Not surprisingly there is an us vs them mentality between the robot dogs and the real dogs, but the bottom line is that any of them could be "decommissioned".

An unlikely friendship develops between Chance, a robot dog (Metal Head), and a mouse (Mouse) as Chance and Metal Head seek to find their forever homes and Mouse seeks to provide for his family.

I loved that books/reading played a part in this story. Quinn's story was heartwarming and I loved Mr. Molinari. Overall, I loved this story of friendship and love, and the illustrations really added to the story. While I am more of a cat person than a dog person (I love dogs, I just don't have the mentality to care for them), I loved reading about Chance and Metal Head search for their people and would recommend this for anyone who loves animals.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley and the publishers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My thanks goes to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends for an ARC of DOGTOWN. All opinions are my own; I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Humor, Animal Books, Adventure Stories
Age: Middle grade (6-12 years old)

DOGTOWN is adorable! These are dogs with broken hearts, abandoned in a shelter. But this one has robot dogs and living dogs.

Surprise! Metal Head was listening and learned how to speak dog. And Metal Head wants out! But who wants a misbehaving metal dog? Nope—Chance knows what's what, but Metal Head isn't catching on to life in Dogtown. And then there's Quinn who wants to be with Metal Head.

The illustrator Wallace West deserves a shout-out for the great illustrations. They are simple but so adorable! Chapters are very short, making it perfect for reluctant readers. It's a fast read.

Seeing everything from the dog's point of view was fun. The kids are going to chuckle over the doggie potty jokes and be on the edge of their seats to see what happens next. Adding in a familiar book from Dr. Seuss is a bonus. Then they make an escape plan...

I think kids are going to love this book, and I recommend it.

Happy reading!

Every time Katherine Applegate writes a book I have to read it. I may enjoy it even more than my kids do. This one was no exception. It was quirky, fun, and a bit heartbreaking. Dogtown is a colorful sort of shelter where the manager and volunteers love the dogs and even invite school children to come read to them. It houses every sort of canine you can imagine from pampered show dogs to adorable mutts with the addition of robot dogs who are cast away and outgrown. Metal Head is a robot dog who wants to go home to his boy and will never be happy until he does. Chance is a three legged mix who just wants to find a forever home for her and her friends and put hr past behind her. Mouse is a mouse. And together they go on an adventure that bonds them as a pack . I loved this book. My dog is a rescue from the streets of California and is ever bit one of our kids but unfortunately children should know not all Humans treat dogs with the love and respect they deserve. This book is a fun, cute, touching way of introducing children to the concepts of dog rescues and why we need them. It's packed with beautiful moments and plenty of deeper tearjerker scenes like any dog book should be. It gives so much character to each animal, organic and metallic. Fun, teachable, enjoyable and heartwarming.