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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
4.5⭐️ A story of a boy and his dog, going of to a mountain without knowing their destination; or maybe they did. The boy knew what he wanted; but maybe he didn't. This book has it all; Hope. Fear. Anger. Saddness. Friendship. Sickness. Giving up. Holding still. Adventure. Dogs. Cluelessness. Loyality. And something more...
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I literally cried my eyeballs out. For most people maybe this book wouldn't be so sad but for me it was over the top. I've never loved a character in a YA contemporary or a middle grade book as much as I loved THE DOG IN THE STORY. This dog is so precious and loyal and sweet to Mark that I personally (not really a dog person) was ready to go to a shelter and get a freaking dog. Mark broke my heart; he is just a 12 years old kid who is tired and sick of his sickness. Readers of this book will go along with the journey and adventure of Mark and his dog and feel his anger and sadness and even maybe his hope. This is really a powerful story that reminds a person who has lost all hope that maybe their is something he can hold on to...
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I literally cried my eyeballs out. For most people maybe this book wouldn't be so sad but for me it was over the top. I've never loved a character in a YA contemporary or a middle grade book as much as I loved THE DOG IN THE STORY. This dog is so precious and loyal and sweet to Mark that I personally (not really a dog person) was ready to go to a shelter and get a freaking dog. Mark broke my heart; he is just a 12 years old kid who is tired and sick of his sickness. Readers of this book will go along with the journey and adventure of Mark and his dog and feel his anger and sadness and even maybe his hope. This is really a powerful story that reminds a person who has lost all hope that maybe their is something he can hold on to...
Boy, dog, & mountain. Life and death and death and life. That's The Honest Truth. @DanGemeinhart @Scholastic
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http://www.nyx-shadow.com/2017/01/la-verite-vraie-dan-gemeinhart.html
YA novel about a boy who runs away with his dog, Beau, to climb Mt. Ranier
Mark has a best friend named Jessie, a dog named Beau, and a notebook full of haiku poems he's written. He also has a big dream: to climb Mount Rainier. But Mark is sick and he doesn't know if he'll get the chance to fulfill his dream. He runs away, taking Beau with him, and sets out to reach the mountain and climb it, even if it's that last thing he ever gets to do.
This book ended up being a surprisingly fast read even with the heavier subject matter. The writing was light and easy to read and I enjoyed the back and forth between Mark's POV and the half-chapters of Jessie's POV.
Mark was a character who I could understand his motivations even though I disagreed with them and his methods. He had very good reasons for wanting to climb that mountain but he caused a lot of worry and panic for everyone. His emotions were all over the place through his journey but two things stayed firm the whole time: his determination to climb that mountain and his bond with his dog. Beau wasn't able to speak but he was an important character. He was beside Mark the whole journey, protecting him, encouraging him, just being there for him. It was such a nice bond between them.
Things did end up being a little repetitive in some parts. Jessie's POVs during the half-chapters was her struggling to keep Mark's secret. Should she tell or should she stay quiet? Also all the adults Mark managed to trick by sneaking Beau passed them. The journey to the mountain was in no way easy but how easily he avoided people asking too many questions and tricking the police was maybe a little too good to be true.
The book didn't move me as much as I'd hoped or expected. Maybe if it had just been focused on Mark's journey it would have been different but it wasn't just his life he was risking, there was Beau too. And the parts with Jessie's POV showed how worried she, Mark's parents, and everyone in their town was about Mark's disappearance. I could understand him being tired of being that poor, sick kid in everyone's eyes but was it really worth putting the people who loved him through all that?
It was a short book, not even 250 pages, so it left little room for a lot of development. There were also some loose ends that weren't tied up, though I did like the ones that were left up in the air. Overall, it was a decent read and easy to read in an afternoon.
This book ended up being a surprisingly fast read even with the heavier subject matter. The writing was light and easy to read and I enjoyed the back and forth between Mark's POV and the half-chapters of Jessie's POV.
Mark was a character who I could understand his motivations even though I disagreed with them and his methods. He had very good reasons for wanting to climb that mountain but he caused a lot of worry and panic for everyone. His emotions were all over the place through his journey but two things stayed firm the whole time: his determination to climb that mountain and his bond with his dog. Beau wasn't able to speak but he was an important character. He was beside Mark the whole journey, protecting him, encouraging him, just being there for him. It was such a nice bond between them.
Things did end up being a little repetitive in some parts. Jessie's POVs during the half-chapters was her struggling to keep Mark's secret. Should she tell or should she stay quiet? Also all the adults Mark managed to trick by sneaking Beau passed them. The journey to the mountain was in no way easy but how easily he avoided people asking too many questions and tricking the police was maybe a little too good to be true.
The book didn't move me as much as I'd hoped or expected. Maybe if it had just been focused on Mark's journey it would have been different but it wasn't just his life he was risking, there was Beau too. And the parts with Jessie's POV showed how worried she, Mark's parents, and everyone in their town was about Mark's disappearance. I could understand him being tired of being that poor, sick kid in everyone's eyes but was it really worth putting the people who loved him through all that?
It was a short book, not even 250 pages, so it left little room for a lot of development. There were also some loose ends that weren't tied up, though I did like the ones that were left up in the air. Overall, it was a decent read and easy to read in an afternoon.
Mark has been sick for a long time, but after receiving bad news from the doctors, he's had enough. He's angry, scared, and just wants to disappear. So he does. He sets out with his dog, Beau, to climb Mt. Rainier. He encounters all kinds of people and obstacles on his way, all the while documenting his travels with his camera and by writing haikus. He misses his mom and dad and his best friend Jess, but he keeps going, even when he starts getting sicker.
This book was really intense adventure novel for me. I found myself relating to the character in huge ways. I've had a lot of people in my life who have had/beaten/succumbed to cancer. To be honest, it was hard to read some of the book because of that. In addition, the bond between Mark and his dog, Beau, was so relatable and real. When they got into some of the more dramatic parts, I was literally holding my breath.
Recommended For: Grades 6 & up
Red Flags: Dying and Death, violence (mugging), extreme conditions(When Mark almost drowned and when he was on the mountain and almost fell into the crevasse).
This book was really intense adventure novel for me. I found myself relating to the character in huge ways. I've had a lot of people in my life who have had/beaten/succumbed to cancer. To be honest, it was hard to read some of the book because of that. In addition, the bond between Mark and his dog, Beau, was so relatable and real. When they got into some of the more dramatic parts, I was literally holding my breath.
Recommended For: Grades 6 & up
Red Flags: Dying and Death, violence (mugging), extreme conditions(When Mark almost drowned and when he was on the mountain and almost fell into the crevasse).
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
as you read through the book, you are taken along with a boy (mark) <battling cancer> who runs away from his home along with his dog (beau), on a journey to climb a mountain <because of a promise he made to his grandfather, who is no more>. the story as a whole is a quite emotional one. the writing however is witty in a few instances but without diluting the situation. you get to feel all that he feels throughout the journey - his fear, his anger, his guilt, his grief, the little moments that bring him joy. absolutely loved it. shoutout to beau (his dog) <3
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Suicidal thoughts