Mouse and His Dog: A Dogtown Book - by Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko

About the Book

Book Synopsis

An Instant NEW YORK TIMES and Indie Bestseller!

Mouse lives in Dogtown, a shelter for real dogs and robot dogs, where the kibble is plentiful, and the rafters hide a secret community of mice. His unlikely best friend is Buster, a big-hearted real dog who attracts trouble like a burr to fur.

Determined to help Buster find his forever home, even if means losing his best pal, Mouse embarks on a bold quest with three of Dogtown's "unadoptables" Buster, Stewie--a huge, lovable dog whose ex-owner said he was mean, and Smokey--a robot dog hardwired with a smoke alarm he can't control.

But Mouse is just a mouse, and the world is big and complicated. How's a little guy supposed to find homes for the dogs he loves?

Review Quotes

Instant NEW YORK TIMES and Indie Bestseller!
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection

"A relatable, entertaining second entry in a charming series."--Kirkus Reviews

"Fast-moving, funny and philosophical. With short chapters and loose ink drawings, newly independent readers are easily delivered to "happily ever after" but with a reality check." -- San Francisco Chronicle, Best Books for Children

Praise for DOGTOWN:

★ "Welcome to Dogtown, a shelter for regular dogs--and robot dogs... Super short chapters, perhaps suggesting a dog's alleged limited attention span, keep the novel's pace moving briskly toward a climax sure to please animal lovers despite a few sad moments along the way. West's grayscale art perfectly captures canine emotion and unbridled energy. "--School Library Journal, starred review

"Newbery Medalist Applegate and Newbery Honoree Choldenko team up for this uplifting escape novel ...Angular b&w line drawings by West highlight the humorously sketched canine cast, while brief chapters that explore species divides promise to captivate anyone who enjoys rooting for a couple of down-on-their-luck dogs getting a second chance."--Publishers Weekly

"The story offers many moments of laughter and reflection, all greatly enhanced by West's utterly charming grayscale illustrations of irresistible pooches. Eminently readable and appealing; will tug at dog-loving readers' heartstrings."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Katherine Applegate is a #1 New York Times bestselling author who has written many children's books, including The One and Only Ivan, which won a Newbery Medal, The One and Only Bob, Wishtree, Odder, and the Doggo & Pupper series. Katherine lives in Las Vegas with her loyal husband and naughty dog.

Gennifer Choldenko is the author of the Tales from Alcatraz series, which has sold more than two million copies, as well as several other books for young readers including Orphan Eleven, Chasing Secrets, and Al Capone Does My Shirts which won a Newbery Honor and twenty other awards. Gennifer lives in California, also with her loyal husband and her naughty dog.