The Friskative Dog

by Susan Straight

Book Overview

Sharron was five when her father gave her the Friskative Dog. And just like the best-loved toys fromThe Velveteen Rabbit,Sharron has made the Friskative Dog real through her love and devotion. Now... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375837779
• ISBN13: 9780375837777
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Length: 149 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 7.3"
• Age Range: 8 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 6

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Sharron loves dogs more than just about anything in the world. Her favorite dog of all is the Friskative Dog. Sharron's dad gave her the Friskative Dog when she was very little. Sure, he may be a stuffed animal to most people, but to Sharron he is real and just as much a part of the family as an actual dog would be. Especially since Sharron's dad left a year ago. Sometimes it seems like the Friskative Dog is the only connection to her dad that Sharron has left. One day the Friskative Dog disappears, and Sharron's world, both real and imagined, begina to come crashing down. Who would take her dog? And why? And without her dog, how will she feel connected to her dad? Why would he leave them, anyway? Sharron is starting to ask the questions that everyone has been avoiding for a year now. And the answers could redefine how all of them feel about family and safety. This is a sweet story about the strength of faith and hope, and the power of family, no matter what shape that family takes. It's also a really good book for reluctant readers -- it's easy to read and understand, without being particularly condescending. My only concern is that the characters are a bit stereotypical; however, the underlying message is a good one. Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

A gentle tale of change and acceptance evolves.

A young girl must learn to accept that families are very different - and she does - in THE FRISKATIVE DOG, which uses a delicate story to emphasize the importance of hope, patience and forgiveness. Sharon is five when her father gives her the Friskative Dog - now she's nine, her father is missing, and she needs it more than ever. Can her father find his way home? A gentle tale of change and acceptance evolves.

An adorable plush yellow lab

Sharron idolizes her father, who gives her an adorable plush yellow lab puppy when she's five. She embraces it with all the love she can find, and in her mind this stuffed animal becomes real. She takes the Friskative Dog everywhere and gives this pseudo-pet a leash, collar and dog tag. At five this demonstration of affection is acceptable, but by the time she turns nine, Sharron is the subject of much teasing and emotional bullying from classmates. After her father disappears, she needs Friskative around more than ever; even though she isn't allowed to take the dog to school, she does. Sharron shares her mother's concerns that her father is suffering from amnesia and unable to return home. They place their lives on hold, eventually redefining their "family" with help from Sharron's paternal grandmother and a new friend. Sharron laments the fact that humans don't have the same homing instincts as canines. When Friskative disappears, Sharron hopes that her plush pup uses his instincts to come back. Susan Straight's easy-to-read chapter book, which gently explores several childhood issues, is a quietly soothing story about hope and patience as well as the ability of a family to survive a painful abandonment. It serves to remind us of the value of a pet or a favorite toy to a child suffering an emotional crisis. I found myself compelled to question Sharron's need to cross the line of reality and to remain for so long on the side of fantasy. What was it about her relationship with her dad, who was on the road so much, that bonded her to this stuffed dog? This book is as easy to overanalyze as it is to read. While simple at first, THE FRISKATIVE DOG reveals multiple levels of awareness that will end up haunting your thoughts. --- Reviewed by Patsy Side

Wonderful

I love everything she writes, and my kids still love Straight's Bear E. Bear, so I was excited to get this one. My kids (ages 3, 7 and 9) were ready for bed early every night so they could hear more of the story.We read 30 pages a night and they begged for more. The voice of the girl is so true, you don't want to stop reading, even if there are sad moments. We loved it.