Module 14 My Dog, My Hero

Bibliographic Citation

Byars, B., Duffey, B., & Myers, L. (2000). My dog, my hero. New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Summary

There are eight short stories about dogs who do remarkable things that make them a hero for someone.  The book is written as if there is a contest to choose My Hero or the best dog hero and there are eight finalists.  The eight finalists tell their stories and the winner is chosen at the end.

Smiley saves a little girl from a bull.  Bear saves another little dog from the icey water.  Munchkin saves a man from the bite of a copperhead snake.  Old Dog saved twenty-six lives after a tornado struck a town.  Buster saved a baby in a stroller.  Blue went and got help when a man had a chainsaw accident.  Little Bit helped a woman in a nursing home.  Dopey saved a baby in a car.  Old Dog is chosen as the winner since he saved twenty six lives.  But the other dogs were all given special awards too. 

Impressions

I was very impressed with each short story.  The stories were based on dog stories from the three authors who were also dog lovers.  I thought when I started the book that I would see if I could chose the dog hero.  But each story was so remarkable that I could not chose the best one.  But I think they made the right choice with Old Dog since he had saved many lives. 

Suggestions For Use in a Library

1.  I think these stories would be good to use if a teacher was working on a writing unit about dogs or heros or community helpers.  I know I was always on the lookout for stories kids could relate too and how I talked to them constatly about their own stories coming from the inside of them.

2.  These stories could easily be compared to a fireman's story of rescue.

3.  Who is the hero in your life?

4. A similar contest would be done with the same dogs or different people or animals.

Reviews

Gr.3-6.  Eight people whose lives are changed by the bravery of dogs tell their stories, which range in tone from humorous to dramatic.  Full-colored illustrations perfectly capture the personalities and actins of the canine heroes.

Lempke, S. (2004). My dog, my hero. Book Links, 13(4), 40.

Gr 3-6 --Byars and her daughters set up this collection of eight stories as though a contest for the "My Hero" award were underway and they were serving as judges. A cross-section of citizens enter, each relating a story of one canine's valiant behavior, from rescuing a baby to restoring joy to a lonely person's life to finding people trapped after a tornado. Happily, not a single dog is lost in the process. The authors provide a distinct voice for each narrator and a distinct personality for each animal while highlighting the common themes of gratitude, admiration, and love. The short-story format and popular topic make this a sound choice for older reluctant readers as well as for younger children. A full-color painting and a cameo portrait of the pet accompany each selection.

Leach, P. (2001). My dog, my hero. School Library Journal, 47(1), 92.