Module 3: Adventure, Sports & Mystery
1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Paulsen, Gary. 2009. NOTES FROM THE DOG. New York: Random House, Inc. ISBN 978-0-375-73845-3
2. SUMMARY
Finn, a 15 year old boy has a hard time relating to people. His goal for summer break is to have contact with no more than 12 people. But when Johanna moves in next door to house sit for the summer, and befriends Finn, his summer plans take a turn. Johanna, a high spirited twenty something with breast cancer, takes Finn on as her distraction for the summer. With her encouraging notes via the family dog she works to make Finn more of an extrovert and push through his insecurities.
Joanna takes charge of Finns summer along with his friend Matthew and enlists the boys in developing a garden in Finns back yard for her to enjoy as she deals with the ups and downs of chemotherapy. As Finn and Joanna develop their relationship, Finn breaks out of his reclusive shell. He begins a relationship with a girl his age, fundraising in public for Joanna's abridged triathlon to earn funds for cancer research, and begins to embrace the fact that having people and relationships in his life is not necessarily a bad thing.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Readers who are familiar with Gary Paulsen and his adventure tales will find Notes From the Dog out of sync with his normal writing style. Paulsen tells a simple story of Finn, a 15 year old introvert, whose goal is to spend the summer alone as much as possible. Finn states, "Sometimes having company is not all it's cracked up to be". Preferring to be lost in a book over spending time with people, Finn envisions his summer in solitude. The story, as told by Finn, pulls the reader into the story with his typical boyish awkwardness and his developing change in personality. As the story evolves, Finn quickly follows. His care for Johanna while she is deathly ill from her chemo treatments, to his hard nose approach to fundraising for cancer brings the reader along for the ride as Finn's personality and persona change. Johanna is no fading flower. With the help of the family dog, Dylan, Johanna writes encouraging notes to Finn and has them delivered with a little extra dog drool included. Finn comments in the book, “Before Johanna, I never was the highlight of someone’s day”. Johanna has a way of bringing Finn out of his reclusive state, either intentionally through the building of a backyard oasis or unintentionally when she becomes too ill and Finn and Matthew must take charge of fundraising and running in Johanna’s place in the charity race. SLJ reviewer, Allison Follos writes, “Johanna's spirit and optimism infuse Finn with courage and love, and he finds his voice.” The book slowly reveals to the reader the development of both characters into strong individuals.
The setting can be described as a typical white picket fence neighborhood. The sense of community is present but not overplayed. As more characters are introduced into Finns story (Johanna's parents, Matthew, Finn's grandfather, Johanna's grandmother, Fernanda) the reader gets a grasp of a neighborhood that has come together for Joanna, her cause and the evolution of Finn from a loner to a caring, take charge young man.
The book may be a far different in comparison to Paulsen's other novels, but readers will find this short novel a light, humorous and touching story about the need for human contact and compassion.
4. REVIEWS/AWARDS
SLJ review: This candid and tender tale, told with his signature humor, is a salute to the bravest of the brave.—Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY
VOYA Review: "Finn discovers a developing talent for connecting with others as he breaks out of his seclusion and soon the lives of his father and even his granddad are touched by his efforts. There is an undercurrent of lighthearted comedy in Finn's efforts with the garden and his fund raising speeches. Given the brevity of the book and its inclination to be a book for "boys," it could be recommended to reluctant readers."
Margaret A. Edwards Award
Bank Street College of Education’s Best Children’s Books of the Year 2010
5. CONNECTIONS
Gary Paulsen is a world renowned author of adventure stories for YA. Below are websites to more of about Paulsen and his works.
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