Cynthia Chapman Willis ~ What they're saying about Dog Gone

What they're saying about Dog Gone!

Kirkus Review ~ 04/01/08 Issue

Willis’s debut novel skillfully navigates the subject of parental loss. Twelve-year-old Dill Macgregor has been hurting since her mother died. She tries to keep her sorrow hidden away, but her grief-stricken daddy, Lyon, and granddad, GD, keep at her to talk about her feelings. Then Lyon goes and gives away all of Mom’s animals except one, Dead End the dog. Now that Mom’s gone, Dead End has started roaming; Dill and GD believe he’s looking for her. When farmers report dogs killing their livestock, Dill fears Dead End is involved. If so, then he’ll be shot and there will be one less thing to remind her of her mother. Set on a Southern farm, the author peppers her story with homey turns of phrases and strong secondary characters, such as Cub,, Dill’s best friend. Willis, an author, to watch, keeps the narrative tightly focused on Dill and her resistance to facing her grief. This well-told story, spiced with humor and facts on animal care, has a satisfying, appealing conclusion.

By SHERIE SCHMAUDER, Book Reviewer, Recorder Community Newspaper

. . .Author Willis knows her world of horses and other animals. She has a gift for calling animals by names that have something to do with their personalities: Dead End, named after the road in New Jersey where G.D. found him; rabbits named Romeo and Juliet; and the goat Seymour (who is blind in one eye). And Dead End nearly comes to one by the end of the book.

Running away is a theme in “Dog Gone.” Dead End keeps running away. Dill’s mom used to say that G.D. “ran from the cold loneliness of his loss” after his wife died. Dill says, “I never understood this before, but these days I hardly get through breakfast without thinking of running, like Dead End, from the thick and sticky sadness that stains every include of our ranch home.” Should she run away?

Willis also uses all the senses to bring the reader into her story. Driveway gravel crackles. Dill saves her mom’s lotions and perfumes because of how they smell. Pancakes and cooking smells permeate the air. Dill tries so hard to believe her mom’s still alive that she cooks all her old recipes: chili, cornbread, chicken, muffins. She remembers how Lyon used to play his guitar and go horseback riding with her…

Any teen who has experienced the loss of a parent will understand Dill’s wild desire to save her dog and her refusal to face the fact of her mother’s death.

. . .Willis is a very good writer and one to watch. “Dog Gone” is published by Feiwel and Friends, a Macmillan Imprint.

Ewens from Goodreads

“This is such a sweet story. I love this book. It’s a great read. Dog Gone is full of suspense, especially for a young reader. One of the things I loved about this book is it's timelessness. It reads like a classic from a long time ago.”

Karen from Literate Lives at Blogspot.com

“The book I just got done reading yesterday was Dog Gone by Cynthia Chapman Willis. I literally read it in 2 sittings in 1 day. I didn't want to put it down… Chapman develops each character so well that the teacher in me could not help thinking about the wonderful class conversations we could have about characterization, after reading this book… Because I tend to be drawn to characters that are so well written they seem real to me, it probably won't come as a surprise when I tell you I loved Dog Gone. I was drawn into the characters' lives, and really cared about them… I loved Dog Gone on many levels: it made me laugh and cry, it made me care about the characters, and I loved the language. Certainly, it is a book that will stay with me for a while."

From Cindy's Bookbuzz at Blogspot.com

“This is a nicely paced story that will touch readers' hearts. I would recommend if for 4th graders and above.”