Some dogs change everything.
Mr Mosely isn’t a pedigreed dog, but he is just the dog Corey and his family want: he is loyal, protective and loving. And he is much more than that. He might well be the one thing that holds them all together.
REVIEWS:
What a beautiful story: one of those that is hard to put down. This is the sort of book you will laugh at even when you’re crying on the inside.(Ballarat Courier)
I always find outstanding books to be very hard to write about. How can a review convey the way a book grabs your heart and makes you cry and think about the world and the way it operates? Just a Dog should be on every library shelf. It is a book to read aloud to children, to recommend to individuals and to have as a class set. But be sure you have a box of tissues handy! Highly recommended.(Read Plus)
This is a story about what makes a family: love, trust, rituals and patience. Mr Mosely is clearly more than ‘just a dog’. he is one that we won’t forget. (CBCA Judges report)
EDITIONS:
Norway Edition US Edition Scholastic Italian Edition
German Edition
Coming Publications: Norway Germany, Italy, Israel and the USA.
AWARDS & SHORTLISTINGS:
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Shortlisted for 2011 CBCA BOOK of the YEAR Younger Readers.
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Honour Book for 2011 CBCA awards
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Winner 2011 Queensland Premier’s Awards
TEACHERS NOTES: Scholastic Australia
Hi Michael,
I love this book but I do question its accessibility / appeal to younger readers and so, it’s nomination in the Younger Reader’s category in the CBCA. I’ve given it a few readings to Years 5 & 6 and find it’s a bit sophisticated for my cohort. I guess, it’s because the narrator, Corey is of a similar age that it gets the guernsey in this category. Anyhow, best of luck with the nomination, your definitely up there, in the ‘award winning author’ category in my mind, so it would nice to this formalised.
Cheers, Karen
Hi Karen
Yes it’s tricky isn’t it. When I wrote the story I didn’t have an age group in mind. In fact I always write stories basically for me. When it was going to be published there was some discussion about what group it should be aimed at. Just because the narrator is 11 doesn’t necessarily mean that’s who should read it. Some things in the original story were eventually very slightly toned down so as to be more suitable for younger readers but I didn’t really want to change the story to make it fit in with a particular age group. I worry a bit about very young readers reading it. I’d say yr 6/7 might be ok but I’d hope that older readers and adults would be just as much the target audience. I’m really glad you liked it! Thanks so much for visiting the blog and taking the time to comment.
Cheers
Michael
Dear Michael, your story Just A Dog is amazing it made me cry so much I loved the story.
And also, Is Just A Dog a real story?
Hi Anthony. Thanks so much for your comment. Hope there were parts that made you laugh and smile too! Mister Mosely isn’t based on a real dog but quite a few of his sories were based on things that happened to dogs my family had when I was growing up. Some stories I used almost exactly as they happened, some I’ve changed/improved/added to, and some I made up completely. That fishing hook/vet story for example is straight out of my childhood. Cheers Michael
I was delighted to find this blog post as my 9-year-old fourth grader chose this book for a book report. I think Mr. Mosely is well written, humorous, emotional, and real, but similar to Karen’s thoughts above, I am not sure that my daughter’s age group is the best audience. (Full disclosure: I am a bit overprotective and my child is quite sensitive towards animals.) Fortunately, some things are going over her head, but I am certain it will be a tough evening this week when she gets to the part where …!
I appreciate that you write stories for yourself, but I am curious as to which age group it was aimed at when it was first published. I had thought, erroneously, that scholastic books were specified for a certain age range. Thematically speaking, the parent in me would probably put it towards sixth grade and above. In any event, I intend to check out some of your other titles (my child picked out your book at the school book fair).
Hi Facie
Thanks for your comments. There was some thought and discussion about who the main audience for the book would be. In general it was either going to be Younger Readers say 10-12 yrs or Older Readers 13+. The decision was that it would be published as a Younger Readers book. As I said to Karen I didn’t write it for a particular audience. I wrote it just as a story I really wanted to tell – what I hoped would be a powerful story told in simple words, a story that was more than a just dog story, about a dog who was, for his owners at least, more than just a dog.
I can certainly understand why it wasn’t marketed as a YA novel but I have concerns like you about young children reading it because I would like to think that it is also a story for adults. I always suggest to parents that they should read it first before giving it to their children – or least read the first paragraph because that should indicate clearly that it isn’t going to be merely a light-hearted pet story.
But whether it is suitable for a particular young reader depends so much on the individual child and their parents. Personally I think yr 5 or 6 upwards is ok but I also know that some younger students could handle it while some older ones probably couldn’t. I’ve often had kids (as well as adults) say to me, ‘I loved that book and I cried sooooo much.’ Make of that what you will. But I think experiencing sadness and tragedy through the relative safety of a book can be a very positive and worthwhile thing. I’d also hope that the idea that Mr Moe lives on through Corey’s stories and the family’s love, might be something that stays with readers long after the tears have passed.
Omnibus Books/Scholastic Australia have published all my books and they cover a range of age levels not only young readers. For example The Running Man is for Young Adults. The Ishmael series starts off with the characters who are in Grade Nine and finishes in the third book with them graduating from Year 12.
Facie thanks for writing. I appreciate your concerns about this. I hope that ‘tough evening’ isn’t too tough. In any case, it’s nice to know that your daughter will have her ‘understandably protective’ mum there to help her through.
Cheers
Michael
Hi Michael,
Your book has won the Children’s book Council of Australia, book of the year award, why do you think your book won this award? Your book is by far an amazing tale of a non-pedigreed dog who brings a family together and leaves a massive impact on all of their lives.
Thank-you
Hi Michael,
Why do you think your book ‘just a dog’ won the children’s book council of Australia, book of the year award?
Also your book was amazing and I’d love feedback on this post ASAP I’m currently doing an assignment on your book and I think it would help me grately
Thanks
Hi Melissa. Thank you. I’m so glad you liked the book. Just A Dog didn’t quite win the CBCA Book of the Year. It was runner-up – the Honour Book. It did win the Queensland Premier’s Award. It is hard for me to say why it won these awards. If you went to the CBCA website I think you might be able to find the judges’ comments on the 2011 short-listed books. That might help. Cheers Michael
Hi Michael,
I loved the book, it was really touching, humourous yet sad at times. Could you please explain what you think the benefits are in using an animal as a central character for children’s books?
Thank you Lucy. I guess that animals have a very wide appeal and that many lessons can be learnt from them.
Hi Michael,
Having a quick read at the comments on this blog, I thought I’d let you know that an older audience is reading it too! And enjoying it, I must say.
I’m currently reading ‘Just a Dog’ as we speak as part of an English unit – and I’m a University student! A few of us are actually reading it and I must take the time to thank you for such an excellent read!
Hi Zeinab
Sorry for the slow reply. I’ve been travelling a bit of late. Thank you so much for taking the time to send those lovely comments. It’s great to get feedback on the stories. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed reading Just a Dog. All the best with the Uni course!
Cheers
Michael
Hi Michael,
I just wanted to say that I absolutely loved this book! I am a university student studying primary school teaching and I am currently writing an assignment on ‘Just a Dog’. I myself have a dog called Holly who certainly isnt ‘just a dog’- so for me I could totally relate to the stories and feelings you portray throughout the book. You had me in complete tears of both joy and sadness (that ending was a killer!!) but I can certainly say that I will be purchasing this book for my own collection!. Beautifully written, a terrific read for both children and adults!!
Well done!!!
Cheers,
Riahn
Hi Riahn
Thank you so much. It is lovely to get such positive feedback on the book. We didn’t have a dog when I wrote that story but I drew on the memories of two dogs in particular that I grew up with. So some of Mr Moe’s stories are based almost exactly on real events, some have been adapted and changed quite a lot, and some are completely made up. I’m very proud of Just a Dog and it holds a special place in my heart. It’s a lovely thing when someone else connects with it as well. Thank you again for taking the time to comment.
Cheers
Michael