Review: Elf Dog & Owl Head

By M. T. Anderson

Illustrated by Junyi Wu

Candlewick Press, 2023. 229 p.

Clay is stuck at home with his family due to a global pandemic. He has coordinate doing online schoolwork with his two sisters. Everyone in his family is getting bored of each other. Often, to escape the frustrations and monotony of home, Clay will head out into the woods at the back of his yard. There he meets an unusual dog with red ears. Soon Clay discovers that the dog—Elphinore—is a very special dog that comes from a magical place. Elphinore can guide Clay to other magical places (for example, she takes him to a place where he meets a friend that is a boy with an owl head). However, there are some magical places that aren’t safe and there are some magical creatures that will want Clay to disappear forever.

This is a clever fantasy story. Clay and his family are all people that anyone who has lived through a pandemic (and had to stay home with only their family for company) can relate to. Readers who love fantasy novels and magical creatures will also love to see where Elphanore takes Clay next. And, with M. T. Anderson as the author, it is a well-written story that is sure to get kids excited about looking at the world around them with new eyes.

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