Skip to main content

Review: Elf Dog & Owl Head

Image
By

 




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.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

An ABC of Flowers

By
An ABC of Flowers   by Jutta Hilpuesch New York, NY : Philomel Books, [2019] It turns out there really is a flower for every letter. This sweet book has a photograph of every flower and  a sweet cartoon illustration to go along with it. All your favorite flowers are here (forget-me-nots, mums, and sunflowers), along with some you probably haven't heard of before (billy ball, kalanchoe, xeranthemum?).  This is a perfect book for reading together, and readers of any age will enjoy every page. Don't miss this great springtime alphabet book. 
Post a Comment
Read more

Display: Out of this World Books Found Here

By
Hello By Aiko Ikegami Berkeley, CA: Creston Books, 2019. Picture book. In this wordless picture book, an alien visits Earth, makes friends with a little girl, and returns to his home planet to share his experiences. - Publisher We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture book. When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. - Publisher Greetings Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by A.J. Smith Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2024. Picture book. Floof from planet Ploof has landed! And it...
Post a Comment
Read more

If You Like...Dungeons and Dragons

By
Great news for adventurous, imaginative tweens: we are starting a Dungeons & Dragons program! Nine- to twelve-year-olds are invited to join a tabletop role playing quest in the Story Room on Monday September 14 from 6:30-8:00PM. All experience levels are welcome. Registration opens on September 1 at 9:00AM. In the meantime, here are some books to inspire your upcoming campaign!  The Lionharts Written and Illustrated by Mike Lawrence New York : Abrams Fanfare, 2026. J Comic. 233 pages. The Lionhart family is in the business of adventuring. Alder and Flynt are desperate to be included in the dragon-fighting and monster-slaying quests. When their parents Lenna and Gerard go missing after accepting a mysterious job, the boys set out to save them, soon followed by their famous questing Grammy and Baba to help keep Alder and Flynt out of trouble. The journey brings challenges and opportunities, magic and mystery, but it also reveals a troubling family secret that threatens to tear th...
Post a Comment
Read more