Publishers Weekly
★ 05/06/2024
In this engaging novel by Kelly (The First State of Being), eminently likable, curious eight-year-old Felix, who cues as white, is inexplicably drawn to a seemingly nondescript blanket in a thrift shop. Bearing his purchase, he returns to the home he shares with his nan (the kind of grandmother who serves dessert as dinner once a month). While playing hide-and-seek with his faithful dog Mary Puppins, Felix crawls under the blanket, and when Puppins uncovers him, boy and pet are startled to discover Felix has become a dog. Beguiling descriptions of the expanded sensitivity of Felix’s sense of smell and hearing as well as the joy of running on four legs follow as Puppins teaches him all about being a dog, including the subtleties of tail wagging. Though he’s elated by his transformation, Felix worries about Nan and how she will feel when she can’t find him. Meanwhile, Felix and Puppins’s interactions with a snooty cat engage readers in a cat-vs.-dog superiority contest that tests Felix’s understanding of friendship. Short chapters create a well-paced narrative with an appropriate amount of suspense, while Kelly’s plentiful b&w drawings enhance the friendly ambiance, occasionally taking over the storytelling. Overall, it’s a just-right book for a developing reader. Ages 8–12. (July)
From the Publisher
It's summer in Louisiana, but eight-year-old Felix insists on buying a threadbare blanket at the thrift store, certain it has a special quality. . . . Felix pops under the blanket as a human boy, but he emerges from the cover as a scruffy canine. . . . The hysterical high jinks happen over the course of one day, and the brisk pace, ample illustrations, comic-strip interludes, and hilarious commentary will appeal to even reluctant readers. . . . A creative canine conundrum packed with humor and heart.” — Booklist
“Short chapters create a well-paced narrative with an appropriate amount of suspense, while Kelly’s plentiful b&w drawings enhance the friendly ambiance. . . . A just-right book for a developing reader.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Woven effectively into this whimsical story are animal facts and insights into how dogs perceive the world; animal lovers like Felix will be pleased. Kelly folds in lessons of empathy and compassion. . . . A charming dog’s tale sure to reward curious readers.” — Kirkus Reviews
“The storyline of this early chapter book is direct and well-contained, with the three major players having distinct personalities and roles to play. . . . Felix and Puppins have a gleeful energy. . . but Felix’s push and pull with Gumbo forms the emotional core. The cat is snobby and patronizing, yet Felix finds that when he’s mean in turn, he feels worse. . . . Kelly gives readers a sympathetic and relatable kid in Felix as he figures out how to stand up for himself without resorting to cruelty.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Kirkus Reviews
2024-05-17
A magical thrift store blanket turns an 8-year-old boy into a dog.
While Felix Powell and his grandmother Nan are exploring Birdie’s Thrift Shop, a well-worn blanket catches his eye. Though Nan points out that it’s summer in Louisiana—hardly blanket weather—he’s certain that it’s something special. At home, Felix tries to unlock the blanket’s power. Can it make him fly? Is it an invisibility cloak? As Felix has a backyard picnic with his dog, Mary Puppins, with whom he can communicate, the two of them play a game: Can You Free Felix From the Blanket While He Holds On as Tight as He Can? When the blanket comes off, another dog stares back at Puppins—it’s Felix Powell, Boy Dog! While Felix discovers the joys of being a dog, he soon begins to worry: Will his grandmother, who adopted him after his mother couldn’t care for him, want him now that he’s a dog? Will he ever be a human again? Woven effectively into this whimsical story are animal facts and insights into how dogs perceive the world; animal lovers like Felix will be pleased. Kelly folds in lessons of empathy and compassion from Puppins and Gumbo, a haughty yet friendly stray cat. Short chapters feature simple but effective black-and-white illustrations that help move the plot forward. Felix has skin the white of the page. Final art not seen.
A charming dog’s tale sure to reward curious readers. (Fiction. 7-11)
