lost dogs

Book: Missing Mike (2018)
Author: Shari Green
Genre: MG, Contemporary/Novel in Verse

Basic plot: Cara and her family have to leave their home due to a raging forest fire. What makes it particularly hard is that Cara can’t find her dog, Mike. But as soon as they’re safe, she and her new friend, Jewel, are determined to see if they can find the missing Mike.

Opening lines from the book …
It hasn’t rained for thirty-seven days.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) Wow! The opening pages of the evacuation and atmosphere of the forest fire kept me reading past my bedtime. Shari Green did a great job in making us be there with the family. You could feel how tense things were in that car. Definitely kept me reading…

2) I like how they rescue a black and white cat, which gives you hope that they’ll be able to be reunited with Mike by the end of the story. I love how Cara wants to name the cat, but her sister won’t let her since the cat belongs to somebody else. (But we do eventually get to know the cat’s name!)

3) Cara loves crossword puzzles. I enjoyed the little words and hints that were sprinkled throughout the story. What was really neat was her discussion with her new friend, Jewel, as they talk about words for home and what makes a home. I particularly liked the take that home is where your family is, even if that home means living in a car.

4) Speaking of Jewel… She’s a foster kid, but I like that she seems rather well-adjusted. Sure, she misses her mom, but she seems to have a good relationship with her foster parents. It was nice to see!

5) Mike (the dog) isn’t really in the book. We get to know him via flashbacks. I liked the scene where Cara picks him out at the animal shelter. Mike wasn’t a cute puppy, but Cara’s heart goes out to him anyhow. Mike has only one eye (the reason for his name; he’s named after the one-eyed monster in Monsters Inc.) and part of his ear is missing. But I love that about Cara. It’s always nice to see somebody championing the underdog.

THINGS THAT BOTHERED ME…

1) In the story, Jewel and Cara come across a five-letter word for home where the second letter is a ‘b’. I figured it’s ‘abode’ but it never seemed to be mentioned again. (Did I miss it!?!)

FINAL THOUGHTS

A wonderful, quick read, full of excitement. Definitely for dog-lovers! I think Shari Green does the novel in verse thing very well. You’ll be rooting for Cara to be reunited with Mike…