No Dogs Allowed!

After losing Dandy, her family's beloved horse, Kristine decides that she will never get close to another pet again. It's just too heartbreaking. So when her father surprises her with a new puppy for her birthday, Kristine is furious! With a new sister on the way, who need a wriggling, messy, noisy yellow ball of fur to look after? But how can an animal-loving girl resist the sweet brown eyes of a puppy that just wants to be loved?

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Fifth-grader Kristine Rankin is grieving for the recently deceased family horse. When she receives a puppy for her birthday, she is horrified by the idea of a new pet and instantly rejects the dog while trying to maintain a facade of liking her gift. She pretty much ignores Mattie, despite the pup's enthusiastic affection. Kristine has other issues to deal with as well. Her preoccupation with the dog has caused her to distance herself from her best friend, and now their relationship is in trouble, and she is worried about her grandfather's health. Also, a boy from school has been teasing her. He lives near her grandparents' house, and when he meets Mattie, he is instantly smitten with the dog. Kristine gradually gets to know him better, and her feelings for him begin to change. As events unfold, she finally learns that you have to open your heart to love, despite the risks. Kristine is likable and realistic as she struggles through her grief and resistance to emotional involvement with another pet. The book is written with humor and enough drama to keep readers interested, and they'll relate to the story and to Kristine's ultimate surrender to adorable Mattie. Also suggest Colby Rodowsky's Not My Dog (Farrar, 1999) for a twist on the theme.-Alison Grant, West Bloomfield Township Public Library, MI Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Bill Wallace grew up in Oklahoma. Along with riding their horses, he and his friends enjoyed campouts and fishing trips. Toasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories to scare one another, and catching fish was always fun.

One of the most memorable trips took place on the far side of Lake Lawtonka, at the base of Mt. Scott. He and his best friend, Gary, spent the day shooting shad with bow and arrows, cutting bank poles, and getting ready to go when their dads got home from work.

Although there was no "monster" in Lake Lawtonka, one night there was a "sneak attack" by a rather large catfish tail. Checking the bank poles was not nearly as fun or "free" after that point, but it was the inspiration for this story.

Bill Wallace has won nineteen children's state awards and been awarded the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award for Children's Literature from the Oklahoma Center for the Book.