My Life in Dog Years

Summary

Dog lover Gary Paulsen's autobiography takes an unusual form: each chapter highlights a different dog he's owned. Since he was a kid, Gary always had dogs, even five or more at a time. This book chooses just a few of the ones that made the greatest impact on his life.

     The first chapter is about Cookie, a sled dog who saved his life on a beaver trapping expedition in Alaska. Then there's Snowball, the first puppy Gary ever owned, whom he rescued from a village in the Philippines. One after another, Gary explains how he found and rescued dogs from the streets, the woods, or owners who were tired of them. Each of the dogs Gary writes about has a unique personality and plenty of funny or amazing stories to go with it.

     Along the way, Gary shares about his own unique experiences. His dad was in the military, so he grew up overseas for part of his childhood. When his parents started drinking a lot, he spent time on his own, working odd jobs, farming, hunting, and running from bullies. As an adult, his life was always exciting because of his dogs, who brought surprise, laughter, and sometimes trouble to his life.

Why I love this book

I am not a dog person. At all. But reading the stories in this book gave me a whole new perspective on how intelligent, funny, and helpful dogs can be. Some of the stories Gary retells are hard to believe because his dogs do things so hilarious, or so smart, that it gave me a new respect for dogs. I don't want to spoil too much, but some of my favorite stories involve a dog who was very determined to eat ice cream, a dog who played baseball, and a dog who cheered Gary up after a hard day in a shockingly creative way.

     The book is fast-paced and easy to read. There aren't many autobiographies written for children, so it could be a great introduction to a new genre. I highly recommend it as a family read-aloud or a gift for a child who loves animals.

Potential concerns

Gary endured some hard times. Parents should be aware that although the book does not go into detail, Gary alludes to his parents' drinking habits, which forced him to live on the streets for a time. He also describes being beaten up by thugs and hunting in the woods on his own.

Support a local bookstore or get My Life in Dog Years from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.