Boys Best Friend

December 13, 2010

Dogs have long been called "man’s best friend", but the romanticized picture plays out most often as a boy and his dog. For some reason, more troubles and adventures seem to follow on the heels of young boys and their dogs. The following book series are fun stories about boys and dogs, but don’t worry, girls will find plenty to love about these books as well.

Nate is great, a great pancake-eating detective. Whether you are looking for a lost sock, a missing recipe, or a pet, Nate is the boy for the job. Along with his dog, Sludge, Nate solves many mysteries. He takes pancake breaks to help him think, and he always leaves a note for his mother before he runs out to look for clues. This series is called Nate the Great by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. It is a great read for children at the third grade reading level. Children can enjoy trying to solve the mystery right along with Nate, and laugh as Nate has to contend with some of the strange ways of his neighbors… Watch out for Rosamond and her many cats!

Some other good series about boys and their dogs:

• Henry and Mudge — by Cynthia Rylant.  It is a good series for children at the second grade reading level.
• Henry Huggins — by Beverly Cleary (the well known author of Ramona the Pest). This series is great for fourth to fifth grade readers.

If you want to read any of the series in order, you can check the Juvenile Series and Sequels database on the library website. Go to the Books, Movies, and Music page, then select “Juvenile Series and Sequels” from the list on the left or click here.

Rachael Bowlin
Camden Point branch