Main character Josh has many unpleasantries to deal with- his family has just moved, there's a new baby and a stepfather in the house, and a kid at school picks on him. He's not used to the deep snow and cold of Vermont, and the other kids call him "Flatlander". One day he trails his dog to an empty field where it romps with some other neighborhood dogs. He's surprised to hear the dogs talking to each other, although when he confronts them about it, they just wag their tails and pretend ignorance. Josh soon finds out that his dog and its buddies have a problem with a gang of bigger dogs threatening them. He hatches a plan to solve both his problem with school bullies, and scare off the bigger dogs- but it involves sneaking his stepfather's gun out of the house, which he's forbidden to touch. Fair warning: there's dog fights and other injuries that occur. I was a tad disappointed at some lack of depth- for example, when Josh helps take his dog to the vet, she tsks at how many dogs have been getting hurt lately, and tells him how to care for the wound at home, but there's no description of her inspecting or cleaning it herself! I found omissions of some detail like that odd. But it's still a good story. I also liked that the dog isn't suddenly talking all over the place and making plans with the kid. Even though the dog knows that Josh knows- he still keeps to just ordinary dog behavior most of the time, not acting otherwise unless really compelled to.

from the Dogear Diary ( )

A little fantasy, a little fable, and some excitement. For Paterson fans, sure, but also for boys who are reluctant readers and for dog lovers. I don't think there was anything exactly wrong with it, but for some reason *my* rating settled onto only three stars. ( )

Recorded Books (Recorded Books, LLC.)
Moving to an old Vermont farmhouse with his mom, his new stepfather and a new baby brother has been a terribly lonely experience for Josh Wilkinson. And to make things even worse, now the school bully and his gang have picked Josh as their main target. Then one day while trying to find his dog, Manch, in the woods behind his house, Josh discovers a secret. Manch and his friends can talk! Not only that, but they're also faced with a bully problem--a pack of dogs running wild in the area. Josh thinks he can solve the dogs' problem and his own with a single solution. The only hitch to Josh's plan is that it's dangerous. Like Katherine Paterson's award-winning books Bridge to Terabithia (RB# 94867) and Jacob Have I Loved (RB# 95433), The Field of the Dogs is filled with taut suspense and compelling characters, all brought grippingly to life through Johnny Heller's remarkable narration. nd, Recorded Books, Unabridged CD - Library Edition; C1527, $12.75. Ages 5 to 11.