American Dog: Poppy

The summer before sixth grade, Hannah and her family moved to California. Hannah has no friends, and she doesn’t know what to do with herself. With a large birthmark on her face, Hannah feels like an outcast, and she’s nervous about making friends. After her family settles into their new house, Hannah finds an unruly pit bull named Poppy. Hannah connects with Poppy because they’re both judged on appearances—Hannah for her birthmark, Poppy for being a pit bull. Hannah discovers that the dog, Poppy, belongs to her elderly neighbor, Mrs. Gilly, who is recovering from surgery and can no longer manage an energetic dog, so she may have to return Poppy to the shelter. Hannah is distraught, but when Mrs. Gilly sees how much she cares for Poppy, she makes Hannah a deal. If Hannah can get Poppy certified as an obedient dog that follows commands, Mrs. Gilly will be able to keep her, which means Hannah won’t lose her only friend. 

Hannah struggles to connect with the other neighborhood girls her age, especially Sophia, who makes mean comments about Hannah’s birthmark. Because she has no friends, Hannah spends her summer attending a dog obedience class with Poppy. Throughout the summer, Hannah contends with bullies, Poppy’s frustrating inability to follow instructions, and the loss of her home. Hannah is an interesting and inspiring character because of how she deals with her struggles as an anxious tween. The way she conquers her fears feels realistic. Many of her issues come from her interpreting situations with paranoia, leaving her feeling ostracized when that’s not actually what’s happening—like when she decides that everyone at the dog training class is judging her skills with Poppy, but in reality, not many people notice. Poppy forces Hannah into new situations that ultimately help her adapt to her new environment in a beautiful way. Hannah’s relationship with Poppy is incredibly sweet, and they help each other become less anxious.  

That said, there are a few details that could be better. This book is predictable and repeats the same patterns. For example, two cakes are destroyed in two similar situations with dissimilar outcomes—but these outcomes don’t show Hannah’s or Poppy’s character development. Additionally, Sophia’s two best friends, who disapprove of Sophia bullying Hannah, are too similar and would be better suited to the story as a single character. Sophia’s two friends both fawn over Poppy, love animals, surf a lot, and welcome Hannah with open arms. Even though they’re friends with Sophia, they cheer Hannah on. These characters don’t affect the story much, and it would be similar if they were a single character.  

American Dog: Poppy has well-developed themes that suit the intended audience of middle school kids perfectly. The way the author dissects anxiety from Hannah’s perspective is accurate. Many readers will feel empowered by reading about how Hannah conquers her fears and makes new friends. One primary theme includes not judging things by their appearance. 

For the animal lovers and those who like coming-of-age stories, Poppy’s enthusiasm and Hannah’s brave evolution will be a fun read. This book is full of moments when pets emotionally support their owners, new friendships, and second chances—especially when Hannah takes Poppy in, giving Poppy a second chance. It’s wonderful to read how Hannah comes into her own as a protagonist and grows when challenged. Overall, this is a delightful story with a beautiful message: things are never as bad as you think, especially when you have good friends. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• The story includes bullying, but it never escalates to physical altercation. However, Hannah is often excluded or looked at strangely. For example, Hannah is often bullied by Sophia, a new neighbor. When Hannah first meets Sophia, Sophia reacts poorly to Hannah’s birthmark. Sophia says, “What’s wrong with her face?” This makes Hannah feel insecure. Throughout the book, Sophia tries to exclude Hannah from her friend group with comments such as these. 

• Much of Sophia’s bullying also comes from Poppy’s actions. At Sophia’s dog’s party, Poppy eats the entire dog cake, leaving none for the other dogs. Again, Sophia reacts poorly and says to Hannah, “I knew it was a mistake to invite you.” Hannah leaves the party in tears.  

• At the obedience class graduation party, Poppy plays with a terrier dog. The terrier dog ruins a cake meant for the dogs while playing with Poppy. The owner, Carol, is offended. Carol blames Poppy for engaging with the terrier dog, and by extension, Hannah for her dog’s mistake. Carol says to Hannah, “Your dog has been nothing but trouble all summer. . . your dog is a menace.”  

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• None 

Supernatural  

• None 

Spiritual Content  

• None 

by Kate Schuyler