This was okay. The boys thought it was okay but nothing special and they didn't ask if there was a sequel which is an indication of whether or not a book really drew them in. Their final judgement was "what does that have to do with the dog thinking he was Santa?" The story was all over the place and didn't have a clear focus. The names were too close together and it was difficult to read out loud. And the dog being named Frank was just confusing as it wasn't always easy to remember he was the dog. One thing that annoyed me was that the little girl, Susan, constantly misused words and then someone would correct her. I felt like I was in the middle of a grammar lesson. Oh and this book spills a few beans about Santa without warning which I didn't appreciate as I read it to my boys. ( )

A thoughtful Christmas tale set in 1950s Oklahoma. After reading more about the author and discovering that many of his 30 books began as classroom stories that he wrote for his students, I liked the book even more. ( )

ThIs book would be a good read aloud in December. Kids will like the alternating chapters told by the dog. ( )

this book is abought a dog that sense the feelings of his family. it starts out with the town in a weried stateof mind the dog feels the worries of his family. the parents worrie about money, the boy worries about school. the little girl never worries, but to keep santa real she never writes down her list she tells santa. they find out that she wants a kitten the day before christmas. the family shearchs high and low for a kitten. they were not able to find one but one the morning the dog started to bark at the chimney there was kitten in there. the dog had stuck it there.
this book was a great read it is for grade leves 4-7th grade. i finished it in a day. this book had a morle to never worrie to much. it will work out in the end. ( )

Brent Hagen
Children’s Literature
March 15, 08
Modern Fantasy
The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa
By Bill Wallace
This is a new book in Bill Wallace’s collection. Wallace is an Oklahoma author that resides in Chickasha, Oklahoma. Wallace is a master at his craft. Each of his writings has a fresh view of the world and in this case Frank, the dog has a pivotal place in the home and the story is in part told from Frank’s point of view by Frank, the bloodhound.
The story starts out with a beginning conflict of things just not seeming right during the Christmas holiday. The next chapter is written in bold print from the point of view of Frank, the bloodhound. It is brought to light there are serious problems at the mine where the father Delbert worked. During the Christmas season with little prospects of a Merry Christmas the family bond together to make Christmas a happy one. Susan was the one family member that did not make her Christmas list vocal stating that only Santa would know. This is the point of the second conflict. It was not known until the day before Christmas Eve that Susan wanted a kitten. The family searched far and wide for a kitten with no luck. Frank, the bloodhound came to the rescue without the knowledge of the family and put the young kitten in the fireplace awaiting the family on Christmas morning, thus saving the day.
Bill Wallace presented a novel during the era of the fifties. He used some Oklahoma towns and wordings of an earlier era. The book was pleasant and easy flowing, keeping the reader interested along the events in the story.