MyDog

JohnHeffernan and Andrew McLean

Scholastic Australia: AMargaret Hamilton Book

2001 $24.95

32p hc

ISBN: 1-876289-12-0

Genre: Picture Book

Thisbeautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of a young boy, Alija,whose life is suddenly and drastically changed. His school closes, his grannyand little sister are gone and the little town of Liztar is being emptied out.Alija adopts a small blotchy dog whose owner is dead. A few days later soldierscome and Alija and his mother quickly flee in a truck. On the journey they areattacked and Alijas mum is taken away. Alija is left with only his dog andwith together with a group of villagers he walks to the coast. He is befriendedby an old man who tries to help him find his Aunt Magdabut it wont be easyas he is just one of many, and theydont know Aunt Magda.

Thefinal illustration is so incredibly sad that it brings a tear to the eye andyour heart goes out to Alija. This is the story of a village where once Bosnian,Serb, Croat, Muslim and Christian people lived happily together but now due toethnic cleansing and war people are no longer safe. Everyone suffers. Familiesare broken apart and dislocated. Neighbour against neighbour.

Amust read for everyone. Highly recommended.

Stephen, Adelaide, SA 

HopelessWar

My Dogwas published by Scholastic in 2001 is written by John Heffernan and illustratedby Andrew McLean.  This is a fictionbook though it could be based on a true story as war is like that.

The storystarts with a boy helping his father work. A war is waging and everybody seemsto get annoyed with each other. An old man dies and his dog follows the boy. Thefamily takes the dog in. The father sends his family away from all the fighting.Alijah hides his dog in his backpack. While travelling to his Aunts, hismother was taken away by strangers. A man carries Alijah on his shoulders andshares his food with him. He is taken to someone elses homes. They call hisdad to pick him up.  So he waits

This is avery sad picture book, though it has beautiful illustrations. I think it is forolder children, ten years and up. I loved this book even though it is depressingand doesnt have end happily ever after.

Alexis,Year 6, Moreton, Qld

AnEndless War

This is afiction book and I would recommend it for older readers.

In thisstory a boy named Alijah helped his dad sell bread in the village. One day he was selling bread as usual when he saw a man and his dogwalking by. Do you want some bread? he asked.  It wasnt long before Alijah realised he was dead. The dog decided to come home with Alijah. At home dad said, yes straight away to keeping him. Then it all happened so quickly. War!, one sentience ineveryones mind. When will it end?

I think thishas lovely pictures and descriptive words to match. I think this book is for older readers not for younger readers.

TheLittle Refugee

My Dogwas set back in a town hidden by the mountains. A family tried to leave but soldiers invaded. The day before soldiers arrived Alijah, the little boy in the familyfound a dead man with a small dog next to him. The little dog followed Alijah home, so the father decided to adopt him. Finally the little boy and his mother left in a truck. On the way there soldiers hijacked the truck and they abducted Alijahsmother.  That is not the end of the story, so you will have to readthe rest.

I recommendthis book for ages ten years and older as it has violence. John Heffernan put much thought into his book, and I hope others enjoyreading it as much as I did.

WarAgainst the World

The story isabout a little boy called Alijah.  Heand his mum were taken from his dad and hometown Liztar. He found a dog that had no owner or name, so Alijah called him My Dog. After being placed in a truck and then being dropped off in an area theydidnt know, they set up camp. Soon after, his mother was taken by armytroops. Alijah ran after them until he was out of breath. The following night heslept under a bridge with an old man. The old man felt sorry for him and thenext morning lifted Alijah on to his shoulders and walked up the road to hishouse. Every day Alijah waited for his family to return and collect him from thetop of the road.

I think thisbook is a reality based story and is an adventure book. I give it 10 out of 10!

ABook of War

JohnHeffernan has teamed with Andrew McLean to create another fantastic book. Alijahfound a dog whose owner was dead. A war comes close and he is sent away to hisaunt. His father was the best baker in the area. Alijah gets sent away with hismother in a truck. The truck gets ambushed and his mother gets taken away. Anold man takes him home and the boy sits on the road every day, waiting for hisfather.

I enjoyedthis book, because it tells the story of life in war. I recommend it to childrenbetween the ages of 7 to 12.

TheDevastation

This storyis set in Yugoslavia and is about a boy named Alijah. This book gives you a goodidea on war! This boy is sent to his aunts house to keep safe, but the peopledont know that danger is on its way!

This bookshould be suitable for kids of the age 11 plus. This book is very educationalbecause it teaches people that war is not the way to resolve a disagreement. Iliked this book, because it is educational and it has a very good moral. I wouldgive this book a 5 star rating because its not the sort of book that you readevery day.

WarOf Hope

My Dogis a story about a young boys fight to reach his aunt during the war. Alijah andhis mother have fled from their village in Yugoslavia with their small dog thatAlijah found, after its owner died. They are passengers in a truck that comesacross some unfriendly troops. An old lady, who did not do as the troopsordered, is shot. Alijahs mother yells at them and they take her away.

Alijah thenwalks for three days to reach his aunts village. On the first night he meets aman who lets him share his blanket and walks with him. On the second day,Alijahs dog catches a hare and they eat it for dinner. On the third day, theyreach the coast and he and the man stay at the mans house. They try to findhis aunt, but cant. They contact his dad and he sits on the edge of thevillage waiting for his dad with his dog.

I would givethis book 5 out of 5 stars. I thought that it was a good book because it toldabout how hard war was and why many refugees come to Australia without otherfamily members.

Lisa,Year 6, Moreton, Qld

ABook of War, Bravery and Very Little Hope

This book isa story of war and hope. It is about staying strong when the going gets tough.Everyone from the ages of ten and over, will enjoy reading this book.

Alijah isonly young when a war breaks out. He and his mother are forced to leave theirfather and move away to live with Aunt Magda. Alijah lives in Yugoslavia withhis father, mother, sister Tima and his grandmother. One day, while Alijah isdelivering his fathers bread, he discovers a dog, whose owner has died. Hedecides to take the dog back home to his father. On their journey, they comeacross some soldiers. Alijahs mother is taken hostage and Alijah is left tofight for his own life. He must feed and get water for himself to live. Lateron, an old man looks after Alijah. He cares for him and he feeds him. The mantakes Alijah home to live with his daughter and from then on, every day Alijahwaits hopefully for the return of his parents.

If you arelooking for a book with a happy ending, this book is not the book for you. Thisis a very moving story. At times it is happy and at times it can be sad. Theillustrations are very detailed and help to tell the story. The main message isto never give up when the going gets tough.

My Special Friend

My Dog is about alittle boy Alijah. He couldnt go to school because his teacher went to war,so he helps his dad make bread and buns for those who need help. One man whorefused bread, died and Alijah and the grave diggers buried him. The old manowned a dog, that followed Alijah when he went back home. The dog then becameAlijahs.

His fatherwas going to send Alijah and his mother to Aunty Magda, but he was too late andthe soldiers came and shot people that were out on the street. His fathersneaked them out on to a truck full of crying people. When they left they wereambushed and the soldiers took his mother.

There was anold man who helped Alijah and gave him some of his food and took Alijah to hisdaughter. Alijah waited on the top of the hill for his father, so they could bereunited with his mother, little sister and grandmother.

I liked thisbook because it has a hopeful ending and it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Itwas an excellent book about war.

The Cost of War

This is atearful story, based in Yugoslavia that will stay in your mind for weeks. Theillustrator, Andrew McLean, uses pale, hopeful and sad faces and the author,John Heffernan, writes a great, realistic story about a refugee and his dog.

My Dog is about a dogwhose elderly owner dies and the dog follows Alijah, a boy who was selling breadat the time the dogs owner dies. Alijah and his father, the local baker,decide to take the dog in. Some soldiers come into the town and Alijahsfather sends Alijah and his mother away from the town in a truck.

While theywere driving, some soldiers jump out and take away Alijahs mother, becauseshe is so beautiful. Alijah has to travel with the other refugees and his dog tothe coast. An old man takes Alijah and his dog in and Alijah waits for hisfamily to come.

This storyhas an ending that you can create yourself. I thought it was a great book, butdefinitely for an older age group.

Jackson, Year 6,Moreton, Qld

MyDogis set during a war. The main characters are Alija, his mother, his father andhis dog. It is about the separation of families and the difficulties they faceduring war.

Thestoryline is about a young boy named Alija who no longer goes to school becausehis teacher has joined the army. His sister and grandma have gone to hisAuntys place where they are safe and as the war gets closer his mother andAlija are sent too, but they face some difficulties along the way. Alijas mother is struck and taken by the soldiers in a truck, where toAlija does not know. Alija is now all alone until an old man gives him comfortin his daughters house when Alija has told him what has happened. The old manand his daughter look for his aunty but they say it will be very hard. Till thisday on Alija waits for his father to come up the road from Liztar where hisfather is and then they can go and find his family.

Ienjoyed the book My Dog very muchbecause it was interesting to know what kind of difficulties families facedduring the time of a war. I would recommend this book to kids between the agesof 7 and 13 because although it is a picture storybook, it will be hard foryounger kids to understand what it is about. The illustrations were very good,they were very detailed and explained what was going on in the book. The onlything I didnt like about the book was the name MyDog. The title didnt have much to do with the book.