Summer 2004 Review:

In The Adventures of Samuel Blackthorne, dogs act, eat, and dress like humans.  The year is 1887, and the main character, Edward R. Smithfield, has just stepped off a navy ship and meets Samuel Blackthorne.  Edward soon finds himself befriending the small terrier, and learns that Samuel is somewhat of a detective.  When one night a dog goes missing, they embark on an adventure to find him.  What starts off as a missing person, soon unravels into something much more.

This book may not capture your attention from the beginning, but as you go along you will find it hard to put down.  Except for the fact that the characters are dogs, this unique adventure could very well happen.  The characters are very interesting, and the author goes into great detail about everything they do, so you will find it easy to figure out their personalities.  Most of the characters are very friendly, although some are people you probably never want to meet.

I think this book was pretty good.  Everything in the story flows smoothly, and the author, Scott Emerson, takes time to explain everything that happens in the book.  Everything is written in great detail, from what they are eating, to the conclusions and ideas they have. 

I would recommend this book to fourth, fifth, and maybe even sixth graders, as some of the vocabulary is intermediate, and the dialogue is very old-fashioned.  I think this book is worth reading, and it is unlike any other book I have ever read.

~Virginia Li, 6^th Grade, Canfield Village Middle School