What can one do if a needy dog is dumped into one’s home? Well, it’s hard to just not make him feel accepted and loved. But what if you really don’t ask for a big dog in the first place?
That is precisely the conundrum that Eddie is faced with this wonderfully humorous picture book. Eddie is very unhappy and resents Sidney, the dog at the beginning. But the dog is very friendly, and he ends up spending a lot of time with this dog regardless. There is only one problem with Sidney. He has a bad habit of staring a lot! All he does all day is watch Eddie, regardless of what he does. Sidney watches when Eddie showers, sleeps, and watches television. But as time goes on, Eddie falls for the dog. Sidney even starts to sleep with Eddie. They become inseparable.
This is a story with many great themes for kids. The first theme is one of developing a deep friendship with a pet that is rescued from the animal shelter. There are many little dogs that need a forever home. And Eddie did his part to make sure that Sidney had as much love as possible. Then there is the theme of acceptance. Eddie worked on accepting Sidney and making him a part of his life, despite the fact that he originally wanted a puppy and not a big, mature dog.
I loved this story from beginning to end. It is touching and will show kids the true meaning of acceptance. The illustrations really bring the story to life for the reader.
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by: Irene S. Roth
Author and Editor
Wonderful review. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on The Spy Game by JD Holiday.