A sweet and feisty "unsinkable" young girl, left by her mum, a dog she loves more than anything else... sounds familiar? A popular theme in kidlit novels, I agree. Yet, this story is unique in its very own way; the cast of characters, each and everyone so special, so real. Rosie touched my heart right from the start; she is such a fighter. Her determination to find her dog, to find happiness again while being stuck in a difficult situation, is heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time. There is so much hope in this story that eventually all will be alright, that it is worth fighting for those we love and for what is important to us in life. I have no doubt, this will become a popular title in our Primary School library.

Just a few pages of this book and I realized the inherent risk of reading it at this point in a readathon. When is a dog book not an emotional read? I wasn't sure I would be emotionally stable enough to read a dog book while sleep-deprived. I was pleased to discover, then, that this is not a sob-fest. Really, it's more about accepting change and forming bonds with people than coping with loss.

CHASING AUGUSTUS by Kimberly Newton Fusco follows a child on a quest to find her dog.

Rosie lives with her grandfather in a dusty small town. She’s angry that her absent mom gave away her dog and becomes obsessed with finding it. Along the way, she interacts with a variety of quirky characters.

Librarians will find this book appealing to middle grade readers who enjoy realistic stories of friends, family, and dogs. The book is broken into four parts with short chapters making it nice for small group reading assignments. Pair the book with other family and dog stories such as Because of Winn Dixie.

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House on September 19, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Someone out there is going to enjoy this book. I lost it when the dog was given away. I lost two dogs like that and innumerable cats, too, growing up. People weren't very animal savvy back then; still hurts to remember those poor little souls. Haven't forgiven parents either. Parents and other adults didn't treat up kids, or each other very well either, as I recall. Must have been the day. I am glad to read in others reviews that her dog was found, but too painful and stressful for me.

It has been a year since Rosie's papa had a stroke. A year that she has lived with her grandfather. A year since her mom gave away her dog. A year of anger, disappointment, and bad grades. All along Rosie has been trying to find her dog Augustus.

There were parts I liked - Rosie's dedication to her dog mainly but... Rosie was not very nice and overall she didn't seem to grow much. I also didn't like the "retribution" given to a town bully with no consequence. I also wish the father had played a bigger role because even when she finally went to see him there wasn't much about it.

Really loved the unusual voice of this novel. I'm a fan of Fusco's anyhow, but this surprised me. I think the book is going to be a huge hit with kids- the dog, the interesting characters. A+!
I've already shared it on various social media and will make note of pub date to share again. Super good book!

Dog lover here. Loved the premise, but the book made me sad and made me miss my furry babies a whole lot.
An easy read on a cloudy day, and if you're surrounded by pets, it'll definitely warm your heart.
Writi g style was great and plot was really good as well

Recieved a free earc for an honest review!
I read this and couldn't put it down! A modern day Benji!

I'm a sucker for a dog story and this one was a homerun. Wonderful, real characters. So well written and engaging. LOVED it.

Heartfelt story about Rosie, and her never ending search for her dog, who had been given away by her "rarely there" mom. The cast of characters includes Rosie, who uses medieval swear words. Her grandfather who has raised her since her mom left and her father had a stroke. Philippe, a foster child who hides deep inside an oversize coat, and chatty Cynthia who would love to be friends with anyone. The interplay between the children and adults alike produces fully developed individuals. Perfect for middle grades.

Chasing Augustus is both sweet and sad at the same time. If you've ever had a dog you know how attached you become, how much apart of your family they are.

Rosie is a little spit fire and is determinded to find her dog Augustus and bring him home where he belongs.

Great read and highly recommend it.

E ARC from Netgalley

Rosita (Rosie!) has had some challenges. Her mother moved to California when Rosie was a year old because she just couldn't be a mother. Rosie's father ran the local doughnut shop, but when he has a serious stroke, Rosie has to move in with her grandfather Harry. He's an irascible old coot who subsists on sardines and crackers, and doesn't want to be saddled with a grandchild. He and Rosie's mother have also given away Rosie's dog, Augustus. The dog, also known as Gloaty Gus, was smelly and ill-behaved, but Rosie loves him and makes every effort to find her dog. With the help of a neighbor boy, Phillipe, she manages to track down her dog after a lot of searching, finding him with an unlikely new owner. Can she convince Harry to bring the dog back home, and will Gus' presence make her life any better.
Strengths: Dogs are very important, and Rosie's longing for her dog is completely understandable. Readers who like sad stories will enjoy the gritty, horrible town and the difficult, somewhat unpleasant characters. Rosie's mother, in particular, is not a nice person.
Weaknesses: This was quirky and sad, but also rather slow moving.
What I really think: As much as I love my dog and understand the need that Rosie has to find hers, there were too many unpleasant characters in the book for me to really connect with any of them. Readers who want sad dog stories may still want to take a look at this.

I liked this story of strong willed Rosie and her determination to find her beloved dog. I wish Rosie would have come to the realization of what it means to be a friend. I was hoping she was going to come around and change her attitude and actions toward Philippe and Cynthia.