Loved this book about a real dog and robot dog who become friends and then end up becoming a found family.

Love this sweet novel of a world where there are real dogs and robot dogs, but both can find themselves at Dogtown, a local dog shelter. Every day is an opportunity for escape (i.e. adoption!), but some are more apt to escape than others. Chance, a three legged real dog, was found after being abandoned and injured. Metal Head, a robot dog, who should be immune to missing his human, but there seems to be something lingering. When Chance and Metal Head develop a friendship, along with Chance's pal, Mouse, the three embark on adventures that lead them to realize that while life changes whether we want it to or not, friends can help make any situation better. Quick, accessible chapters make this a great read for any dog lover and a fun book to read aloud to classes! Be on the lookout for the sequel by this duo, Mouse & His Dog.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for the ARC of this!

Growing up I loved Katherine Applegate’s Animorphs series, and I’ve been so excited with all of her most recent books to share with my kids. We all loved Dogtown! My 8 year old kept saying the robot dog was spooky, which is odd because he loved The Wild Robot and I’m a wimp, it did read scary to me. There was tense and sad moments as I expected, and were so excited for the next to release!

This book was very creative and gives you all the feels for dogs that end up in shelters. The interesting twist was the shelter taking in robot dogs too.

Chance just wanted a forever home and barely escapes the dreaded end that happens in shelters. The best part is Chance and Metal Head going on a grand adventure (should I say trouble adventure). That definitely lightens the mood a bit.

This book will certainly warms some children's hearts and help them appreciate how important it is to adopt dogs in shelters.

Thank you to MacMillan Children's and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

A fun addition to any classroom library! My students love this one. Katherine Applegate is a favorite in our classroom.

I received an advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

What a winning duo to author a book together! Applegate is a favorite author in my Media Center and this book is just delightful!
The three main characters are sure to entertain my readers. Chance is a real dog who allows readers to identify with their companions. Metal Head is a robot dog who will fascinate those technologically driven readers and Mouse is a sensitive rodent and pal.
The story is a sweet, action-packed book that keeps you laughing and crying simultaneously. Those all-encompassing themes of friendship and love are explored along with their opposites but camaraderie reigns supreme. Charming!

A great pair of authors.....means a great book. This book tugs at your heart strings and is just wonderful. Dogs and robotic dogs share space at a shelter. Loved it!

Excited to add this one to my school library collection! Katherine Applegate AND Gennifer Choldenko?! What an incredible author combo!

Applegate's sensitive portrayal of animals and Choldenko's layered approach to atypical characters merge well in this story. Their styles work well together, telling a frank but sensitive tale. This is a shelter dog story, so there is straightforward talk of abandonment, longing, and ultimately of dogs being put down. The characters are strong and the plot is clear. It is a strong example of the dog narrative.

Dogtown is the story of Chance the dog who is hoping to be reunited with her family after being abandoned by a dogsitter while her family was out of the country. With the help of a robotic dog and shelter-dwelling mouse, Chance embarks on a humorous journey. Along the way, she is able to help other dogs at the shelter. Although I'm more than a little dog-obsessed, this book missed the mark for me. I was hoping for a heartwarming tale like Applegate's previous book The One and Only Ivan. This book felt choppy and underdeveloped. I was also confused about why robotic dogs were even part of the story since they didn't really add anything to it. I think middle grade readers will enjoy the story, but it's unlikely to be as beloved as other dog stories out there.

Thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for a review copy of Dogtown.

Kids and parents will love this one! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this novel. Check it out! It is worth picking up and taking home for the weekend! #NetGalley

Dogtown was an enjoyable romp through the eyes of a dog in a kill shelter. The characters were fun, the chapters short and propulsive, and the adventures kept coming. I loved the ending. Kids will love this one! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

These characters, especially the animals are so endearing. I laughed, I cried, and I enjoyed the ride in this story. I am so glad I read it. I bought copies for two schools already!

Anyone who loves dogs will find this book interesting. Those of you that have volunteered or worked at an animal shelter are in for a treat. I feel understood by these authors as our time, sacrifices, and emotional responses to animals in our care is all here in this story.

I cannot wait to share this story with my students!

This is a delightful book with adorable illustrations. Set in an animal shelter, there is inherent tension as we get to know Chance, a three-legged "permanent resident," and Metalhead, one of the abandoned robot dogs that doesn't seem to fit in with the other dogs, warm-blooded or robot.
When the friends - along with little Mouse - decide to try to escape the shelter and find their previous owners, their adventure begins. While there are some sad moments, this is a heartwarming story of unlikely friendship and found family.

Dogtown is a cute middle grade novel about dogs and robo-dogs at an animal shelter. It's funny and quirky and will have wide appeal to upper elementary school students. Recommended for fans of The Wild Robot or other Katherine Applegate books.

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko is one of the best children's books I have read this year. Told from the point of view of a three legged dog, Chance has been at the Dogtown shelter since escaping.an abusive pet sitter. Although Management tries her best to take care of all the animals, alive and robotic (a nice twist), not all the inhabitants can find homes. But with the help of his friend Mouse and a robotic dog, Chance does his best to make them all have a happy ending.

Utterly charming and big hearted, and I'd expect nothing less from Katherine Applegate. Super engaging for a range of readers.

Cute, emotional, but the pacing felt odd and hard to follow at times. Definitely emotional moments at time but also the whole robot dogs kept it from getting too heavy. Some kids might find a few elements a little hard to listen to when worrying about the dogs in the story. Emotional factor would be a 2/5. Compared to Odder, this was a bit lighter. Aspects of the book reminded me of The Secret Life of Pets and Charlotte’s Web.

I would recommend the physical or ebook over the audiobook because the chapters are so short that it was even harder to follow on audio and the physical copy has so many cute illustrations. I will be adding this to our library and think it will be a hit for most kids! I can see this being a great read aloud book for families.

Applegate and Choldenko have such a charming way of crafting characters for children! The character voices make this delightful book such a standout!

The artwork is simple but charming. I think the style is absolutely spot on for the story.

I know my students will love it! I hope everyone gets a chance to meet Chance and Metal Head. I find myself filled with Incredible Journey and Velveteen Rabbit nostalgia (and wanting a puppy).

And don't forget Mouse! He might be my favorite character!

As the story suggests, this might be the perfect choice for Reading Buddy time! (And Green Eggs & Ham, obviously.)

"A book and a friend... what could be better than that?"