This is an anthropomorphic monologue/memoir by a Burmese Mountain Dog about his family of three children with parents, and their life before and after the mother is killed in an auto accident. The comfort given by this energetic young dog is priceless and relevant to all dog lovers.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected advance proof from Random House Children's | Random House Books for Young Readers via NetGalley. Avail Jul 08, 2025 8 - 12 Years
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This book was so sweet. It handled grief in an age-appropriate way. As an SLP, Dr. Blob’s narration allowed for a lot of conversation opportunities that could help me target my students’ goals (i.e., wh- questions, inferencing, context clues, vocabulary, emotions, etc.). I can’t wait to add a physical copy to my classroom for my students. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC!!

I read this book through NetGalley arc . I started reading it to my children who are 6 and 9 but it got sad very quickly; so I would recommend it for a bit older children. This book is about a dog who after the mom of the family passes away ; attempts to take on the role of the mom . Then realizes that it is an impossible task and starts to impart his wisdom onto the new puppy of the family so that when he passes on his story doesn’t get lost. I really liked this book, it was sad but also heart warming.

Doctor Blob is a Burmese Mountain Dog and loves living with the three children of his chaotic family. But then a Very Bad Thing happens and Mom is gone, leaving Dad to pick up the pieces. Nothing is the same, but Doctor Blob does his best to help where he can. Everything is not exactly going well, but it gets even worse when Mom's spirit informs Doctor Blob that she'll be sending a helper--who turns out to be a Horrible Helper. Well, Doctor Blob is enough for this family, and he won't stand for anyone else taking his place.

I'm struggling to decide on a rating for this book. On the one hand, I love the narrative style. It's humorous and feels just like how a dog would speak. On the other, the book was full of moments when I wanted to yell at the characters "don't you do that!" but they did it anyway. The story is quite character-driven, and I like the characters, but I was constantly frustrated with their bad choices. I would recommend this book to young readers who have to learn how to accept change, particularly losing someone they love or finding a new person in their family. And of course, if you've ever wanted to spend time reading words that could have been penned by a dog, this book would be a great choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book, I was heartwarming and catchy. A heartwarming tale of family, loss, and unexpected healing, this story follows Dr. Blob, the family dog who steps up to fill the void left by the mother’s passing. Determined to be the “mom” of the house, Dr. Blob takes his new role seriously. But when a scrawny, scrappy dog named Louie shows up, everything changes. While the dad insists one dog is enough, the three children quickly grow attached to Louie. When Louie begins helping around the house, the dad starts to reconsider—much to Dr. Blob’s dismay. Jealous and feeling replaced, Dr. Blob takes drastic action to get rid of Louie. But when the family is heartbroken over Louie’s absence, Dr. Blob has a change of heart, realizing how much Louie has helped them heal. Now the question remains: can the family find Louie and bring him back home?

A heartwarming story about a family, a loss, and a dog, Dr. Blob, who tries to make things better. Dr. Blob is trying to be the “mom” after the loss of the family’s mom. Then a puny and weak dog appears, but the dad says one dog is enough. However, the three children love this new dog they name Louie. When Louie helps the family around the house the dad thinks they could keep him. Dr. Blob thinks no and does something to get rid of him. When everyone gets upset, Dr. Blob realizes Louie has helped the family heal from their loss. Will the family be able to find Louie?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.