How to Steal a Dog

Half of me was thinking, Georgina, don't do this. Stealing a dog is just plain wrong. The other half of me was thinking, Georgina, you're in a bad fix and you got to do whatever it takes to get yourself out of it. Georgina Hayes is desperate. Ever since her father left and they were evicted from their apartment, her family has been living in their car. With her mama juggling two jobs and trying to make enough money to find a place to live, Georgina is stuck looking after her younger brother, Toby. And she has her heart set on improving their situation. When Georgina spots a missing-dog poster with a reward of five hundred dollars, the solution to all her problems suddenly seems within reach. All she has to do is borrow the right dog and its owners are sure to offer a reward. What happens next is the last thing she expected.

Barbara O’Connor is the author of several notable books for children, including Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia and Me and Rupert Goody, an ALA Notable Book. Her next book, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis, will be available from FSG in Fall 2009. She was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, and now lives in Duxbury, Massachusetts.

“Will keep youngsters totally engaged. This novel’s gentle storytelling carries a theme of love and emphasizes what is really right in the world.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review
“This is truly Georgina’s story, and to O’Connor’s great credit, it’s Georgina herself who figures out what’s right and does it. The myriad effects of homelessness and the realistic picture of moral quandary will surely generate discussion.”—Booklist
“A suspenseful and achingly realistic story.”—Kirkus Reviews
“O’Connor knows how to spin a touching story, and reading this novel is its own reward.”—The Horn Book
“O’Connor once again smoothly balances challenging themes with her heroine’s strength and sense of humor.”—Publishers Weekly
“Will give a more privileged audience much to ponder.”—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
“A must-have for a classroom library.”—IRA