MArley and Me

Title: Marley and Me
Author: John Grogan
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks, 2008
Genre: novel, autobiography
Age: middle school

Summary: This book is told by John Grogan about the life of his rambunctious lab, Marley. They Marley and he is so cute but he chews everything, pees on everything and is deathly afraid of thunderstorms. He helps this family through some horrible trials, including the miscarriage of a baby, a little girl getting stabbed next door, being on the big screen and with work. His wife breaks down and starts beating on big ol Marley one day when she has had enough, and tells john to get rid of him. After a couple weeks her anger blows over, from the miscarriage and accepts Marley once again. He is the biggest goofball anyone can come across. He even flunks out of doggie training school. After Marley gets a little older the move upstate, were there is tons of snow. Marley loves to play init. As the years go by john notices ol' Marley becoming deaf, not being able to make it up the stairs. And it gets really hard for john to watch. Finally Marley dies and its a sad time for everyone, including the reader!

Response: oh my goodness this is the only book I have ever cried in. I balled like a baby! I loved Marley it is any young pup and any spoiled dog that is the baby and gets away with things. John does the best job describing the scene and Marley's expression. You actually feel like you are there watching the scene unfold. This was the greatest book in the world.

Teaching connections: I would absolutely give this to a middle school class to read to learn and feel lose. You get so attached with Marley and watch him grow up and in the end he has lived a long great life, but it makes you break down anyways.