Cynthia Voigt
HarperTrophy (2005)
ISBN 9780060745844
Reviewed by Avery Largent (age 9) for Reader Views (7/08)
“Angus and Sadie” by Cynthia Voigt was a good book about two dogs who are very different, but being raised together on the same farm. Angus is black and handsome, easy to train, and sure of himself. Sadie is reddish, hard to train, and very unsure of herself. This book plunges into the details of Angus and Sadie’s life together and how things can work out. The characters are very easy to relate to, and the adventures they have are realistic, and I found myself getting very attached to these dogs.
The biggest struggle that Angus and Sadie go through with each other is who is “better” and more heroic. When they are in the midst of this fighting, the dogs seem to think the same way humans would if they were in this struggle. Angus always expects himself to always be better and more heroic than Sadie. Sadie thinks she is not as good as Angus, but she believes she could be almost as heroic. When Angus is the hero, Sadie has no problem with that. Not a tad of jealousy or anger, she just goes with the flow and she expects Angus to be smarter and better than her. However, when Sadie is the hero of the moment, Angus is jealous, surprised, and angry. He ignores her. I believe this constant struggle is a lot like conflict you would find with any a human sister and brother.
Angus and Sadie’s struggles are always interesting and written in a realistic style. Author Cynthia Voight sticks to the traits and behaviors of Border Collies. Their adventures include herding sheep and protecting the farm animals from predators. Their adventures are told in a quick-paced, exciting style. Their interesting adventures keep you engrossed and turning the pages.
This book does, certainly, get you attached to these characters. Scattered throughout the book, there are little things like your dog might do — funny things, gross things and surprising things. At the same time, it shows just how smart dogs are and are not just little brainless, hairy, strange creatures compared to us. The things Angus and Sadie say and think are so human like, you begin to feel as these dogs are friends of yours. I admit, a little while after I read it, while I playing with my dog, I accidentally said “Angus” instead of his correct name.
This book is a great tale for kids any age. With such relatable characters and human-like struggles, this book keeps you turning the pages. I would recommend “Angus and Sadie” by Cynthia Voigt to my friends with a grin. I hope to reread this book again sometime soon, and hope that everyone who reads it enjoys it just as much as I did.
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