My Life in Dog Years

I can’t remember how many copies of this book I have ordered. Probably a dozen over the years and have given it to family and friends. Such a wonderful book of many of the dogs that author Gary Paulsen had throughout his life. It’s a wonderful read! I highly recommend! I have read it several times.

A great short read by the awesome Gary Paulson. This book is the story of his life, & how it was impacted by the dogs he has had through the years. Great for ages 12-100+. I'm a HS teacher & keep one on-hand for restless learners. (Each chapter is the name of a different dog.)

Gary recounts the different personalities of the many dogs he has had since childhood, and it shows every dog behaves differently but they all have one thing in common. They are (sorry for the cliche) your best friend and they do enrich your life in so many ways.

Reading this book is like listening to Mr. Paulson's tale of wondrous dogs he has encountered in his life: His colloquial English writing style is all the more realistic and straightforwardly addressed to readers' hearts, leaving strong imprints in their minds without elaborate metaphor. Mr. Paulsen introduces his readers to the dogs that have provided his life with compassion, loyalty, faithfulness, and joy, the virtues which only humans are thought to be endowed with. Take Ike, the black Lab who appeared out of the blue to console the author's lonely heart and become a good friend; and Josh, an incredibly smart and remarkably faithful Border Collie, who was not only a good herding dog but also a loyal friend. I would dare say that these wonder dogs were his saving grace that helped him to find his calling as a fine American writer.

If you love a great memoir about adventure, dogs, then this is it! I read this book within a day after purchasing it and just fell in love with it. It made me laughed, cried, and wowed me I read a chapter to my 7th grade students, Dirk the Protector, and my students loved it too. As an ELA teacher, I recommend this book to all teachers, students, and anyone who loves reading!

I love Gary Paulsen’s style and the way he uses detail to make you laugh or cry while feeling like you know his dogs personally. It’s an excellent book for young kids.

This is such a great book. I am a substitute teacher and one day the fifth grade class was doing a lot of quiet independent work, so I picked up this book from the teacher's desk . It's not a long book so I was able to get through a lot of it. Each chapter is a story about one of the author's dogs throughout his life, whether he owned the dog or maybe just had a short encounter with one.I immediately scanned it into my amazon cart to buy for my son. I am not a dog lover by any means and this book made me want to run out and get one. It is so heartwarming and real. - great book for all ages!

Gary Paulson is an excellent writer for young children (4th grade to 8th). This book has such wonderful stories of the dogs that entered his life over the years. The stories bring you back to a simpler time as well.

I own this book in kindle, audio and now paper back. A collection of short stories about the dogs that had an impact on Gary Paulsen’s life. Ike being one of my favourites. I read it to my children and they enjoy it.

This is a wonderful little book written in a very simple manner that both children and adults can enjoy. The author tells the individual stories of each dog that has shared in his life. The stories are engaging, amusing and touching. They bring smiles and the occasional lump in your throat.