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A Dog's Life by Ann Martin

Summary

A stray from birth, Squirrel recounts her moving and harrowing life story, from her beginning years with her nurturing mother and her older brother, Bone, to making it on her own in the world. In candid yet tender description, she tells of her numerous experiences over the past ten years, including surviving the elements of the changing seasons, struggling to find food, facing busy highways, encountering other savage dogs, and meeting humans both gentle and cruel.

Booktalk

Squirrel was born in a wheelbarrow in an unused shed in the back of a big house where people lived only in the summer. She and her older brother Bone – the two having been named by their mother for things important to her – were the only ones from the original litter of five puppies born strong enough to survive. Soon, when they get big enough to leave the wheelbarrow, their mother teaches them to hunt and avoid humans, and life is good for the puppies. One day, however, their mother disappears and doesn't return, forcing the young puppies to reluctantly find a new home. When the more adventurous Bone decides to set out in the world, Squirrel follows, afraid to be left all alone. But when she ultimately gets separated from Bone, life becomes a battle of survival for Squirrel, scrounging for food, avoiding busy streets and remaining wary of humans who may or may not be friendly. When it seems she will wander the forests and towns alone forever, Squirrel makes two different yet special friends who help shape and define her destiny.

182 pages, 4th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. In the book's introduction, Squirrel describes many different kinds of conditions experienced by various dogs she has known throughout her life. Then she reflects, “I've known all these dogs, and I've been all these dogs.” What does she mean by this statement?
  2. Squirrel and Bone's mother had never lived with humans, yet she taught her children to fear them. Why? What other lessons did Mother teach them? Did these lessons help them or hurt them as they grew up and ventured out into the world?
  3. When Squirrel and Bone's mother fails to return to the shed, why don't the two go search for her? If you were in their position, what would you have done? What do you think happened to Mother?
  4. When Bone decides to leave the familiarity of the Merrions' shed for new adventures, Squirrel has to make a choice whether or not to follow him. Do you think she made the right decision for herself? Why or why not?
  5. Different humans acquired both Bone and Squirrel throughout their younger years. Do you think it was right for Marcy and George to take Squirrel and Bone home with them? Why or why not? Did the Becker family do the right thing by adopting Squirrel as a summer pet?
  6. In what ways did Squirrel communicate with Bone? With Moon? With Susan? What are some ways that you and your pet communicate with each other?
  7. Do you think Squirrel could tell the difference between gentle humans and hurtful humans before they even touched her? What kind of behaviors or actions would suggest to her whether a human was kind or cruel?
  8. In the last chapter, Squirrel states, “I didn't think I needed a human any more than Susan thought she needed a dog.” In what ways do the “two old ladies” need each other?
  9. How would Squirrel's life have been different if Mother hadn't disappeared? If she hadn't been separated from Bone? If Moon had survived? If you could rewrite the story, which of these events would you change, how would you change them, and why?
  10. If you adopted a stray dog, what are some things you would do to care for it and make it feel safe?

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Portions of this guide were adapted from Scholastic.com.

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