How to Steal a Dog

By Barbara O'Connor

Desperate girl plans to steal a dog for reward money, but unexpected events unfold.

4.0/5 Goodreads · 14,200 ratings

192 pages· 34,581 words· Est. 5 hour read

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Bookroo's summary

Georgina Hayes is living in a car with her family after her father leaves. Desperate to change their fate, she hatches a risky plan to "borrow" a dog for reward money. But as she navigates this moral dilemma, unexpected twists challenge her resolve. Will her plan bring salvation or more trouble? Discover the surprising journey of a girl caught between right and wrong.

From the publisher

Don’t miss Barbara O’Connor’s other middle-grade work–like Wish; Wonderland; Greetings from Nowhere; Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia; The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester; and more! 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. How to Steal a Dog is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children’s Book of the Year. This title has Common Core connections.

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