Answers to Dog

Pete Hautman's 'Answers to Dog' is a heartwarming contemporary novel told from alternating viewpoints of a shy, introverted boy named Evan and the intuitive stray dog who adopts him. Evan struggles to fit in at school and at home, actively avoiding attention. His life changes when a burr-covered border collie begins to follow him, becoming his running companion and steadfast friend. Their bond empowers Evan to confront a school bully and stand up against an abusive dog breeder, ultimately finding the courage to open up to others. This book explores themes of friendship, self-confidence, and resilience, making it a deeply satisfying read for middle-grade animal lovers.

National Book Award winner Pete Hautman explores a friendship like no other—and the universal truth that dogs make life better, especially for underdogs. Evan doesn’t seem to fit in at school or at home. He goes out of his way to avoid attention. He sits at the back of the bus, keeps his head down in class, and keeps to himself. But when a burr-covered border collie—a survivor with a gut instinct about the Boy—starts following him around and joining him on his runs, Evan’s simple duck-and-dodge existence becomes a lot more complicated . . . a lot more like life. Evolving from wary companions to steadfast friends, Evan and the dog run fast and far together, thwart an abusive dog breeder and the school bully, and find the courage to stand up for themselves and to open up to those who matter most. Narrated in alternating viewpoints, this relatable contemporary novel with classic coming-of-age themes has all the hope, pathos, and emotional complexity that mark Pete Hautman’s books for middle-grade readers—and is a deeply satisfying read for animal lovers.