August 5, 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this companion to Nugly, we meet Smiley, who is a Pit Bull/ American Staffordshire Terrier being raised at the Blue Hills Bulldog Breeders Club Kennel in Boston. She's pampered, but also very well trained and socialized, and the dogs from this facility go for high prices. Smiley is adopted by Vanessa, who is a vet tech who helped to save the owner's dog, and given to Vanessa's cousin, Carlito. He's gotten accepted into the Boston Classical Academy, and his parents are worried that people in their "more affordable" South Side neighborhood might give Carlito a hard time, especially since he is on the smaller side, and a dog might be helpful. The big problem is that there are no dogs allowed in the Villa Victoria apartment complex. The Menino-Rosado family asks permission, and is allowed to keep Smiley. Carlito takes the dog with him to orientation at his new school. Some kids, like Thayer, give him a hard time and make racist and classiest remarks, and Cooper is friendly and invites Carlito to check out the rowing team. Their coxswain has undergone a growth spurt, and Carlito would be perfect to replace him. Carlito ends up being TOO lightweight, but Coach DiSorbo allows him to bring Smiley on the boat with him, bringing him up to a perfect weight. Carlito finds out that Cooper also has a Pit Bull, Boris, who has been in and out of shelters because he has not been well socialized. Boris is doing well with Cooper at home, but not so well out in public with other dogs. Boris comes to a scrimmage where Thayer falls overboard, and while Smiley rescues the boy and brings him to safety, the parents are upset when the dogs are rambunctious, and threaten to sue. Will Carlito be able to stay on the team, and will Smiley be a good addition to his household?
Strengths: This was a vicarious trip to Boston, complete with a trip to the zoo! The juxtaposition between the prejudice that Carlito faced because of his Puerto Rican heritage and the prejudice Smiley faced because she is a Pit Bull was very interesting. This might be the only book I've read that involves rowing, although Gerber's Liars' Society, which is also set in Boston, involves sailing. There are lots of good details about training and socializing dogs, and about why Pit Bulls are often seen as dangerous. This will be a popular choice at Scholastic book fairs, with Smiley on the cover.
Weaknesses: This had a bit of an odd tone to it-- very conversational. It just didn't seem to fit the story as well as it might have. I don't think that my students will mind.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed books like Vlahos's Serge and Roscoe, Applegate and Choldenko's Dogtown, Hoyle's Stella, or Cameron's Zeus, where more of the dog's point of view is shown. Nugly is finally available in a prebind format through Follett, so hopefully this one will be as well.
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