Review: Smells Like Dog - Suzanne Selfors

Where I got it: ARC from Little, Brown and Co.
Rating:  4.5 stars
Cover Rating: 4 stars (It looks a little too silly)
Genre: Middle Grade
Publication Date: May 1, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Page Count: 357 p.

Homer W. Pudding wants to be a treasure hunter like his uncle. His dad thinks he should work on being a goat farmer so he can take over the family farm. When his uncle mysteriously disappears, Homer is determined to find out how such a thing could happen. When Homer gets a dog delivered to him which was his uncle's "most treasured possession," he doesn't know what to do. That is until he finds a coin on the dog's collar. When his sister Gwendolyn asks him to runaway to the city with her, Homer thinks it's a chance to get some answers. He'll get answers alright, more than he bargained for.

This book was quite delightful. Treasure hunters and villains; in general a quirky cast of characters make up this story. I loved the idea of a kid who wants to be a treasure hunter and has an uncle who does just that. Homer is a like-able character in a too-small town. This book will be a big hit with kids who enjoyed The Mysterious Benedict Society and Pseudonymous Bosch's books. I hope there is a next installment soon to come of Homer's outrageous adventures. This book made me laugh, bite my nails and try to figure out how to get Homer out of sticky situations. A great book for kids, teens and adults alike.

First Line:
"Dear Reader,
The following story is a dog story, but it is not, I repeat, NOT, a sad dog story." 

Favorite Line:
"In a library, people who don't read are considered to be the weird ones."