Evidently this is the second book in the Smells Like Dog
Homer loves maps, the county fair and his smelly Bassett Hound named Dog. The death of his Uncle Drake set in motion an adventure which revealed to him that there is a secret Society of Legends, Objects, Secrets, and Treasures (L.O.S.T.). Now Homer has received a mysterious letter from the society (I mean, would you expect anything less?) and is highly anxious to learn what lies in store for him.
After a disastrous first day at the fair, Homer’s spirits are lifted as his adventure begins. A friend of his uncle takes him off to meet the members of L.O.S.T. But what he hopes will be a simple welcome to the society ends goes horribly wrong when his frenemy Lorelai appears. Now, instead of taking his rightful place as his uncle’s heir, Homer finds himself faced with a challenge. The winner of the challenge will get to join L.O.S.T. It’s everything Homer has ever wanted and he is determined to beat Lorelai in the quest. He sets off with his trusty dog and his L.O.S.T. assigned assistant, Hercules. Only time will tell if they can emerge victorious.
My ultimate verdict is that this book was adorable. It wasn’t necessarily a book that adults want to read just for the sake of it, but it won’t steer anyone wrong as a bedtime read aloud either. Because the adventure is relatively tame (you know the dog is safe at least), it shouldn’t result in any nightmares or bitten fingernails either. While it’s on level for strong third grade readers (Scholastic pegs it as a 40/S) it is a safe choice for younger readers that are advanced.
Extra Bonus: Very little in the way of gender stereotypes here (there was maybe, one line that I noticed as being a bit off?).But overall the message is that girls are strong and tough! Hercules’s sister is just as rough and tumble as his brothers, while he prefers to focus on more cerebral pursuits. The treasure hunters are male and female! Homer and Lorelai both have strengths that will serve them on the quest. And the story of Rumpold Smeller reveals that his sister was no slouch herself.
Sex, Nudity, Dating – Homer’s sister has a date. A woman was supposed to be reunited with the man she loves. A boy is told that it is his duty to get married and have a son. A Duke’s daughter is considered a suitable match. Someone asks Homer if a girl is his girlfriend. She is not; she is a girl who was his friend.
Profanity – “dang,” “crud,”
Death, Violence and Gore – Homer’s Uncle Drake had a “tragic demise” which we later learn is in fact, that he was eaten by a mutant carnivorous tortoise. Homer carries a Swiss Army knife. The author describes a time long ago when “if your country was at peace, well, it was only a matter of time before someone invaded and set everything on fire.” A boy is trained at sword fighting. Homer’s sister is crazy for taxidermy (aka stuffing dead animals). There are some details about taxidermy, such as: that the animal begins to deteriorate, it smells, the innards must be removed, certain parts are painted with lacquer. Homer gets a fortune that he will meet an untimely end if he makes the wrong choice. Causes of death of treasure hunters tend to be dramatic: falling off the edge of a volcano, being crushed by a boulder, etc. Homer is warned that treasure hunters have the highest chance of being killed on the job. A boy is pushed to the ground. One of the characters has a fear of, well, everything. I will not list everything that he fears will happen because my fingers would fall off with the effort. A boy’s siblings are quite rough. They put him in the hospital for a week. Knights are missing fingers, teeth, ears, a leg, eyes and a nose. A peasant once tried to kill a Duke with a pitchfork. There’s some talk of skinning rabbits for food. Someone breaks an ankle.
Drugs, Alcohol and Smoking – A duke drinks wine.
Frightening or Intense Things – None.
