How to Steal a Dog

• Genre: Fiction; middle grade realistic
• Originally Published: 2007
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 700L; grades 4-6
• Structure/Length: 20 chapters; approximately 192 pages; approximately 4 hours on audiobook
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: Third-grader Georgina Hayes is living in a car with her mother and younger brother after their father abandoned them. Driven by desperation and the wish for a stable home, Georgina devises a plan to steal a dog and collect the reward money upon its return. The central conflict revolves around the moral dilemma of her plan and the emotional bonds she forms.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Themes of poverty; parental abandonment; moral dilemma; emotional distress  

Barbara O’Connor, Author

• Bio: Born 1950; American author of children’s literature; draws inspiration from her Southern roots for her works; former teacher and school administrator; has written many award-winning books; her work often features relatable characters grappling with realistic situations
• Other Works: Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia (2003); The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester (2010); The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (2009); Wish (2016)
• Awards: Parents’ Choice Silver Honor Book (2007); School Library Journal Best Books of the Year (2007); ALA Book Links Lasting Connections (2007); Bank Street College Best Books of the Year (2007)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit: