The author’s first book for children. Sharron’s favorite stuffed toy is a dog named “The Friskative Dog” or TFD. It was a gift from her trucker father and she has it with her always for comfort, especially since her father took off and left her and her mom. It’s been a year and they haven’t heard from him. Sharron takes a lot of teasing about TFD from snotty girls Piper and Paige but she stubbornly hangs on to TFD, talking about him as if he were a real dog. TFD goes missing and Sharron is bereft. Fortunately she had purchased a dog tag with her phone number on it and she receives a call that TFD is found. About the same time she and her mother hear from her father who writes that he has thinking to do and might come back. Sharron’s mother and grandmother decide to rent a house. A somewhat disappointing children's debut for me.

Sharron's dad disappears and a year later, Sharron, her mom and her grandmother are still in limbo waiting to find out what happened to him. In the meantime, a stuffed toy puppy her dad gave Sharron when she was five becomes the 4th grader's link to her dad. Crossing the line between reality and pretend, the Friskative Puppy becomes her "real" dog and best friend. Friskative helps Sharron decide when she has to do a report on what she wants to be when she grows up- a dog trainer- and also gives her "practice" in this career. Some of the kids at school ridicule her for treating her toy like he is real and at a particularly heart-rending time, they steal her dog. Sharron's response gives good insight on dealing with bullies. This is a great book that would be helpful for kids in grades 2-6 without a present dad as well as a book discussion group. ( )

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

Sharron loves dogs more than just about anything in the world. Her favorite dog of all is the Friskative Dog.

Sharron's dad gave her the Friskative Dog when she was very little. Sure, he may be a stuffed animal to most people, but to Sharron he is real and just as much a part of the family as an actual dog would be. Especially since Sharron's dad left a year ago. Sometimes it seems like the Friskative Dog is the only connection to her dad that Sharron has left.

One day the Friskative Dog disappears, and Sharron's world, both real and imagined, begina to come crashing down. Who would take her dog? And why? And without her dog, how will she feel connected to her dad? Why would he leave them, anyway? Sharron is starting to ask the questions that everyone has been avoiding for a year now. And the answers could redefine how all of them feel about family and safety.

This is a sweet story about the strength of faith and hope, and the power of family, no matter what shape that family takes. It's also a really good book for reluctant readers -- it's easy to read and understand, without being particularly condescending. My only concern is that the characters are a bit stereotypical; however, the underlying message is a good one. ( )