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Shiloh

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 8, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9.

  • Is it any good?

    5.0

  • Common Sense says

    In taut, unforgettable drama, nothing is simple.

Themes in this book include:   friendship
updated 01.28.10

Why We Rated This on for Ages 9 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Nothing is as it seems in this novel, and consequently in life.

What to watch out for

  • Role models:

    Marty lies to his parents and others, sneaks out, and acts deceitfully.

  • Violence:

    A German shepherd savages Shiloh; Judd beats his dogs. Every scene Judd is in is frightening; the German shepherd attacks Shiloh.

  • Sex:

    Not an issue.

  • Language:

    Rare mild religious profanity.

  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.

  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Judd drinks and chews tobacco.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of Shiloh was written by Matt Berman

Parents need to know that kids love this edge-of-the-seat story of a boy going up against a really scary mean man to protect an abused dog.

Families Can Talk About

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  • Families can talk about right and wrong.
  • Do you ever feel mixed up about what's right and what's wrong?
  • Is Marty justified in keeping secrets from his family?
  • Do you think the deal between Marty and Judd is fair?
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More on Shiloh

Book Summary

When Marty hides a beagle from Judd Travers, the meanest man around, he thinks he's protecting the dog from abuse. But it means lying to his parents and sneaking around. Worse, Shiloh ends up in more danger than ever. Nothing is simple in this taut, unforgettable drama.

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Is It Any Good?

At first, the situation in SHILOH seems clear: Judd is mean, and Marty is heroically trying to protect a defenseless dog. But things soon become less clear-cut, and Marty's actions inadvertently cause Shiloh to suffer far more seriously than he did at Judd's hands. And keeping Shiloh away from Judd seems to drag Marty increasingly into behavior that he knows is wrong. He slides rapidly down the slope of the ends justifying the means, which are increasingly dishonest.

Finally, Marty's choices narrow to trying to decide on the lesser of evils, rather than choosing what is clearly right, and in the end the biggest lesson the book seems to teach is that nothing is as simple as it seems. This nerve-wracking story, which challenges readers to think for themselves, refuses to make things easy.
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Publisher’s Details

Publisher: Simon and Schuster BFYR, Publication date: 1/1/1991
Number of pages: 144, Price: $5.99 (paperback)
Read Aloud: 9+, Read Alone: 9+

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Most Recent Reviews

  1. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    madkin
    Lives in Pennsylvania
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 5.0
    • My concerns are:
    • Inappropriate language
    • Drinking, smoking, or drug use
    • My highlights are:
    • Educational

    e.g. Perfect for tweens, but no younger

    I loved thsi book so much. I think that the bad words and drinking would make it for ages 10+. It was excellent other than that. I am actually writing a book review for this. Give me any ideas!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  2. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    zgirl1024
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 4.0
    • My highlights are:
    • Positive messages

    Shiloh is good

    I rilly like it.It has some bad language like dammit.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  3. Kid Reviewer Age 10
    LeoDiCaprio1999
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 2.0

    An ok book...

    i had to read this book for school, and i thought it was very boring. it could just be that i like adventure books better, but there were times when i felt myself falling asleep while reading. this is just my opinion though, a lot of my classmates loved the book.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  4. Adult Reviewer
    caitlin89
    Lives in Iowa
    I rate this title on for age 10 and give it 4.0

    Really good!

    I read this book and it broke my heart to see someone abuse an animal like that! I read it once and that was it! It was a great book, but I still can't get through it without crying!

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate
  5. Teen Reviewer Age 15
    avidcritc
    I rate this title on for age 8 and give it 3.0

    ok...

    i see what adults see in it. it's morally complicated, has a great lesson, they all live happily ever after, bla bla bla. but honestly, it's written in the voice of an olden-day farm boy that doesn't add to it at all. if anything, it detract from hoe good the book really is.

    This review...

    Helped me decide | Had useful details | Read my mind
    Flag as inappropriate

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