Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Exciting start to dog fantasy series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 3 parent reviews
Based on 19 kid reviews
Kids say this book is highly praised for its engaging storytelling and emotional depth, particularly among dog lovers, but opinions vary with some readers preferring the author's other works. It is recommended for ages 8 and up due to mild violence, though there are critiques regarding its comparison to a rival series and a few less enthusiastic readers who found it less exciting.
- engaging storytelling
- suitable for ages 8+
- dog lover approval
- mixed reviews
- comparison to rival series
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
To the dogs, it's the Big Growl of the Earth-dog, a favorite theme of their mothers' tales, but human readers will recognize the devastation of an earthquake, which strikes the dogs' town one night. By morning they're trying to stay alive in THE EMPTY CITY, a strange world of collapsing buildings and many dangers, without a human in sight. Lucky, who's lived on his own since he fled his abusive owners as a puppy, wants to go it alone, but when a group of formerly Leashed Dogs helps him out of a tight spot, he realizes their pampered life has left them completely unprepared for the challenges of their new environment and decides to repay their kindness by teaching them survival skills.
Is It Any Good?
Erin Hunter's previous animal series have a large, devoted following, and this one is off to a promising start. Survivors is told from the dogs' point of view as they make their way through an earthquake-devastated world in search of safety and a new home. As with many first volumes, there's a lot of groundwork, from learning to see the world through dog eyes to understanding the different characters. Lucky, his pack, and the lessons they teach each other ring true in the human world as well as the canine: friendship, having each other's back, appreciating each other's differences. More sensitive kids may be distressed by the dogs' hunting to survive, though it's more matter-of-fact than gory; others will have trouble with the wholesale abandonment of dogs by humans who supposedly loved them and deserted them in the night when disaster struck.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether you have read any of Erin Hunter's other books. How does this one compare? Why do you think animal fantasy books are so popular?
Which of the dogs do you like best? Why?
Does your family have a disaster plan that includes your pets, so they won't be left to their fate, as these dogs were, if you have to evacuate?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Animals
- Topics : Adventures , Animals , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Harper
- Publication date : August 21, 2012
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 17
- Number of pages : 288
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : December 4, 2025
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