Woof: A Bowser and Birdie Novel

By: Spencer Quinn

Narrated by: James Frangione

Length: 7 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Bowser is a dog detective on the loose, paired with an 11-year-old girl, Birdie. Bowser and Birdie live on the Louisiana coast with Birdie's Grammy. When a prize stuffed marlin is stolen from Grammy's bait and tackle shop, Birdie and Bowser decide to take on the case. But what looks like a straightforward break-in soon becomes as tangled as a tourist's fishing line.

Was Grammy hiding a treasure map in the marlin? What's up with Old Man Straker, owner of a rival tackle shop, and his juvenile-delinquent son? And most sinister of all, why does it suddenly look as if someone wants to harm Birdie?

Told entirely from Bowser's hilarious dog point of view, Woof launches a brand-new slightly slobbery but utterly winning detective duo.

©2015 Spencer Quinn (P)2015 Scholastic Inc.

Critic reviews

"Spencer Quinn speaks two languages - suspense and dog - fluently." (Stephen King)

Wonderful💎💍🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕

I love dogs and I am 9 yr. old. The book has mistery , friendship , and the mane characters are a dog named bowser, and his ouner birdie. It's one of the best books I've ever read!

So fun

I'm a grownup but just loved the light diversion from all the adult mysteries. Narrator captured the essence of Bowser and captivated me. So fun.

Not just for kids

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would, it is clearly written for a less sophisticated audience (younger) it is very much like Quinn's more adult series Chet and Bernie.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes, it reads very smoothly and quickly, just as we are used to in the other books.

Any additional comments?

this book is certainly accessible to adults as well as young adults. The story is told through the dogs thoughts just as Chet and Bernie, in fact the dog is identical and while the story is simpler than most of Chets stories it is still entertaining and rewarding.

This is the kind of book that makes you happy

What a delightful read!! The tale/plot itself was just okay; it's the characters and narration that really made it for me, I think. I loved Bowser's "deep thoughts", phrased simply. My relationship with my dog actually improved while reading this, because it helped me remember the limitations of a dog's memory and abilities and also the pointlessness of getting frustrated with them. :) But it also highlights their love and loyalty, their desire to please and support. Really made me grateful that I have a sweet canine guy like Bowser in my life :)
I've read other books where the dog narrator is as smart or smarter than humans, having total awareness and equality. I still enjoyed them, but differently than his one.
I also appreciated the real imperfections and limitations of the humans themselves. Granny wasn't the typical sweet perfect grandmother. She was sometimes rude angry impatient, but loved Birdie and was understood and loved in return. I often think the perfect parents & grandparents often depicted in books for young people are really doing a disservice to kids, especially these days. Life is tough. People try their hardest but are not perfect! Just like dogs. :-) Best we don't get too frustrated. Focus on what's good in people we love! That's what Bowser would tell you.

Light hearted and fun

If you like the other series from Spencer Quinn -- Chet and Bernie -- you'll like this one. James Frangione's narration is solid and enjoyable. There's no real suspense or deep, hidden meaning. It's just a pleasant way to pass a few hours while working out or traveling alone.

Fun

Excellent! I love the Quinn/Frangione and Birdie/Bowser pairs. A fun and entertaining book. Can’t wait to start the next one.

Surprised at How Entertained and Inthralled Was I

I've always loved children's books, but this novel was so excellent in story, characters, interesting setting (the Bijoux, swamp in Louisiana, and the economy & culture of post WW II survival, close interdependence, attractive balance of good and evil) delightful, sometimes laugh out loud humor (as when Bowser waits for Birdie ,his human companion, to get a dog biscuit, because someone told her to "Sit" ) seems to be best for open-hearted adults.

It would be difficult to convince me to read the book, because the narrator, James Frangione, must be a close observer and lover of dogs, as he gave me (credit also to author!) insight and understanding of how and even why dogs think and act they way they do. I'll leave it to you to make all your own observations, but one of my favorite was that Bowser's teeth started feeling a certain way (I'll call it "sparky and energetic") when he was sensing impending or possible threat, especially toward
his now beloved 11 year old Birdie girl. Somehow, it seemed so exactly right! Can you recall how tight your jaw - and maybe the teeth - get when you start to get really angry? Yeah...it seems so accurate.

On top of the amazing narration, the rolling out of the story is really adult in it's interweaving of the lives of all the characters, without having too many to keep remember, and the characters are so humanely full.

It is the present time. Birdie lives in what I think is a duplex connected by a breezeway, her grandmother living in the other side, as her strong and loving mother works on a drill rig in the bay, on extended job time. Birdie's dad was a cop, whose death
in pursuit of a mystery and criminal, is still only given a headline, not a complete explanation. The mom promises, upon Birdie's demand that she deserves more than the baby version; she's 11 years old now, making it sound as if she's an adult. I think she does have an adult's comprehension, too, and her dad's ability to "leave no loose ends" and figure out the real meaning of clues, and put them together.

The mystery of this story heart is that someone stole a prize preserved marlin in "Grammy"'s bait shop, which has many rumors, suggestions, and curiosities wrapped up in it's existence when Birdie (and Bowser, a reluctantly given birthday present to Birdie from Grammy) starts to put together clues. This search seems to have a lot of stones to turn over, but Quinn
seems to me to be masterful in mixing up how friends and foes alike reveal clues as understanding rises like morning mist warming over the gentle slop of the waves.

The last half an hour I was so in agony, expecting some awful , awful surprise. Well, yes, there it was, alright, but Birdie girl has a reserve of something that totally surprised me. See for yourself, when you get to that point, if it doesn't blow you away too.

Well, I'm off to start the next B & B book, even if it IS bedtime!!!

great book to share with my 3rd grader

My son chose this book to do a report on. he struggles with reading and i thought a 293 page book was ambitious of him. the book definitely kept both of our attention throughout the story and will be a perfect book for his school project! He loved the story and the book!

The great dog stories by spencer quinn

this book I just finished by Spencer Quinn it's a lovely dog story and it's is really a great story I love the narrator he does fabulous on air like the way he does the dog's point of view

Best Author, Best Stories

A mix of humor, good story, and attitude. Good read for ages 6-106. Don't wait!