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MARTY WILL DO ANYTHING TO SAVE SHILOH
When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight -- and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun -- and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?

Customer Review: Well Deserved Newbery Winner, But Some Reservations
Shiloh is the winner of the 1992 Newbery Medal, and it tells the story of Marty Preston, an 11-year-old boy, and his efforts to rescue a mistreated beagle, Shiloh. Though Marty believes Shiloh came to him for help, his father makes it clear that he must not interfere in their neighbor's business, even if that neighbor is Judd Travers, a thoroughly unlikable man who abuses his dogs. When Shiloh comes to him a second time though, Marty has to choose between his love for Shiloh or obedience to his father. Though I had to do some minor editing while reading aloud to my preschool-aged children, this is a very engaging story full of struggle, devotion, and suspense that had my son (and hubby) begging for more. Naylor expertly reeled us in from the first chapter as we got wrapped up in Marty's concern for Shiloh and she kept us expectantly turning the pages to find out what would happen next. Positive Elements: Marty and his family are very hard-working and ethical. Though they don't appear to attend church regularly, Marty often prays and considers what Jesus would think about his actions. Marty's devotion and loyalty to Shiloh push him into moral dilemmas (some parents may view this as a negative), including blackmail and lying, which I used as a springboard to discuss these issues with my children. Negative Elements: There are scenes that some children will find frightening or disturbing, including the mistreatment of animals and the killing of a deer. There is some mention of alcohol consumption and also some language that I edited out as I read, including vain reference to God.
Customer Review: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Eleven-year-old Marty lives with his parents and two younger sisters just above Friendly, West Virginia. Marty finds a dog and he is convinced that the dog is abused by its owner. He wants to keep Shiloh, but he has to strike a deal with Shiloh's owner, Judd Travers. Naylor's characterization of Marty emphasizes that he is a compassionate and determined person. This enables the readers to understand Marty's attachment to Shiloh and why he does not want to return him to his owner. I enjoyed reading this story because of Marty's relationship with Shiloh and his multiple attempts to trick Judd into letting him have Shiloh.


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