Freudenthal, T. (Director). (Released January 16, 2009). Hotel for Dogs. [DVD]. United States: Dream Works Pictures.
· Plot Summary
Siblings Andi and Bruce are stuck in a foster parent nightmare, living with rocker couple wannabes Carl and Lois Scudder. This is their fifth attempt at living with a foster family, and their social worker, Bernie, is starting to lose hope. The two are not the only ones without family though, and have been hiding a rat terrier named Friday away for three years. While looking for their runaway pet, Andi and Bruce meet local pet shop employees Dave and Heather, but it comes to light that Friday has been taken in by the pound.
Just as Andi tries to convince her brother that they need to find Friday a new home, the two flee police and wander into the abandoned Francis Drake Hotel. The place is a treasure trove, and also the hideout for the local homeless dog population. Eventually enlisting Dave and Heather in their plan, along with another local kid (Mark), the two are able to turn the hotel in a canine playground.
In the end, the dogs teach the entire neighborhood about the nature of family. The siblings are taken in by Bernie and his wife, and many of the dogs find homes with residents that learn of the dog's plight as they are hunted by over jealous pound employess.
· Critical Evaluation
What starts out as two kids trying to help those less fortunate than them, turns into a lesson in honesty and love. Andi resorts to a series of elaborate lies to cover for her dog family, and the fact she lacks a human one. Overall, a much better film that I first expected, with valuable lessons.
· Reader’s Annotation
Great movie for all animal lovers, as well as adults seeking positive, motivated, representations of tweens.
· Genre
Fiction
· Booktalking Ideas
Animals and dealing with the homeless population.
Effect of the family welfare system on siblings.
Problem with placement of older orphans.
· Interest Age
9-14
· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
DVD was released during a period when I had the flu, and needed to be entertained. My daughter enjoyed the movie in the theatre, and thought it would be a pick-me-up. I was skeptical, but this film turned out to be more than just another cheesy tween comedy. I was especially glad to see that while there were moments of romantic humor, it never became a movie about two characters falling for one another. It remained a movie about determined tweens on a mission to help animals.
