Conaghan, Brian. When Mr. Dog Bites. New York: Bloomsbury, 2014. 978-1-61963-346-9. 359 p. $17.99. Gr. 10 and up.
Dylan Mint is an average teenager who suffers from Tourette’s and attends a special school in Scotland. One day, when he is at the hospital with his mother, he overhears the doctor say that life as he knows it will come to an end in March. Convinced that he is going to die, he makes a bucket list of everything he wants to accomplish before this happens. His list includes finding a new best friend for his pal Amir, having sex with a girl for the first time, and somehow ensuring his military father’s return home from the war in Afghanistan. As Dylan attempts to complete these tasks, nothing goes as planned, and he soon realizes he has a lot to learn about his family, his condition, his friends, and life in general.
Realistic Fiction Julie Ritter, Montoursville Area High School
This book provides an honest look at what life is look for people with Tourette’s. Despite his condition, Dylan is just a normal teenage boy with normal teenage boy thoughts. In addition to these sexual thoughts, the swearing and sometimes confusing English slang make this book more suitable for older readers. Fans of Louise Rennison and Dawn O’Porter might also enjoy this book for its English humor.