ariatari's review against another edition
5.0
Had to read this in Elementary school... Not too bad of a read for something thrown at a third grader! Although sometimes the book can get mildly graphic (nothing too bad though I swear!), I felt the book really appealed to me. It's a book that will draw you in and before you realize it, you've read the whole thing! Don't be turned off by the fact that I read it in elementary, I was an advanced reader... It's a great book for any age group!
lisaluvsliterature's review against another edition
4.0
This was a pretty good book. I feel though that the slang was sometimes hard to read and follow and I think a kid might have trouble with it too. But the story was great!
suzannedix's review against another edition
4.0
Could not believe how interested I became in this story. Themes of bullying, tsunamis, survival and friendship.
ahinds's review against another edition
4.0
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars
In Night of The Howling Dogs,14 year old Dylan is on a camping trip with his scout troop. They are camping on Halape, a beautiful remote shore located right under a volcano. Dylan would be excited, but Louie is coming along. Louie is a trash talking seventeen year old with a huge ego. He and Dylan don't get along. As they start on their hike Dylan sees a big black dog and a small white one, but in an instant they are gone. Once they reached Halape Dylan forgets all about the mysterious dogs. Later, in the dead of night, Dylan wakes up to a feeling that something is not right. Venturing out of his tent he sees the silhouettes of two dogs on the cliff face. The next day a band of cowboys venture into Halape. The leader of the cowboys introduces himself as Masa. Masa is a native Hawaiian who grew up on a ranch. He knows everything about the local legends, and when Dylan tells him about the two dogs, Masa becomes worried. He explains to Dylan that the goddess Pele can take the form of a small white dog. Legend says that when you see a small white dog in a desolate place it means that a volcanic eruption is going to take place. Even though the troop doesn't believe Masa's story, Dylan can't help but wonder if there is any truth in the legend.
Night of the Howling Dogs is a fiction story based on actual events. Characters in Night of the Howling Dogs are based on real people from Troop 77, but liberties were taken. On November 29, 1975 a 7.2 earthquake hit Halape and the ensuing tsunami was over three hundred feet. Amazingly Troop 77 only lost one person.
The first part of the story moves at a slow place as you just wait for the natural disaster to take place. For me it was really hard to get through the first part of the story for it was just so boring. The minor characters were forgettable and they just faded into the background. This was a disservice to them because I found myself not feeling the level of panic Dylan had when he was wondering if his friends were still alive.
Once the earthquake hits, the plot speeds up and I could not put the book down until the end. The author's real talent shines in his ability to write so descriptively that you feel like you have been to Hawaii. This helps the reader get through the slow part of the book. The main characters are people you can relate to. All of us, like Dylan, have had the one kid who we can't get along with. Masa was my favorite character in the book and he brought more depth to the story. The other talent the author possesses is that he writes his characters in a believable manner. I don't know if the author has had teenage boys, but he writes Dylan and Louie exceptionally realistically. Overall, I would say if it wasn't for the first part of the book the rating would be higher.
In Night of The Howling Dogs,14 year old Dylan is on a camping trip with his scout troop. They are camping on Halape, a beautiful remote shore located right under a volcano. Dylan would be excited, but Louie is coming along. Louie is a trash talking seventeen year old with a huge ego. He and Dylan don't get along. As they start on their hike Dylan sees a big black dog and a small white one, but in an instant they are gone. Once they reached Halape Dylan forgets all about the mysterious dogs. Later, in the dead of night, Dylan wakes up to a feeling that something is not right. Venturing out of his tent he sees the silhouettes of two dogs on the cliff face. The next day a band of cowboys venture into Halape. The leader of the cowboys introduces himself as Masa. Masa is a native Hawaiian who grew up on a ranch. He knows everything about the local legends, and when Dylan tells him about the two dogs, Masa becomes worried. He explains to Dylan that the goddess Pele can take the form of a small white dog. Legend says that when you see a small white dog in a desolate place it means that a volcanic eruption is going to take place. Even though the troop doesn't believe Masa's story, Dylan can't help but wonder if there is any truth in the legend.
Night of the Howling Dogs is a fiction story based on actual events. Characters in Night of the Howling Dogs are based on real people from Troop 77, but liberties were taken. On November 29, 1975 a 7.2 earthquake hit Halape and the ensuing tsunami was over three hundred feet. Amazingly Troop 77 only lost one person.
The first part of the story moves at a slow place as you just wait for the natural disaster to take place. For me it was really hard to get through the first part of the story for it was just so boring. The minor characters were forgettable and they just faded into the background. This was a disservice to them because I found myself not feeling the level of panic Dylan had when he was wondering if his friends were still alive.
Once the earthquake hits, the plot speeds up and I could not put the book down until the end. The author's real talent shines in his ability to write so descriptively that you feel like you have been to Hawaii. This helps the reader get through the slow part of the book. The main characters are people you can relate to. All of us, like Dylan, have had the one kid who we can't get along with. Masa was my favorite character in the book and he brought more depth to the story. The other talent the author possesses is that he writes his characters in a believable manner. I don't know if the author has had teenage boys, but he writes Dylan and Louie exceptionally realistically. Overall, I would say if it wasn't for the first part of the book the rating would be higher.
tcbueti's review against another edition
4.0
A compelling quick read set in an unusual place with vivid descriptions and plenty of suspense, based on a real episode in 1975
Scout troop hikes to an isolated and idyllic beach, where they are trapped when an earthquake causes a tsunami.
Conflict due to tough loner, Louie, brought into troop by leader because he had run away from his neglectful parents. Main character, Dylan, had seen Louie being beaten up by another, bigger kids and is thus afraid he hates him, and Louie IS dismissive and difficult. Why is he even there?
Scout troop hikes to an isolated and idyllic beach, where they are trapped when an earthquake causes a tsunami.
Conflict due to tough loner, Louie, brought into troop by leader because he had run away from his neglectful parents. Main character, Dylan, had seen Louie being beaten up by another, bigger kids and is thus afraid he hates him, and Louie IS dismissive and difficult. Why is he even there?
boredcat99's review against another edition
4.0
There are many things I loved about this book - Reading about Halape in Hawaii was interesting, and the more action related parts of the book including the earthquake and subsequent events really shine while reading them and reflecting back on them, too. The first half of the book is good also, but just doesn't have the same degree of excitement, though the author does a good job of introducing the setting and sharing various features of the location. There is some interesting Hawaiian folklore as well.
This book reminded me a lot of the older Heinlein stories written as serials for Boys' Life. There are a lot of scouting references, more than I as a 30-something woman would probably care for personally, but I think those things might make it even more fun for boy scouts to read. My son who has been a scout said that aspect of the book was fine with him.
This book reminded me a lot of the older Heinlein stories written as serials for Boys' Life. There are a lot of scouting references, more than I as a 30-something woman would probably care for personally, but I think those things might make it even more fun for boy scouts to read. My son who has been a scout said that aspect of the book was fine with him.
taradz_phd's review
Good adventure story for upper elementary and middle school boys. Like the epilogue that ties the story to real events and gives further information.
iceangel9's review
4.0
This is a fictionalized account of a Scout Troop from Hawaii who must survive an earthquake and tsunami on a remote Hawaiian beach. Salisbury's cousin was one of the scout's that went on this ill-fated campout and although this account if fiction Salisbury uses his cousin's memories of the event to make the tale believably tragic. A great read boys will love.
More...