# Dogtown

**Author:** Katherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenko
**Grade range:** Grades 3–6
**Age range:** 8–12
**First published:** 2023
**Genre:** Realistic Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781250811608`
**ISBN-10:** `1250811600`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/dogtown
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

At the Dogtown animal shelter, an unwanted real dog and a discarded robot dog team up with a clever shelter mouse to plan an escape — and find where they belong. Newbery-honored authors Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko's warm, funny grades 3-6 novel is a 2025-2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.

## Themes

- friendship
- perseverance
- humor
- courage

## Where this book is assigned

### Colorado Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Colorado — [source: Colorado Children's Book Award 2026 Junior Book Nominee List](https://www.ccira.org/colorado-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Colorado — [source: Colorado Children's Book Award 2026 Junior Book Nominee List](https://www.ccira.org/colorado-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Colorado — [source: Colorado Children's Book Award 2026 Junior Book Nominee List](https://www.ccira.org/colorado-childrens-book-award)

### Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)

### Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)

### South Carolina Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · South Carolina — [source: 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees (South Carolina Association of School Librarians / studySC)](https://studysc.org/sc-book-awards/sc-childrens-book-award-2026)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · South Carolina — [source: 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees (South Carolina Association of School Librarians / studySC)](https://studysc.org/sc-book-awards/sc-childrens-book-award-2026)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · South Carolina — [source: 2025-2026 South Carolina Children's Book Award Nominees (South Carolina Association of School Librarians / studySC)](https://studysc.org/sc-book-awards/sc-childrens-book-award-2026)

### Texas Bluebonnet Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Texas — [source: Texas Bluebonnet Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 3-6)](https://txla.org/reading-lists/texas-bluebonnet-award/current-list/)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Texas — [source: Texas Bluebonnet Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 3-6)](https://txla.org/reading-lists/texas-bluebonnet-award/current-list/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Texas — [source: Texas Bluebonnet Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 3-6)](https://txla.org/reading-lists/texas-bluebonnet-award/current-list/)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Texas — [source: Texas Bluebonnet Award 2025-2026 Master List (Grades 3-6)](https://txla.org/reading-lists/texas-bluebonnet-award/current-list/)

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