****SPOILER ALERTS!!!*** This is a quick summary with not a lot of details, I have read this book many many times and my teacher read it and said it was great as well. Chester and Gus is about a non verbal 10 year old boy named Gus with autism and a chocolate lab named Chester. Chester failed his service dog test due to sound sensitivity, and a Gus's family adopted him. Gus is going into fifth grade and Chester is going with him as a therapy dog for Gus. Chester and Gus have a special connection and can talk to each other but not out loud obviously. One day Chester can't go to school but on his last day there is a fire drill and Gus has a grand mal seizure. Chester can't come to school so we don't know as the readers what goes on at school. Gus comes home one day, hurt and his parents decide to keep him home and not send him back to school. Teachers come to their home to teach Gus, and Gus hates it. One day Gus has another seizure and they decide to have Chester trained as a seizure response dog. Chester goes back to school and that's the end basically. I rate this book 6 stars. I loved this book because service dogs are very interesting to me and their desire to serve. If you like animals like I do, service dogs, and friendship read this book!!!!
Chester and Gus
By Cammie McGovern
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 3 - 7 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Critically acclaimed author Cammie McGovern presents a heartwarming and humorous middle grade novel about the remarkable bond that forms between an aspiring service dog and an autistic boy in need of a friend. “Joyful, inspiring, and completely winning, Chester and Gus is unforgettable,” proclaimed Katherine Applegate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Newbery Medal winner The One and Only Ivan.
Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems like that dream will never come true—until a family adopts him. They want him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus, who has autism. But Gus acts so differently than anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester, and sometimes he doesn’t even want Chester in the room. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus since this isn’t exactly the job he trained for—but he’s determined to figure it out. Because after all, Gus is now his person.
In the spirit of beloved classics like Because of Winn-Dixie, Shiloh, and Old Yeller, Cammie McGovern’s heartfelt novel—told from Chester’s point of view—explores the extraordinary friendship between a child and a dog with a poignant and modern twist.
Book Reviews (3)
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A good book about trust and friendship. If you love dogs, you'll be sure to want to read this book!
good book