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From Horn Book

November 1, 2015
This is a Christmas story, but first Marty and Shiloh and their family must get through a new-school routine, Halloween, and Thanksgiving, not to mention a drought and subsequent wildfire. As in the three previous books centered on the now-iconic dog Shiloh, the rural West Virginia setting and the relationships among its inhabitants are warmly but unsentimentally drawn. The story is episodic, with through-lines provided by a new girl in an unhappy home and the continuing (and believable) rehabilitation of Judd Travers. The Christmas Day conclusion provides the best kind of heartwarming: earned. roger sutton

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

From School Library Journal

October 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-After nearly 18 years, the beloved Shiloh trilogy becomes a quartet. Fans of the first books will find comfort and similarity in the continuing saga of 12-year-old Marty, his rambunctious beagle, and his family in their rural West Virginia community. The book is set mostly in midsummer during one of the worst droughts on record, and residents are quick to accuse Judd Travers of setting a fire that burns several homes, including his own. Marty's parents reach out to Judd, Shiloh's former abusive owner, offering him shelter while he rebuilds his life and searches for his missing dogs. Meanwhile, Marty and his family grapple with difficult decisions when they suspect the new pastor of abusing his daughters. This is not so much a Christmas story as it is a book about tolerance, acceptance, forgiveness, and recognizing one's own moral compass. In response to Marty's many philosophical questions, his loving and supportive parents offer realistic guidance, advice, and discipline. As expected, Shiloh the dog plays a pivotal role in bringing about a happy resolution for Judd and Marty. VERDICT Though it stands well on its own, A Shiloh Christmas will most appeal to those already familiar with the previous titles.-Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from September 14, 2015
Nearly 20 years after Saving Shiloh (1997), Naylor adds a fourth title to the trilogy that began with her Newbery Medalâ€"winning Shiloh. Set a year after Marty and Shiloh were reunited in the previous book, this installment begins with a summer drought and makes its way past Halloween and Thanksgiving to conclude with a restorative Christmas meal shared by characters who don't always see eye to eye. Along the way, Marty wrestles with the arrival of a new preacher who focuses on sin and punishment over love and forgiveness (and whose home life raises some tough moral questions for Marty's family), as well as a damaging fire that destroys the home of a newly repentant Judd Travers. Naylor seamlessly interlaces themes of tolerance, compassion, and forgiveness in this poignant story as she explores the interconnectedness of family members, communities, and the dogs they love. Ages 8â€"12.

From Kirkus

Starred review from July 15, 2015
A new school year brings new friends, new blessings, and new tragedies for the beagle Shiloh and his family. A devastating drought has everyone's nerves on edge, so when a new pastor arrives, pointing to unrepentant sinners as the cause of the drought, local residents begin seeking whom to blame for their misfortunes. Judd, Shiloh's former abusive owner, is one of the easiest targets. So, when a fire destroys several homes, Marty and his family jump in to help all the victims, including Judd, rebuild their lives and their reputations. But a more difficult problem arises when Marty and his friend discover Rachel, one of the pastor's daughters, locked up in the family's toolshed. Marty's parents must decide where the line between punishment and abuse lies. In the end, lessons from Judd's painful past point the way for both parents and children alike. This artfully wrought story of restoration manages to be both hopeful as well as authentic. Shiloh's move from abused pup to well-loved pet is an ideal metaphor for the plot's various redemption stories, which culminate on Christmas day.Perfect for longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike, this Christmas story can be enjoyed year-round. (Fiction. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

From Publisher's Weekly

February 1, 1999
The finale to Naylor's Shiloh trilogy "retains the same flavorful style" of its predecessors, said PW, and favors a "high-action plot, involving dead bodies, runaway prisoners and life-and-death rescues." Ages 8-12.

From Publisher's Weekly

March 30, 1998
In this second book in Naylor's Shiloh trilogy, the formerly abused beagle and the boy who rescued him fear the abuser's return as hunting season approaches. In a starred review, PW noted, "Naylor maintains the previous work's lump-in-the-throat vibrato." Ages 8-12.

From Publisher's Weekly

Starred review from September 2, 1996
It should startle no one that the prolific Naylor (the Alice books) should continue the boy-and-his-dog story begun in her Newbery Medal winner Shiloh--nor will fans be startled that Naylor maintains the previous work's lump-in-the-throat vibrato. As the novel begins, Marty Preston relishes the companionship of his beagle, Shiloh, at last protected from the abuses of his former owner, Judd Travers. But Marty's happiness is shadowed by doubts about the way he acquired the dog--through a combination of honest work and outright blackmail. When Judd takes to drinking and then to hunting on the Prestons' property, Marty worries that Judd will target Shiloh as his prey. Marty's conflicts are a bit more labored here than in the previous book, but Naylor so perceptively conveys the strength of his affections and the scope of his fears that she amply compensates for narrative shortcomings. She broadens the West Virginia setting to show Marty at school; in an especially graceful moment, Marty's teacher takes him aside and gently explains the different roles of "family talk" (i.e., Marty's vernacular) and grammatical speech. The author's sympathy for her characters, both the good guys and those who menace them, communicates itself almost invisibly to the reader, who may well come away hoping for a full-fledged Shiloh series. Ages 8-12.

From Publisher's Weekly

January 1, 1992
This 1992 Newbery Medal winner revolves around an 1 1 -year-old boy who finds an abused dog near his West Virginia hills home; PW noted that this heartwarming novel should win new fans for the popular Naylor. Ages 812.

From Publisher's Weekly

September 30, 1991
In the tradition of Sounder and Where the Red Fern Grows comes this boy-and-his-dog story set in rural West Virginia. When he finds a mistreated beagle pup, 11-year-old Marty knows that the animal should be returned to its rightful owner. But he also realizes that the dog will only be further abused. So he doesn't tell his parents about his discovery, sneaks food for the dog and gets himself into a moral dilemma in trying to do the right thing. Without breaking new ground, Marty's tale is well told, with a strong emphasis on family and religious values. This heartwarming novel should win new fans for the popular Naylor. Ages 8-12.

From AudioFile Magazine

Marty Preston lived a peaceful life in Friendly, West Virginia, making meaning of everything he's observed and holding tight to Shiloh, the little beagle he earned fair and square from the town drunk, Judd Travers, who beats his dogs and poaches other animals. Michael Moriarty reads Marty's first-person narrative in a quiet country drawl with syllables and words strung together smooth and fast. A disaffected inflection suggests wisdom, not indifference, as his long final syllables carry the listener from sentence to sentence. Travers's voice is hard, and loud, and mean. The judicious use of music and dramatic sound effects emphasizes the emotional tone of pivotal scenes. This is a superb production of the sequel to the Newbery Medal-winning Shiloh. T.B. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine