Book Resume
for Gobi: A Little Dog with a Big Heart by Dion Leonard and Lisa Manuzak Wiley
Professional book information and credentials for Gobi.
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- Grade Levels:*
- Grades PK-2
- Word Count:
- 789
- Lexile Level:
- 550L
- ATOS Reading Level:
- 3.2
- Genre:
- Biography
- Nonfiction
- Picture Book
- Year Published:
- 2017
18 Subject Headings
The following 18 subject headings were determined by the U.S. Library of Congress and the Book Industry Study Group (BISAC) to reveal themes from the content of this book (Gobi).
- Dogs--Gobi Desert (Mongolia and China)
- Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction
- Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Dogs
- Male long-distance runners
- Dogs--Gobi Desert (Mongolia and China)--Biography
- Gobi (Dog)--Juvenile literature
- Juvenile Nonfiction | Religious | Christian - Inspirational
- Human-animal relationships--Juvenile literature
- Human-animal relationships
- Male long-distance runners--Biography
- Gobi Desert (Mongolia and China)
- Gobi
- Dogs
- Gobi (Dog)
- Biographies
- Leonard, Dion--Juvenile literature
- Juvenile Nonfiction | People & Places | Asia
- Leonard, Dion
2 Full Professional Reviews
The following unabridged reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers. Reviews may be used for educational purposes consistent with the fair use doctrine in your jurisdiction, and may not be reproduced or repurposed without permission from the rights holders.
Note: This section may include reviews for related titles (e.g., same author, series, or related edition).
From Publisher's Weekly
July 31, 2017
In the midst of running an ultramarathon in the middle of the Gobi Desert, Leonard encountered a scrappy stray dog who trailed him for the remainder of his 155-mile run. Their fondness for each other led Leonard to spend months trying to find the money and the means to bring the dog, whom he named Gobi, home to England. Actor Bubb’s conversational and jovial tone gives the audiobook an authentic feel, as if Leonard he were sitting in a bar telling own story. He channels emotions high—as when Gobi shows up when least expected—and the low—chipping away at the bureaucratic wall keeping man and dog apart. Bubb achieves the highest goal of a narrator: his emotional and consistent delivery of the prose makes it hard to determine where Leonard ends and Bubb begins. A Thomas Nelson paperback.
From Publisher's Weekly
April 24, 2017
Leonard, a marathon runner, narrates the heartwarming story of Gobi, a stray dog he found on a race across the eponymous desert: how they formed their bond, her subsequent disappearance, and the global effort to reunite her with her owner. The race, a 155-mile ultramarathon, brings Leonard to Urumqi, China, where he battles high altitudes, excessive heat, and a sandstorm to come in second place. This feat is even more remarkable given that he repeatedly doubles back to help the charming stray that has become his shadow. After Gobi’s story goes viral, she disappears in suspicious circumstances from her caretaker’s home in China. What follows is a suspenseful mission to find Gobi conducted by Leonard and a loyal team of dog lovers. They are forced to contend with Chinese government operatives and shady potential dognappers looking for a payout, among others, to find and rescue the “little ball of sandy-brown fluff.” Leonard also recounts (somewhat extraneously) his difficult childhood in order to explain his struggle with building close bonds and to demonstrate the significance of his relationship with Gobi. Leonard and Gobi’s story represents the power of people working together and the profound depth of feeling possible between a man and his dog.
1 Selection for State & Provincial Recommended Reading Lists
Gobi was selected by educational and library professionals to be included on the following state/provincial reading lists.
United States Lists (1)
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This Book Resume for Gobi is compiled from TeachingBooks, a library of professional resources about children's and young adult books. This page may be shared for educational purposes and must include copyright information. Reviews are made available under license from their respective rights holders and publishers.
*Grade levels are determined by certified librarians utilizing editorial reviews and additional materials. Relevant age ranges vary depending on the learner, the setting, and the intended purpose of a book.
Retrieved from TeachingBooks on January 31, 2025. © 2001-2025 TeachingBooks.net, LLC. All rights reserved by rights holders.