No More Dead Dogs
Encyclopedia
No More Dead Dogs is a novel by Gordon Korman
published in 2002. Its title alludes to the fact that many books for children and young adults featuring dogs often have the dog die (such as Old Yeller
or Where the Red Fern Grows
), including the book that begins to cause the main source of all the character's problems, Old Shep, My Pal. Because of this, the drama club performing the play, Old Shep, My Pal, decide to change the ending and have the dog live.
When Wallace is told to write a report on the book Old Shep, My Pal he won't lie. He dislikes the book, which results in a detention handed down by his English teacher, Mr. Fogelman until he writes a good review. Forced to spend the detention with the drama club, which happens to be producing the book in his report, Old Shep, My Pal, Wallace impresses the others in the club with his charisma and suggestions to improve the play. When finally released from his detention, he quits the football team to join the drama club, much to the anger of the most of the student body.
An unknown person begins vandalizing the play after Wallace is put into detention, and a fellow member of the drama club, Rachel Turner (an aspiring actress who writes to Julia Roberts
as a form of expression) believes Wallace is the culprit, but everyone else continues to regard him as a hero. Rachel also has a little brother named Dylan who practically worships Wallace. Eventually, a final act of vandalism reveals a jersey
that belongs to Wallace. As everybody in the drama club starts to turn against Wallace, Rachel instead starts to believe that Wallace isn't the one behind the attacks.
Wallace is eventually banned from the play and drama club, as everyone (but Rachel) begins to believe that he is the culprit. Despite having Wallace banned, the drama clubs decides to use all of his ideas for the play, one of which includes having Shep live at the end. This decision proves to be a hilarious disaster, when the culprit blows up the stuffed toy that is Shep during the play while the actors are praising the fact that Shep is living.
Wallace figures out that the culprit is Rachel's brother Dylan. Dylan wanted revenge on the play for "ruining" the famous Wallace Wallace. He then tells his first lie to spare her feelings. After immediate anger at Wallace, she then realizes that Dylan, not Wallace, was behind the attacks. Reconciling, they realize how much they like each other, along with reconciling with Steve, who in a final bit of humor, has become the object of adoration of Rachel's best friend, Trudi Davis, who up until that time been head over heels for Wallace.
Gordon Korman
Gordon Korman is a Canadian author, primarily of novels for children and young adults. He lives in Long Island's Great Neck, New York, with his wife and three children....
published in 2002. Its title alludes to the fact that many books for children and young adults featuring dogs often have the dog die (such as Old Yeller
Old Yeller
Old Yeller is a 1956 children's novel by Fred Gipson, which received a Newbery Honor in 1957. It was illustrated by Carl Burger. The title is taken from the name of the big yellow dog who is the center of the book's story...
or Where the Red Fern Grows
Where the Red Fern Grows
Where the Red Fern Grows is a children's novel written by Wilson Rawls about a boy who buys and trains two Redbone Coonhound hunting dogs. This book is a popular choice for early middle school reading classes, with a reading level appropriate to grades 4 and up.-Plot summary:Before leaving work one...
), including the book that begins to cause the main source of all the character's problems, Old Shep, My Pal. Because of this, the drama club performing the play, Old Shep, My Pal, decide to change the ending and have the dog live.
Plot summary
Ever Since Wallace Wallace (main character) was young; he has always insisted on telling the truth. After having scored the winning touchdown for the Bedford Middle School football team in the championship, he becomes a popular guy. What the entire town and many on the football team, including his two best friends Mike, "Feather", Wrigly, and Rick Falconi, don't realize is that Wallace is really a benchwarmer, whose winning touchdown was a fluke. The only person in the entire town who knows the truth is Steve Cavanaugh, Wallace's ex-best friend, who turned on Wallace after he became the team's hero.When Wallace is told to write a report on the book Old Shep, My Pal he won't lie. He dislikes the book, which results in a detention handed down by his English teacher, Mr. Fogelman until he writes a good review. Forced to spend the detention with the drama club, which happens to be producing the book in his report, Old Shep, My Pal, Wallace impresses the others in the club with his charisma and suggestions to improve the play. When finally released from his detention, he quits the football team to join the drama club, much to the anger of the most of the student body.
An unknown person begins vandalizing the play after Wallace is put into detention, and a fellow member of the drama club, Rachel Turner (an aspiring actress who writes to Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
as a form of expression) believes Wallace is the culprit, but everyone else continues to regard him as a hero. Rachel also has a little brother named Dylan who practically worships Wallace. Eventually, a final act of vandalism reveals a jersey
Jersey (clothing)
A jersey is an item of knitted clothing, traditionally in wool or cotton, with sleeves, worn as a pullover, as it does not open at the front, unlike a cardigan. It is usually close-fitting and machine knitted in contrast to a guernsey that is more often hand knit with a thicker yarn...
that belongs to Wallace. As everybody in the drama club starts to turn against Wallace, Rachel instead starts to believe that Wallace isn't the one behind the attacks.
Wallace is eventually banned from the play and drama club, as everyone (but Rachel) begins to believe that he is the culprit. Despite having Wallace banned, the drama clubs decides to use all of his ideas for the play, one of which includes having Shep live at the end. This decision proves to be a hilarious disaster, when the culprit blows up the stuffed toy that is Shep during the play while the actors are praising the fact that Shep is living.
Wallace figures out that the culprit is Rachel's brother Dylan. Dylan wanted revenge on the play for "ruining" the famous Wallace Wallace. He then tells his first lie to spare her feelings. After immediate anger at Wallace, she then realizes that Dylan, not Wallace, was behind the attacks. Reconciling, they realize how much they like each other, along with reconciling with Steve, who in a final bit of humor, has become the object of adoration of Rachel's best friend, Trudi Davis, who up until that time been head over heels for Wallace.