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Dylan’s Dilemma follows a young cocker spaniel in South Korea, who is searching for his forever home, leading him on a wild adventure that brings him to sunny Southern California. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Dylan’s Dilemma is based on the true story of my dog Dylan. It originally began when a friend, an American professor, moved to South Korea to teach. He was lonely and so he bought Dylan, an American Cocker Spaniel, from Walmart. (Yes, you can buy almost anything at a Walmart in Daejeon.) I told my friend that he needed to train Dylan and he thought not. It was his plan to have a dog with no restrictions. All was well until my friend married. Dylan had become a serial chewer by that time and destroyed their apartment—eating all the furniture, the coverings off all the electrical wiring and eating the interior of their BMW. But when he ate their wedding pictures and the negatives, my friend’s wife declared Dylan’s time was up. Dylan was sent to me.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
I believe that there is no such thing as a bad dog. All dogs want to please. They deserve your love and respect and will benefit and thrive with consistency. High on the list is pet responsibility and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.
Dylan provides readers with a lot of entertaining moments to enjoy. What was your favorite scene in this story?
The ending.
Aiden, Dylan’s former owner, comes to California to visit. Dylan is excited to see Aiden again. All too soon Dylan realizes that Aiden is only there because Dylan is now famous and can do something for him. Aiden tells Dylan to choose: Dylan can go home with him or stay with Casey. Dylan is torn. There was a time when Dylan would have given anything for Aiden to want him again. Dylan looks to Casey but Casey stays silent. Dylan doesn’t understand and his heart starts to break all over again. But then Casey raises his right hand and uses American Sign Language to sign, I love you. Dylan realizes that is the answer he needs and wants and runs to Casey.
Can you tell us more about what’s in store for Dylan and the direction of the second book?
Casey and Dylan continue to bond and grow by learning Agility Training, Obedience Training, American Sign Language and complete American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen training. They also begin learning search and rescue techniques. After a successful search and rescue mission on Catalina Island, California, they dream of having their own dog training school someday. But someday seems a long way off.
Dylan’s training is soon put to the test when he accidentally gets lost. Dylan is determined to get home but he also knows in his heart that he and Casey are a team—Casey will and does find him. Not long after, their best friend, Sumo, runs away from home. The police have no leads and it looks hopeless. It’s up to Casey and Dylan to use their search and rescue skills to find Sumo and to bring him home. That’s when Casey, Sumo and Dylan decide to become Dylan’s Dog Squad—it’s a dream they can have now.
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A heartwarming, page-turning adventure perfect for readers ages 8 to 13—and for dog lovers of all ages.
Life gets exciting when Dylan, a spirited pup with a knack for trouble and a heart of gold, joins Casey and his mom’s home. From charming the neighborhood to bringing joy to the jumbo screen at the baseball game to young patients at a nearby children’s hospital, Dylan quickly becomes everyone’s favorite furry friend. But life with Dylan is anything but simple.
With dognappers lurking and a bully with his reckless dog causing trouble, Casey and Dylan find themselves in a race against time to unravel the mystery behind this mischief.
Will Dylan’s loyal heart and nose for adventure help him outwit the bad guys?
Reading level: Longer chapter books and middle-grade books, Lexile score 790L
Dylan’s Dilemma (Dylan’s Dog Squad Book 1)
Dylan’s Dilemma is a sweet, funny, and sometimes heartbreaking story about a cocker spaniel named Dylan who starts his life in a cramped crate in South Korea and winds up on a wild adventure that brings him all the way to sunny Southern California. The book follows Dylan’s ups and downs as he finds freedom with his first owner, Aiden, faces abandonment when Aiden can no longer keep him, and eventually struggles to find a place in a new family with a boy named Casey and his no-nonsense mother. Written mostly from Dylan’s point of view, the book brings readers right into the mind of a lovable, mischievous pup who’s just trying to figure out where he belongs.
What really struck me about this book was how real Dylan’s emotions felt. Kathleen Troy doesn’t just tell you Dylan is happy or scared; she makes you feel it. When Dylan thinks, “My lungs are shrinking. I can’t breathe,” after Aiden gives him up, my heart physically hurt. Troy’s writing captures Dylan’s innocence perfectly, especially in moments like when he tries to “help” in Casey’s mom’s office by turning her important project into a shredded hamster collage. I found myself laughing aloud, though it was a bittersweet kind of laughter, recognizing that the little dog was simply trying his best.
The pacing of the story kept me locked in, too. One minute, I was giggling over Dylan’s craft skills (destroying cords, baseboards, and tables like a tiny wrecking ball), and the next, I was genuinely nervous when he was sent off in a crate across the ocean. The humor balances out the emotional gut punches really well. Plus, Casey’s character is just the right mix of loyal and goofy. His determination to keep Dylan, even when his mom is dead set against it, made me root for them both so hard. Their bond is simple but strong, like when Casey calls Dylan “Little Buddy,” giving him a sense of belonging again after losing Aiden.
One thing I noticed is that some of the adult characters are written with a playful exaggeration, especially Casey’s mom, who shifts from grumpy to affectionate with the speed of a light switch. It actually adds to the lively, slightly cartoonish tone of the story (particularly during hilarious moments like Eddie-the-Whiner’s antics at dog training). The vibrant style suits the book’s mission: to entertain first, warm the heart second, and sprinkle in seriousness just where it’s needed.
Dylan’s Dilemma is a real charmer. It’s perfect for anyone who loves dogs, funny misadventures, and heart-tugging stories about finding your forever home. I’d especially recommend it for middle-grade readers or adults who just want a sweet escape for a few hours.
Pages: 256 | ASIN : B09RQCDPG5
LITERARY TITAN 