Homer and Rocket’s Christmas Puppies by Diane Green
This review first appeared on Reader Views. Read the Reader Views version here.
On a chilly yet magical Christmas Eve night, the lovely married couple of Rocket and Homer sit together before going adventuring throughout the town of Wallsingham. As they wind their way through town, they share memories and stories of their lives, especially at Christmastime. Eventually, Rocket and Homer reach the makeshift den of black Labrador retriever Pretty Girl, whom Homer had been nurturing along with Pretty Girl’s five puppies. Then, Rocket and Homer sneak Pretty Girl and her puppies into their penthouse before figuring out the perfect homes for all six dogs.
Homer and Rocket’s Christmas Puppies by Diane Green is a short, whimsical read aimed at nine- to twelve-year-olds. At times, the whimsy comes a little out of left field and could be enhanced by some additional world-building on Green’s part. However, if readers approach Homer and Rocket’s Christmas Puppies as a dreamlike story and can go with the flow, there is a wonderful holiday delight to the story.
This may seem odd, but my absolute favorite part of the book was the delicate and welcoming opener:
"Once every year at Christmas Eve a portal opens and we become part of an enchanted world. It is nearly time."
This, to me, rings so true about the magical and warm feeling around Christmastime for those who celebrate. It perfectly sets the scene and mood for Homer and Rocket’s Christmas Puppies.
I also think Green captures the feeling of loving a dog quite well. As a dog mom myself, I found Homer and Rocket’s love for Pretty Girl and her puppies touching and relatable. I don’t want to give away where all of the dogs end up because it’s a fun surprise when you read it for the first time, but it is a sweet and festive way to end this book.
Finally, I wanted to highlight the way that Green addresses how Homer and Rocket think and act differently from each other and, often, differently than others around them expect. I think, overall, Green does a great job of portraying in Rocket someone whose brain and body move quite quickly and thus at a different pace than her partner’s. Homer, on the other hand, is unhurried. Yet, as Green clearly shows, the different speeds at which they move through the world do not mean Homer and Rocket can’t understand and support one another.
I do want to give a quick warning, though, that, in describing a sad time in his youth, Homer does mention that he used to be labeled as the R-word. I highlight it just so readers, or those gifting or reading the book, can be prepared.
For those looking for a Christmas-y read for young or developing readers featuring whimsy, a warm mood, love for dogs, and a way of exploring different mindsets or ways of going about life, Homer and Rocket’s Christmas Puppies by Diane Green is a perfect pick.
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