7to8 book club reads

These are two newer books that I came across while preparing for last month's 7to8 Book Club and rather liked.
The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin (ages 8-11).
A 99% autobiographical account of one year (yup, you

guessed it, the year of dog from the lunar calendar) in the life of a Twainese-American girl growing up in a small upstate NY town. Pacy, as she's known at home while called Grace at school, shares her experiences of what it's like to be culturally different from most of the other kids in her community and how confusing this can often be. It's year of self-dicovery, finding hidden talents, and making a special new friend. A delightful read, especailly for learning about Asian-American culture.
Down Girl and Sit: Smarter Than Squirrels by Lucy Nolan

(ages 7-10)
What would we do without dogs to save the world from menacing squirrels and pesky birds? Lucky for humans, there are dogs like Down Girl and Sit to protect us! Told from the point of view of Down Girl, this funny book offers four chapters of their neighborhood adventures, including protecting garbage cans full of treasures from Here Kitty, Kitty and avoiding the dreadful creature who lurks behind the backyard fence (the little girl next door who is known to dress pets up in humilating doll clothes). Recommended for young dog lovers!
Martha