Review Detail

Roxbury Park Dog Club #2: When the Going Gets Ruff

Middle Grade Fiction 178

Middle school challenge- being organized!

March 04, 2016 (Updated: June 29, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

N/A

Writing Style

N/A

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

N/A

Sasha is enjoying her work at the dog shelter but really, really wants a dog of her own, particularly Mr. Smashmouth, with whom she has bonded. Her single mother is very strict and overly concerned with cleanliness, making Sasha bring clothes to change into so that she doesn't get dog fur on her "school" clothes, so she does not want a pet. It doesn't help that Sasha is not very responsible, forgetting to do chores, bring things to school, and has trouble getting class assignments done. A typical Sasha incident goes something like this: for a school project, the girls decide to make Turkish delight, they gather the ingredients and start cooking in Sasha's kitchen, and eventually the entire kitchen is covered in rose scented goo. Sasha tries to clean up, and does admit her mistake to her mother, but things are still a mess. Taylor and Kim try to help Sasha out as best they can, but it's up to Sasha to prove to her mother that she can juggle everything-- school, ballet, the dog shelter AND owning a pet.

Good Points

It was fun to read about Sasha's life, since most of it was different from anything I've experienced. Tween readers will love finding out more about ballet, will sympathize with the parental strictures, and will worry about Sasha's relationship with her friends. Fans of Schroeder's It's Raining Cupcakes, Malone and Nall's You're Invited series or Singleton's The Curious Cat Spy Club will enjoy the business aspect of the dog walking business as well as the friend and parents drama included.

This series would make a great birthday gift for a tween with a dog-- a creative tween could make up quite a cute package with the books and some dog themed items!