Marley: A Dog Like No Other

“Seekor anjing tidak perlu mobil mewah atau rumah besar atau pakaian karya desainer kondang. Sebatang kayu basah sudah cukup…. Seekor anjing tidak peduli apakah anda kaya atau miskin, pandai atau pandir. Berikan dia hatimu, dan dia akan memberikan hatinya. Sungguh hal-hal yang sederhana.”

Marley bukanlah anjing terbaik di dunia. Juga tak ada yang menyebutnya sebagai anjing baik. Bahkan sebaliknya, Marley adalah seekor anjing yang benar-benar kacau sehingga sang pemilik, John Grogan, menyebutnya sebagai anjing terburuk di dunia. Terlahir dari seekor ayah yang hiperaktif, Marley hobi menabrak segalanya, rajin menelan dan memakan perabotan, hingga perhiasan. Dia suka menggerogoti furniture dan mengamuk jika badai datang.

Pertemuan show more Marley dengan keluarga Grogan memang tidaklah suatu kebetulan. Anjing itu mereka temukan di peternakan anjing dengan harga diskon. Sejak awal memang Marley tampaknya sudah memilih keluarga Grogan. Dan Jenny Grogan, sang istri pun telah jatuh hati pada anak anjing itu sejak pertama. Jadilah Marley anggota keluarga baru yang mereka cintai dengan sangat.

Berbagai tingkah Marley dalam buku ini sungguh ada-ada saja. Konyol dan benar-benar … khas seekor anjing! Labrador ini menjadi bintang film selama dua detik. Dikeluarkan dari kelas kepatuhannya yang pertama, sampai akhirnya lulus dalam peringkat kelima dari enam ekor anjing dalam kelas kepatuhannya yang kedua. Marley mengacau dimana-mana. Dijalanan, ia suka mengejar kucing-kucing. Di pantai, dia buang air sembarangan.

John Grogan yang merupakan seorang kolumnis di sebuah media cetak menuliskan kisah hidup anjingnya itu dengan begitu mempesona. Deskriptif, sehingga sosok Marley benar-benar menjadi bagian hidup kita sejak awal cerita. Dan ketika akhinya Marley menjadi tua dan mati, aku seperti ikut berada di bawah pohon Ceri dan menimbun tanah untuk makamnya. Marley bukanlah anjing sempurna, namun ia memiliki hati sebesar dunia untuk menyayangi orang-orang yang juga mencintainya. show less

Marley, A Dog Like No Other, is a juvenile version of the bestseller, Marley & Me. I have not read the adult version, so I cannot compare the two, however, Marley: A Dog Like No Other is a wonderful book in its own right.

A true story, based on the life of a lovable yet incorrigible Labrador, this book is a celebration not only of a dog, but of a family as well - one that is willing to see its imperfections and find humor in them. Like a comedian that spends ten minutes setting up the perfect punchline, Grogan has a perfect sense of comedic timing. Even if the reader can guess the outcome of any one of Marley's many escapades, Grogan delivers them with humor. More difficult than humor, however, is conveying the love that the Grogan show more family has for their dog.

"We could have bought a yacht with what we spent on our dog and all the things he destroyed. We'd take Marley any day. Yachts don't wait by the door all day for your return. And they don't live for the moment they can climb into your lap or ride down the hill with you on a toboggan, licking your face."

Eight pages of color photos are included. This is a humorous and heartwarming book that has just been chosen as the 2009 One Book New Jersey choice for middle grade readers. An excellent choice! show less

I don't have time to read the adult version so I tried this. The adaptation works quite well for younger readers. Young animal lovers will take this adorable galoot's story to heart.

The author and his wife purchase Marley, a Labrador retriever, as a puppy. The owner's reduced price for Marley should have indicated the challenges ahead, but his exuberance wins the couple over. Marley proves to be a big, lovable galoot. He's expelled from obedience school, is frightened by storms to the point of destructiveness, and eats anything, from Kleenex to his mistress' 18K gold necklace.

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

In this condensed version of John Grogan's best-selling MARLEY & ME, the author has written an adapted version of his life and times with his Labrador Retriever, Marley, that's perfect for younger readers.

Having read and fully enjoyed MARLEY & ME when it was first released, I was a little anxious to see how Mr. Grogan would handle a shorter, easier-to-read version for the middle-grade set. Fortunately, MARLEY: A DOG LIKE NO OTHER is a fun, vibrant, and compelling read that even older elementary school students will enjoy.

When John and his wife, Jenny, first pick Marley out from a litter of pure-blood Labradors, they have no idea that their small bundle of fur with the big paws and blocky head will show more eventually turn into a 97-pound drool-machine full of nerves, excitement, and limitless energy. This short story (196 pages) is a testament to the trials, tribulations, and ultimate loyalty of a dog who ended up starring in a feature film.

Marley is the type of dog that you love, despite his flaws (and there are many!), and even the youngest of readers will be overjoyed to read about the trouble that he finds himself in on a daily basis. And, I admit, I shed a few tears towards the end of this book, but they were well worth it, because Marley was worth it.

One great benefit of this version of Marley's story are the numerous full-color photographs that the author has included. This addition alone makes MARLEY: A DOG LIKE NO OTHER an asset to your home library. show less

John and Jenny are newlywed and enjoying every minute of married life together. When the thought of starting a family comes into play the young couple believes that their not quite ready to raise a child. As a solution, Jenny decides that they should buy a dog for practice. Agreeing to this plan, the couple gets a puppy with the name of Marley. The puppy, who in weeks grew to become a 97 lb Labrador retriever is much more than they can handle. The book Marley and Me tells the story of a dog who was full of joy and loyalty and became a huge part in a young couple’s relationship. This book also tells how a dog had taught a couple what truly matters in life.

I loved this book! It was relatable and filled with so much emotion. It showed show more the ups and downs of starting a family and ownership. Sure this book was meant to attract readers who love animals, but it had much more meaning behind it. This dog changed the authors life. He taught them so much that you wouldn’t expect from a dog. This book was so heartfelt and personal, yet it was a story that can touch out to anyone, which is why I recommend it to anybody. show less

This young peoples' adaptation of the book Marley and Me chronicles John Grogan's years with a lovable goof of a dog. Marley's adventures include flunking out of obedience school, appearing in a movie, and being banned from a local dog beach. Heartwarming, funny, and sad, this is a great family read for animal lovers. The audio recording, read by Neil Patrick Harris, was great. Harris uses lot of different voices and really brings the story to life. (Watch out, though, if you're listening in the car... the last quarter or so is pretty darn sad!)

This is a funny, heart-warming tribute to a loveable, dopey labrador and a faithful friend. Marley made me laugh and he made me cry. A wonderful story!