Saw him at a This is Teen discussion panel. His advice to his teenage age self won me over. Funny guy.

He and the dog signed the book :)

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I've finished the book now. It's realistic fiction and non-adult. Since it's not a favorite genre of mine nor my age group I don't want to judge it to harshly.

I feel like the hero of the story should have gotten more attention. His choice is what made the outcome of the book. The main characters were headed for a certain outcome and he changed it. What teen makes the same choice he did when they find themselves in a similar situation? I don't know but I think it would be good for the audience to read about someone making that choice and the consequences they deal with because of it. Having it all happen "off page" made it feel too deus ex machine to me. ( )

Johnny Rotten the Rottweiler -- what's not to love? Well-done boy-meets-slobbery-dog tale. The book nicely shows how a pet can help a child going through difficult times. ( )

I thought the story was well done and engaging. I gave three stars. However, I do have a problem with the few inappropriate sexual innuendos included in the book, which were unnecessary to the story and seemingly without any purpose, except maybe to let us know that the author is up with what goes on with kids. Perhaps, what the author seeks to convey and teach, which may be more than one thing like family responsibility, loyalty, patience when wronged, behaving properly even towards those who try to take advantage of you, may make up for it.

I would recommend parents read the book themselves before they give it to an age appropriate child. ( )

After a summer away from his friends and his mom, JD is finally coming home but to a place that is not entirely the same as when he left it. His friends have bounded with different people, his girlfriend is somewhat of a sour note, and his mom adopted this dog that seems to hate all men. Welcome home? I've spent three or four weeks away from home and come home to a completely different place than the one I left behind. My friends are suddenly more busy than when I left, my parents have made plans that I had no idea about, and my dog isn't nearly as excited to see me as she used to be. The first thought that crosses any person's mind is, "What happened? Where is my real friends - my real family?" I liked the whole concept of the story which is very simple. There isn't a ton of subplots going on in the background. I know that compared to perhaps the concept of most other YA novels this one is pretty simple but it works for the plot line.

I prefer the shortened version of the main character's name, JD, far more than his actual name, which is honestly surprising because most of the time I like the full name more than the nickname. He is the rebellious guy that has a fun loving personality. He prefers to keep to himself in his room if he isn't hanging out with his friends. It takes some time for this rescued puppy that his mom adopted to warm up to him and a friendship sparks between the two of them. I wasn't extremely enchanted with him in the beginning because he honestly seemed a little boring, especially with the simple plot. I slowly started to warm up to him as his affections toward the dog grew and so on.

His mom is someone that I feel bad for. She is trying to have a good relationship with her son and keep their family together in a tight knit way. After sending him away, she hopes to protect him from his past mistakes but when she has to work a lot, it is hard to follow through. I admire her choices and the choices she wishes her son wouldn't make. I can sense a lot of my mom in this character because it was the same situation with her and my brother.

Johnny Rotten, oh how I despise this name for a dog despite how he may think it fits. I prefer the idea of calling him JR instead like JD. I adore dogs. I have a yellow lab that is my best friend, in fact she is more frequently by my side than not. So, of course, I was thrilled with the concept of this whole novel in general. The author really captured how an abused dog would act and how a dog in general is during the moments when JR is in the scene.

I am always cautious when friends take such a large role in the plot of the story because it can be either a very good thing or a very bad thing. More often than not, friends betray friends and that is what makes it hard. His friends are no different. Rudy is perhaps his best friend and I was thrilled that he stayed by JD's side throughout the story. I was worried that he would be the one that ends up hurting him the most. I was pleased to see it was not the case.

I enjoyed the story, it wasn't my most favorite story but it was a good read anyway. ( )

Rotten is a heart-warming story about a boy and his dog. Sounds cliché, right? Not so. Michael Northrup puts a fresh spin on an old idea.

Jimmer “JD” Dobbs gets home from “upstate” and discovers a new roommate: a rescued Rottweiler. JD renames him Johnny Rotten after the lead singer of Sex Pistols. I have to admit that the name suits the dog, but the idea that JD listens to old school punk seems far-fetched. JD’s voice wavered, at times coming across as younger than his sixteen years, but it evened out about halfway through.

Like most doglovers, I fell for Johnny Rotten. Northrup could’ve made the dog any one of the “bully” breeds, but there’s something lovable about Rottweilers. Yes, they can be vicious, but they can also be as loveable as a retriever. The fact that he’s a rescue adds to his character.

The reason JD spent his summer “upstate” is pretty easier to figure out, but the details are a little surprising. As the events unfold to the reveal, I kept thinking I didn’t want to know. The mystery added to JD’s character. Of course, I just didn’t want it to be something so horrible that I’d think differently of him after I found out. Yeah, I grew attached to JD.

Overall, Rotten is a great story without the usual fluff found in a lot of YA. It could be qualified as a “boy book,” but I think girls will enjoy it too. It’s definitely one for school librarians and teachers to get their hands on. ( )