PUYB Virtual Book Club Chats with 'Dog Trouble' Galia Oz

Galia Oz was born in Kibbutz Hulda, Israel, in 1964. She studied film and Television in Tel Aviv University 1984-87.

Her award winning series of 5 books titled DOG TROUBLE was published in France, Spain and Brazil – and recently in the US by CROWN BOOKS Random House. The series is a steady seller in Israel for over 10 years (selling over 150,000 copies). 

Oz has directed several documentaries, all screened in international film festivals, and in Israeli leading television channels.

Over the years, Galia Oz has been meeting thousands of readers in Israeli elementary schools, and taught creative writing and classic children's literature to kids in public libraries.

Galia Oz is married and has two kids, a dog and a cat, and they all live in Ramat Hasharon, just outside Tel-Aviv.

Visit her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009378865434.

About the Book:

Title: DOG TROUBLE!
Author: Galia Oz
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Pages: 144
Genre: Children's book for young readers, ages 8-12

BOOK BLURB: 

Readers who have graduated from Junie B. Jones and Ivy & Bean will fall head over heels for feisty Julie and her troublesome new dog.
 
Julie has only had her dog for two weeks, but she is already causing all sorts of problems. For starters, she is missing! Julie suspects the school bully Danny must be behind it. But it will take some detective work, the help of Julie’s friends, and maybe even her munchkin twin brothers to bring her new pet home.

Wonderfully sassy and endlessly entertaining, the escapades of Julie and her dog are just beginning!

Julie’s adventures have sold across the globe and been translated into five languages. Popular filmmaker and children’s author Galia Oz effortlessly captures the love of a girl and her dog.

"A funny exploration of schoolyard controversy and resolution.” –Kirkus Reviews 

"Will resonate with readers and have them waiting for more installments.” –Booklist  

ORDER YOUR COPY:

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Welcome to PUYB Virtual Book Club, Galia! What do you believe prepared you for writing books for children?

I probably had no choice but to become a children's books writer. I can easily identify with children, and I can easily make them laugh. I tend to be impatient; therefore I stick to dynamic plots and short dialogues. I have an intense imagination. Sometimes it gets in my way when I try to relax, but it sure helps to identify with other human beings. I'm a pessimist – which comes in handy when I want to write a joke. But mostly, being a book warm since childhood has made me what I am.

The book describes the escapades of a group of children, all good friends (except for one unlucky bully who is not their friend), and the journey of one little dog. Can you tell us a little about the group of children?

Julie is a people's person, assertive but sensitive; Her cousin Effie is the fastest runner in her class, but suffers from low self-esteem and social anxiety; Brody is cynical and witty and reserved, but also a loyal friend; And Adam is actually a writer, even though he doesn’t know it yet. He invents the strangest tales, and sometimes other kids make fun of him for it. But they all listen to him, too.

I love children’s books that approach the subject of bullying. Do you feel that your book accomplishes that?

I hope I've accomplished one of my main goals – to avoid stereotypes. Danny is a lonely bully who annoys others just to get some attention. He can be mean and fragile at the same time. It's not a black-and-white reflection of reality.

Were you nervous writing this book because of the pressure of writing a book for children that they could relate to?

At first, I was. But the first DOG TROUBLE! (the series unclouded five books) received a warm welcome, both by critics and readers. I then felt more confident to go ahead and write the sequels. But I'm still uncertain about how I should approach my next book. And rightfully so: Having torturing doubts is a good thing for a writer… 

If you were to take a vacation with one of your characters, who would that be and where would you go?

I would choose Adam, and ask him to join me for a trip to the Kibbutz (the communal village) where I grew up in Israel. It would be a journey in time, too, back to my childhood. Adam is very much the portrayal of the kid I was: A day dreamer with limited social skills, a compulsive reader and writer who insisted on sharing imaginary tails with his surroundings, even at the cost of being mocked.

Would it be fun? Yes, because both of us would be able to appreciate the fact that taking the stand of the observer can be fun, too…

Can you tell us one thing about Dog Trouble that readers might not know?

All 5 DOG TROUBLE! books have been best sellers in Israel for the last 10 years.

Every year I meet with hundreds of readers across the country. Every now and then, kids knock on my door and I invite them in for a chat and hot chocolate. This is when I feel like a real writer…