Alpha Dog

Ziegler unleashes a breezy first novel about learning to lead the pack. A semester of college summer school in Austin, Tex., frees 17-year-old Katie from the boyfriend who dumped her on her birthday, the friends who follow suit, and her controlling mother. After tagging along to the pound with her roommate, Christine, Katie winds up choosing a dog herself-a pup so unruly that obedience school forces her to try to become the alpha dog. But adopting a dog nudges Katie from her dispirited state. Ziegler offers some humorous touches, including Katie's band groupie roommate, who dupes adults into thinking she's super-responsible (Katie's mother calls Christine for updates). Dog lovers will likely chuckle over the canine misadventures, including puppy chewing and barking. But readers may feel that the heroine doesn't ever truly bond with her dog, and the relationships between the sexes come across as somewhat superficial. Even as Katie asserts herself, the focus shifts from one romance to another. The much-anticipated confrontation with her mother seems a bit neat, and Katie's excuse about using her parents' credit card for veterinary bills without a plan for paying them back undermines her claims of independence. Still, fans of teen romance will probably enjoy this romp with a likable heroine. Ages 12-up.