Stepdog
Stepdog is a 1983 children's book by Marlene Fanta Shyer, with illustrations by Judith Schermer. Shyer's story revolves around a girl's excitement over her father's new wife, and the jealousy the latter's pet dog develops after they wed. It received positive reviews, and several publications throughout the 1980s discussed its portrayal of stepfamily dynamics. Plot A girl named Terry is excited that her father will soon marry a new wife, Marilyn, as they all move to a summer lakeshore home. The father is confident his daughter will enjoy the company of Marilyn's pet dog, Hoover, who can "shake hands, run fast, and wag his tail at sixty miles an hour". But Hoover develops strong apathy over the thought of the marriage, leading to his jealousy and misbehavior soon after. Through consoling him and dreaming of herself as a dog, Terry comes to terms with the dog's feelings. On a later morning, she wakes up to the sight of various shoes the jealous canine collected from the family for several days, and the two thank each other in the process. The story ends with a family lake race where Terry wins and Hoover is runner-up, and Terry's confession that she likes