A 5-Star Rating from Laura's Books and Blogs!
When I was growing up, dog stories were everywhere. They were in movies, books, and TV, and even though I wasn’t a dog lover in real life, I couldn’t get enough of them. Influenced by these stories, my friends and I would sometimes pretend to be dogs when we played together, each choosing a breed, a name, and a backstory.
Dog stories are still around, and dogs are more popular than ever, but I rarely see anything that reminds me of the stories I used to love growing up. Author Bryan Reilly has broken this dry spell with his novel, The Junkyard.
The story
The Junkyard is a classic rival gang story with unique twists and turns and explores traditional themes of honor, revenge, and loyalty. It is brutal and action-packed, yet full of heart and a wide mix of characters whose morals and instincts are put to the test. Sometimes they are triumphant, and sometimes they are defeated.
The story is fantasy in that the dogs and other animals featured in the story can speak English, though they aren’t understood by Mr. Ferguson or any of the humans who come to watch the dog fights. Otherwise, it’s very grounded in its telling, and the animals could easily be switched out for humans, and the story would still make sense and have a lot to teach its readers.
The illustrations
The book is short, under 200 pages, and many of these pages contain full color illustrations which I was sure to read in color in order to get the full effect of these drawings. Some of the drawings take up an entire page while others are half-page spreads that encompass the entire top half of two pages, depending on what it’s trying to convey.
The illustrator, Rich Denver, puts a lot of emotion into his animals without giving them cartoonish, anthropomorphic qualities. The aerial view map of the junkyard was particularly helpful in getting a layout of the different, distinct areas that the characters weave through like a maze and which become instrumental in understanding the climax of the story.
The characters
There are a lot of characters in this book, many of which have a significant effect on the outcome of the story. I found it hard to keep track of who was who at times as well as their breeds and personalities, but Reilly did a great job of organically reminding the reader of who was who.
When the dogs join the junkyard, they are given new names. Dodge, who learned to read English, tends to bestow those new names onto the new dogs based on brands of cars and appliances that have been discarded in the junkyard. It’s a great way to give them a new identity with familiar words to its readers that have a whole new meaning in the human world. However, the names are fitting for each dog’s personality.
Reilly is able to give each character something meaningful to do in a short amount of time. This helps to form a strong bond between the readers and the characters, creating a great amount of tension and panic when they find themselves in trouble and facing a brutal end, even the villainous ones.
My recommendation
I recommend The Junkyard to any reader who is looking for a classic action tale with well-drawn characters and high stakes. The side plots really keep the story moving, and other than the abrupt ending, I felt that the story and characters were flushed out well.
The drawings really help to break up the text without feeling out of place or pausing the action in any way. In fact, they help to add to the clarity of the action.
I’d love to see these characters in future stories. I feel that Reilly has built the base of an epic series in this first book.
A gripping and emotionally resonant animal fantasy, The Junkyard follows a resilient community of abandoned dogs who must unite to defend their hidden sanctuary from a cruel owner, rival packs, and a vengeful wild wolf.
When Ninja, a gentle pit bull bred for the fighting ring, throws a match to escape her abusive owner, Mr. Fergusen, she is left for dead at the edge of the junkyard. Saved by Dodge—a wise German Shepherd who leads a cooperative, hidden society of strays in the northern yard—she is given a fresh start and the name Maytag.
However, the sanctuary’s fragile peace is quickly shattered by the territorial threats of Saab, the tyrannical leader of the southern yard’s Rottweilers, and Canis, a vengeful wild wolf stalking the fence line. When tragedy strikes, the dogs of the northern yard must put aside their fears and work together to orchestrate a brilliant, defensive stand to protect their home and finally live “off the leash”.
Exceptionally engaging, Bryan Reilly masterfully balances gritty, high-stakes action with heartwarming themes of loyalty and family. Written in an authentic, canine-centric voice, the characters interact heavily through scent, body language, and physical instinct, which is perfectly paired with lighthearted humor—particularly through Weber, a comedic pug whose dog-centric exclamations like “chicken grits and bacon bits” bring delightful levity to the dark narrative. While the resolution of the wild wolf subplot relies somewhat on a convenient, external intervention by a grizzly bear, the pacing remains incredibly tight, leading to a highly satisfying and clever climax that showcases the dogs’ ingenuity.
Potential readers should note that the novel contains graphic depictions of dog-fighting, physical animal abuse by humans, and moments of intense animal peril and violence.
The Junkyard is an outstanding and emotionally stirring adventure. Mature young adults, animal lovers, and fans of classic survival stories like Watership Down will find themselves thoroughly captivated by this inspiring tale of finding family and freedom in the most unexpected places. -The Children's Book Review
An affecting mix of fantasy, harsh reality, and high-stakes action.
In Reilly’s fantasy novel, dogs face life-and-death challenges in a junkyard in the woods.
This compelling tale will resonate with dog lovers, even those who are older than its middle school target audience. The author’s respect for animals is clearly reflected in his observations of canine behavior, including their body language and their social, playful, and aggressive interactions. The only humans in the narrative are the vile Mr. Fergusen, who runs a dogfighting enterprise in his junkyard garage, and his avid customers. All the other characters are animals, who speak to one another (but not to humans), form communities, and strategize. Exhausted pit bull Ninja is about to enter the ring, goaded by Fergusen and bloodthirsty men who “stink of rotten souls.” Unable to take any more abuse, Ninja decides that she won’t fight. There’s an authentic appeal to readers’ emotions in her decision and in what this “entertainment” entails, and the author doesn’t sugarcoat the dehumanizing reality of dogfighting, or the cruelty of a dog owner “who hates dogs so much that he starves their bellies, tortures their bodies, and conditions their minds toward violence.” Most of the story, though, happens among dogs in the junkyard, and, memorably, in the nearby forest. At one point, Dodge, one of the junkyard’s “free” watchdogs, orders his secret crew of abandoned strays to bring the half-dead Ninja to his home; heaps of detritus (tires, TVs, home appliances, auto parts, empty freight railcars, and more) form tunnels and lairs on the north side, where Dodge and his crew live. On the south side, a rival pack resides, led by another watchdog, Saab, who’s broken the two groups’ uneasy truce. Dodge is hopeful that having a pit bull on their side will even the odds. Multiple conflicts then collide involving Dodge and Saab, Fergusen’s timid house dog, a vengeful wolf, a murderous mastiff, and an enraged grizzly bear. As the book heads toward its adrenaline-charged conclusion, excellent characterization gives the narrative dimension and emotional resonance. The entire story is enhanced by Denver’s expressive, watercolor-style illustrations.
-Kirkus Reviews
Recipient of a coveted "Starred Review" and
Notable Book Seal from BlueInk Review.
Reilly vividly paints this literary junkyard and the surrounding landscape with fine detail. From the mountains of tires to the walls of broken-down cars and appliances, his descriptions bring readers into the animals’ secret hideaways and tunnels. He also creates page-turning tension, via the brutality of dog fights, the blast of Fergusen's "thunderstick" and other ominous occurrences. Readers will find themselves absorbed in the harsh battle between canines and humans.
The animals’ dialogue is natural and sometimes funny (“Sniff my butt, house dog!” retorts one dog when insulted by another). And Rich Denver's full-color illustrations, scattered throughout, effectively complement the intricate, well-crafted prose.
While The Junkyard seems intended for middle-grade readers, the story—with its message of peace over violence, strength in kindness, and uniting with others toward a positive goal— should attract a much wider audience. Rich in canine characters, with its unique narrative told from their perspective, this emotional journey will entertain dog lovers of all ages.
A 5-Star Review from Literary Titan!
Bryan Reilly’s The Junkyard, illustrated by Rich Denver, is one of those middle-grade stories that quietly slips past your defenses. At first glance, it is a story set in a junkyard. Beneath that gritty surface, however, is something far more tender. This is a story about choosing peace in a world shaped by violence. It is about finding family in the most unexpected places.
Ninja is a pit bull trapped in the brutal world of dog fighting, a bloodthirsty and morbid sport that strips animals of dignity, safety, and trust. She would rather lose than harm another living creature. She would rather suffer than become what others demand. After she deliberately throws a fight, her cruel owner, Mr. Fergusen, abandons her at the edge of a forest and leaves her for dead. Yet what seems like an ending becomes a beginning. A tribe of scrappy junkyard strays discovers her, renames her Maytag, nurses her back to health, and offers her something she has never truly known: love.
As a dog lover, I found myself caught between heartbreak and joy with every turn of the page. The horror of the fighting ring left me enraged and gutted. Then came the warmth of Maytag settling into her ragtag new family, and the story opened into something gentle, hopeful, and deeply moving. That peace does not last. When the aggressive Rottweiler Saab and a vengeful forest wolf named Canis set their sights on the northern junkyard, Maytag must face the question she has been running from: can a dog who refuses to fight bring herself to protect the ones she loves? It is a question with real emotional weight, and Reilly handles it with care, restraint, and courage.
What impressed me most was the writing. Reilly does not talk down to his readers. His prose is vivid, thoughtful, and emotionally intelligent. Each scene is painted with enough texture that the junkyard seems to rise from the page. You can almost feel the rusted steel, the cold ground, and the shared warmth of the pack huddled together. Rich Denver’s illustrations are sparse, yet effective. They appear at just the right moments, giving shape to characters the prose has already made unforgettable.
The message woven through this story is powerful without ever feeling preachy. Maytag’s journey, from a life of forced violence to one of chosen love, reminds young readers that gentleness is not weakness. Kindness, in this story, becomes its own form of bravery. For anyone who has ever loved a dog, The Junkyard will feel deeply personal. Readers will root for Maytag with their whole hearts. Moving, heartfelt, and beautifully written, Reilly’s novel is a must-read for young readers ready to dive into emotionally rich fiction. It is also an absolute gift for dog lovers of any age.
In The Junkyard by Bryan Reilly, after escaping a dog-fighting ring run by a violent junkyard owner named Mr. Fergusen, a battered pit bull called Ninja is taken into a hidden settlement beneath piles of wrecked cars where abandoned dogs survive under the leadership of a German Shepherd named Dodge. Ninja hopes to leave fighting behind, but the junkyard is divided between Dodge’s northern yard and a rival Rottweiler named Saab, whose growing power threatens the fragile order keeping the dogs alive. While tension spreads through the junkyard, a gray wolf named Canis begins hunting Dodge for reasons tied to the death of his father near the fence line. As rivalries close in from the forest and from inside the junkyard itself, Ninja finds herself pulled toward a fight far larger than the one she escaped.
Bryan Reilly’s The Junkyard is an animal-driven novel told from the point of view of the abandoned dogs living inside a sprawling scrapyard ruled by violence and underground dog fighting. For all the horrors of what goes on in the junkyard, there are some genuinely heartening moments. Dogs that are injured and can't fight are exterminated, and knowing this, Ninja secretly convinces another fighter, Sumo, to fake a match so both animals might survive another night. I love the Labrador Ruby, who risks severe punishment to feed a starving Sumo. All of Reilly's characters are fully fleshed out. Maytag combines battlefield instincts with heartbreak after a kidnapping by Canis, and the antagonist Saab turns every darn moment into a power contest. Reilly's settings are pure cinema, from the junkyard itself and its southern yard, built from filthy passenger rail cars, to the sweltering garage full of chains and blood stains. Well written, gritty, and wholly entertaining, this is perfect for strong young readers and the young at heart. Very, very highly recommended.
Reviewed by Readers' Favorite: 5 Stars!
From LitPick.com:
The Junkyard is an engaging novel with prose bearing morality that depicts lessons gotten from the protagonist’s choice. One of these moral lessons centered around compassion, which resulted from Maytag’s intentional refusal to fight. This was an unusual emotion for a character like her (being an animal), but Reilly used it to show that violence does not really have to be the surviving factor; expressing compassion can also stand as a moral choice, and the story insisted that this value remains the stronger alternative when trying to choose between compassion and violence. The novel also went on to highlight the topic of animal treatment. The author used the narrative to express the pain, both emotionally and physically, that animals used for entertainment usually face. It is painful to see these atrocities imposed on them, and so this part urges readers to pause and rethink their behaviors toward vulnerable animals. Do they use them for entertainment or profit? If yes, then that would be cruelty.
Since the protagonist's life at the beginning was filled with violence and wickedness, Maytag did not let the trauma grow with her, nor did she let it define her. After being saved by the group of stray dogs, she began to transform into a newfound version of herself she slowly discovered. This part posed a message to readers that whatever trauma has been faced by an individual can still be healed, gradually. There might have been scars imprinted in the heart left by the past, but recovery is possible, and with time those scars will fade away.
The illustrations were a part of the novel that showed the animals' world. The imagery captured various moments, bringing the environment vividly to life in the minds of readers. The picturing of the junkyard feels more than just a location; it was a place where the dogs found solace, away from the humans, and a shelter to the homeless.
The Junkyard tells the story of survival and the courage to do what is right in cases of wrong. For Maytag, she set a clear example of good morals, and she invites all readers to emulate these values. To those who have faced or experienced any sort of trauma, with the right place and right friends, healing is possible. Readers who are interested in animal stories with moral reflection will enjoy this, but I will particularly recommend it to young readers because its characters and lessons will reach deep into their hearts.
From Goodreads.com:
An Editorial review from Reedsy Discovery:
The Junkyard is a dark and emotional story about survival, cruelty, loyalty, and hope. It follows a pit bull first known as Ninja, later called Maytag, as she is forced to fight in an underground dog-fighting ring. She learns that if she can survive seven wins, she may earn a different life as a junkyard watchdog. That small chance of freedom drives the early part of the book and gives Maytag’s journey real weight.
After the fighting pits, Maytag enters the dangerous world of the junkyard itself. There, she joins a pack of dogs trying to survive under the control of Mr. Fergusen, a harsh man who treats animals as property instead of living creatures. The junkyard is more than just a setting. With its rusted cars, sharp metal, and endless scraps, it mirrors the damaged lives of the dogs who live there.
One of the book’s strongest features is its cast of animal characters. Each dog has a clear personality and role in the story. Dodge, the German Shepherd leader, brings wisdom and strength, while Lexus helps hold the pack together. Maytag stands out most of all. Her growth from a brutalized fighter into someone capable of love, trust, and courage gives the novel its heart.
Bryan Reilly also does a good job making the dogs feel believable rather than cartoonish. They are expressive and emotional, but they still feel grounded in the harsh world they inhabit. The use of car-brand names like Lexus, Fiat, and Impala is a smart detail that fits the junkyard setting and quietly reinforces the idea that these animals have been cast aside.
The second half of the novel becomes even more intense as outside dangers close in, including the mysterious Monster and the threatening One-Eared Wolf, Canis. At times, the constant action can feel heavy, especially near the final battle. Even so, the fast pace matches the danger of the world and keeps the tension high.
Overall, The Junkyard is a gripping and often heartbreaking read. Fans of animal-centered survival stories will likely connect with its themes of resilience, belonging, and redemption. It is a tough story, but a rewarding one.
From Midwest Book Review:
A splendid mix of fantasy and adventure starring a remarkable dog having to survive ill treatment and facing the question of putting her life on the line in defense of her canine friends. An interesting, original, and fascinating read, "The Junkyard" by author/storyteller Bryan Reilly and artist/illustrator Rich Denver, will be of particular interest to young readers who enjoy original stories featuring dogs and dealing with the issue of animal cruelty. "The Junkyard" is especially and unreservedly recommended for family, community, and K-12 school library General Fiction collections for ages 8-18.
From Prairies Book Review:
Raw, immersive, and emotionally rich.
In Reilly’s compelling novel, a pacifist pit bull, rescued from a brutal fighting ring and given a new life among stray dogs in a hidden junkyard sanctuary, must decide whether to fight when ruthless rivals threaten to destroy her newfound family.
With the grit of classic animal survival fiction and a layered coming-of-age core, Reilly brings The Junkyard to life. Driven by Maytag’s emotional conflict, the narrative examines compassion in a harsh, unforgiving world. Rich character dynamics, ever-present human threat, and a vivid setting add to themes of belonging, identity, and moral responsibility.
A gripping and emotionally resonant story that asks whether peace can survive in a world built on violence, and what it truly means to fight for those you love.