dogs – The Dusty Jacket

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo (J Fiction)

Because of Winn-Dixie

Kate DiCamillo (J Fiction)

Opal knows ten things about her mother, but the one that sticks out most is that she hated being a preacher’s wife. Perhaps that’s why she left and never came back. When Opal’s father is given the chance to minister at a converted Pick-It-Quick store, the two leave the bad memories of Watley and move to a fresh start in Naomi, Florida. However, Opal’s lonely life changes when a stray dog she names Winn-Dixie enters her life. Because of Winn-Dixie, she meets the town’s librarian who once loaned a book to a bear, a reclusive witch with a ghost tree in her backyard, an animal-serenading ex-convict, a bald-headed baby, and a pinch-faced know-it-all. Soon, these strange individuals begin to fill the empty spot in Opal’s life and because of Winn-Dixie, maybe life in Naomi won’t be so lonely after all.

Recipient of the 2001 Newbery Honor Book award, Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie is a warm and tender book about misjudging people, dealing with loneliness and loss, and the power that a simple act of kindness can have. Through a goofy dog with a penchant for smiling and a possessing a remarkably good judge of character, Winn-Dixie shows Opal that looks can be deceiving, labels are best left on soup cans, and anyone who offers you a peanut butter sandwich can’t be all that bad. With a “surrogate” mother in the form of Gloria Dump (who deals with her own demons in a unique and beautiful way), Opal begins to understand the importance of courtesy and the value of giving everyone a second chance. Although this story dabbles into some complex issues involving parental abandonment and alcohol abuse, its sweet and tender message of belonging and being true to yourself makes it a delightful and enjoyable book for readers of all ages.

Walt Whitman once wrote, “Be curious, not judgmental.” Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal learned to look beyond a person’s past actions, ugly words, or sour disposition and instead began to ask questions and listen to their stories. By using her ears rather than her eyes, she discovered what Winn-Dixie knew all along…that anyone who shows kindness, warmth, and compassion to a scraggly dog with a toothy smile can’t really be all that bad. How can they be?

Rating: 5/5

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Uncle Boris in the Yukon and Other Shaggy Dog Stories by Daniel Pinkwater (Adult Autobiography)

Uncle Boris in the Yukon and Other Shaggy Dog Stories

Daniel Pinkwater (Adult Autobiography)

This is a book about three men who love dogs and the dogs that loved them back. From the author’s Uncle Boris, the most colorful and cultured of his father’s five gangster brothers from Warsaw; to his father who emigrated from Poland to New York in the 1920s and became an expert in parrots; to the author himself who has always been drawn to sled dogs, had a penchant for magic in his youth, and opened up an obedience school while authoring several children’s books, their shaggy tales (pun intended) will delight and warm the heart of any puppy parent, canine cuddler, or doggy doter.

Admittedly, I was disappointed for the first third of the book where I found the title to be misleading—the story related very little of Uncle Boris in the Yukon and the other shaggy dog stories were either mere mentions, brief encounters, or just a few short paragraphs. However, as Mahatma Gandhi once said, “To lose patience is to lose the battle” so I was determined to press on because who was I to doubt Gandhi? Luckily, my patience was rewarded as I was given stories that plucked at my very heartstrings: using dogs to heal troubled boys lost in an academic system; adopting an aggressive Malamute whose imperfections made him the perfect companion; and opening up Superpuppy, a dog obedience business that resulted in several comedic situations and even more valuable life lessons. Pinkwater’s stories of love, loss, healing, and heartbreak will resonate with anyone who has ever had the privilege and experienced the joy of having been loved by a dog.

I sometimes end my reviews with a famous quote that succinctly and eloquently wraps up the overall theme of the story. I couldn’t find anything that expresses this better than Pinkwater’s own words about his many canine companions: They’ve been my teachers, this little succession of barkers—they’ve shown me a lot about how it’s possible to live this life, and also how to leave it, loving it right up to the last second. Whether purebred, crossbred, mongrel, rescue, foster, or stray, these shaggy creatures somehow find a way into a few lucky homes and hearts…and ultimately we are all the better for it.

Rating: 4/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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The Good Dog by Avi (J Fiction)

The Good Dog

Avi (J Fiction)

McKinley was a good dog who lived a good life. He was part of a caring family, loved by his human pup Jack, had lots of friends, and held the distinction of being head dog of the Steamboat pack. Yes, life for the malamute was very good until the day a she-wolf by the name of Lupin arrived. Her words of freedom and wild enticed McKinley as he began to feel the burden of taking care of both his pack and his pup. Lupin had him questioning his life as a bound dog…a slave to humans and their will. As McKinley begins to witness the cruelty that humans were capable of, would he submit to his wolf ancestry and join Lupin to live a life without rules and conditions? What would a good dog do?

Although this story was written in the third person, Avi delights readers with a story told from a dog’s perspective. He gives us street names like Most Cars Way, Pine Smell Way, and Elk Scat Way. Jack loves to look at his staring papers (a book) while his parents seem mesmerized by their glow box (TV) and during the day, all the pups go to their special house (school). Avi shows us McKinley constantly “marking” certain areas so that his pack will know his comings and goings, he goes through the ritual of when dogs meet each other, and even describes McKinley’s frustration while trying to convey a rather simple concept to Jack (humans can be SO thick at times).

Avi checks all the right boxes with The Good Dog: age appropriate, an engaging story, memorable characters, great moral lessons, plenty of action and suspense, a few detestable villains, a hero who questions his purpose, some surprising twists, and an ending that’s sure to please. This book shows readers the value of loyalty, honor, and courage and illustrates how bloodline doesn’t dictate who your family is or where your future lies. Countless times McKinley is always looking out for Jack or a member of his pack and although he reaps both the rewards and punishments of his actions, these selfless acts make it clear why he was chosen to be head dog.

Throughout the book, McKinley was a friend, a best friend, a companion, a nemesis, a hero, a champion, and a leader. At the end of the day though, McKinley was just a dog, but more than that, he was a good dog.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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A Dog’s Way Home by Bobbie Pyron (J Fiction)

A Dog’s Way Home

Bobbie Pyron (J Fiction)

Eleven-year-old Abby Whistler and her Shetland sheepdog, Tam, are inseparable. Not only is Tam an agility champion, he is Abby’s world…and she is his. But an unexpected detour leads to a terrible accident that tears Tam from Abby. As the days turn into weeks and fall gives way to the harshness of winter, can Tam find his way from Virginia back to North Carolina where home and his girl is?

Pyron checks all the boxes with this book. A Dog’s Way Home is non-stop action and suspense with whole lot of heart. Short chapters and alternating points of views—between Abby and third-person POV for Tam—ensure that readers stay engaged and fully committed to these characters and their individual struggles as one fights to survive in the harsh wilderness while the other navigates foreign situations in a big city.

There are a couple of things that really made this an exceptional read for young readers. First is that Pyron chose NOT to write down to her audience by having Tam be the narrator of his own story. Having the scene described by an arbitrary third party lends a starkness and cold reality to Tam’s situation, which only heightens the drama and urgency of his predicament. Second is the cruel reality of Tam’s situation. He is an animal suddenly faced with either starvation or survival and as his natural instincts kick in, so does the necessity to eat, and in order to eat one must kill.

Anyone who has ever cared for a dog will feel their heart being twisted and squeezed within their chest as Tam battles everything from the weather to wild animals and ruthless humans. Side note: a lot of well-meaning men who are protecting their loved ones or just doing their jobs really get the short end of the stick in this book and ultimately come across as villains. I expect that by the end of this book, many young readers will despise just about every adult in this book…except Meemaw, Abby’s grandmother.

Part Lassie Come-Home and part The Incredible Journey, A Dog’s Way Home will engross readers from beginning to end with messages of hope, perseverance, acceptance, and love. Most of all, it will challenge readers to reassess what’s truly important since material trappings never hold their shimmer for very long. As Meemaw said to Abby, “Sometimes the thing you think is the most important isn’t that big a deal, once you have it.”

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.abebooks.com

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Spirit’s Key by Edith Cohn (J Mystery)

Spirit’s Key

Edith Cohn (J Mystery)

They get quiet. I’ve come outside, so they reward me with their silence. But it’s only because they want me to follow them. They lead me across the island to the edge of the woods, where they wait. Their eyes are filled with that intense urgency that says Follow me. It’s hard not to be taken in by it. There’s something in the woods they want to show me, but I don’t think it’s as harmless as a horse. I think it’s something actually dangerous.

Twelve. That’s the age where a Holderness receives their gift to be able to see into a person’s future. But Spirit hasn’t received her gift yet and her father’s gift has started to become more and more unreliable—causing business and the community’s confidence to wane. Her dad says that she must reconcile with her present before she can see the future, but her beloved baldie, Sky, is dead and she somehow can’t seem to get over her loss. Worse, other baldies—the wild dogs that roam Bald Island—are dying and a mysterious illness is starting to affect the townspeople…including her father. Could the baldies be the cause? When Spirit’s beloved Sky reappears, he keeps drawing her into the woods and toward the baldie cave. Could the answer to everything plaguing the island lie within that darkened entryway?

Cohn delivers an age-appropriate and suspenseful mystery whose underlying theme is the importance of protecting and respecting life. She communicates the necessity of preservation without being overly preachy and does so through the wonderful relationship between a girl and her dog. Any child who has ever loved and lost a pet will immediately be connected to Spirit and will understand the unique bond she shares with Sky, as well as the profound emptiness she feels upon his death. She also provides so many other valuable lessons: the value of friendship (Everyone needs a friend to watch their back.); the reluctance to accept things that are different (Why do people fear things they don’t understand?); and the importance of living in the now (The present isn’t something we can squander.).

Books for young readers that have a principled and strong female protagonist are my favorites. Spirit is loyal, kind, passionate, and is not afraid to stand up for her convictions. She’s the kind of girl that you would be proud to call daughter and lucky to have as a friend. Most of all, she says the two most courageous and powerful words that anyone can speak: I care. When others around her falter and surrender to fear, Spirit stands up for those unable to defend themselves. She gives a voice to those unfairly targeted and hunted and reminds everyone that outsiders have a place in the world, too. Spirit is not extraordinary because she can hold a key and see into the future or that she can communicate with animals. She’s exemplary because she cares, and the world could use a lot more people like Spirit in it.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to: www.amazon.com

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain

Garth Stein (Adult Fiction)

Gestures are all that I have; sometimes they must be grand in nature. And while I occasionally step over the line and into the world of the melodramatic, it is what I must do in order to communicate clearly and effectively.

Enzo is just one of many mixed-breed pups (although he’s quite sure that his father was a terrier) living on a little farm in Spangle, Washington. When Dennis “Denny” Swift sees him, he knows immediately that his heart will never again be his own. “This one,” Denny states without a moment’s hesitation. So begins a life that will include marriage, a child, some ups, more downs, but most of all, it will have racing. Lots and lots of racing.

It isn’t often that you come across a book that allows you to view the world from a wonderfully unique perspective. Seeing the world through the eyes of an aging Labrador-terrier mix was a delight and made for an unforgettable journey. Enzo introduces us to his master, Denny, a semi-professional racecar driver whose natural talent behind the wheel is offset only by the misfortunes that seem to tail him at every one of life’s turns. We also meet Eve, the woman Denny falls in love with and marries, and Zoë, Denny and Eve’s daughter. Like all families, there is a mixture of good times and bad, only with this family, we are able to see their story unfold through a very special and astute lens.

Hailing from NASCAR country, I was familiar with most of the racing jargon that Garth uses throughout his book. However, he goes the extra mile to ensure that non-racing enthusiasts will not only understand the terminology, but may also gain an appreciation for the sport and the talent and grit demanded of its drivers. Several laugh-out-loud moments coupled with some tear-filled scenes balance out the racing sequences nicely to ensure that our story keeps moving along at a nice, smooth pace.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is the ultimate love story between a human and those furry, funny, and fantastically annoying yet adorable creatures we call family. The book is also laden with racing metaphors that teach us a great deal about love and life in general: “The race is long—to finish first, first you must finish,” or “The car goes where the eyes go,” and my favorite, “It’s all about the ride.” This last one comes after Denny takes Enzo on his first and only ride on a track and Enzo gets to experience the thrill and excitement that comes from actually racing versus simply viewing it through a dashcam video. Throughout our story, Enzo is always wanting to go faster. Faster, Denny, faster. But as I was nearing the last page, all I wanted time to do was slow down. I wasn’t yet ready to say goodbye to this wonderful narrator that showed me that life was about living, loving, and—most importantly—listening because listening is what Enzo, like all of our furry companions, does best. Thank you, Garth Stein…and Enzo…for giving me a ride that I will surely remember for a long, long time.

Rating: 5/5

*Book cover image attributed to www.walmart.com

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Along Came a Dog by Meindert DeJong (J)

It’s Tween & Teen Tuesday when we review either a Juvenile (J) or Young Adult (YA) book.

Along Came a Dog

Along Came a Dog

Meindert DeJong (Juvenile Fiction)

The little red hen was having a splendid day in the barnyard. Spring had finally arrived and the weather was warm, the sun was bright, and she had just laid her first egg of the season. Proudly, she sat atop the man’s shoulder as he cleaned the coop floor and spread out fresh hay. Life on the farm was splendid indeed…until the big black dog appeared. Suddenly, this fur-covered menace had disrupted her otherwise splendid day and that wouldn’t stand one bit. After all, it was a pack of dogs that had killed all of the red hens in her flock and she alone had survived. No, the big black dog had to go and it was up to the man to do it. But no matter how determined the man was to get rid of the dog, the dog was more determined to stay for he had decided that this farm was his and no distance was going to separate him from his newly found home.

This is the second book I’ve read by Meindert DeJong (the first being The Wheel on the School) and he again delights with a beautifully told story that reads almost like a fairytale. The actions and emotions exhibited by the animals are true to their nature so don’t expect camaraderie within the flock or gentle misunderstandings between the hen and the dog. DeJong gives us an accurate portrayal of farm life in all its splendor and savagery and readers will soon understand that life is hard and often unfair in the barnyard. Thankfully, DeJong is mindful of the age of his intended reader so he makes sure that bad is always followed by good and those possessing purity of heart and deed are eventually rewarded. Also, the story does seem to lag just a bit near the middle, so readers are encouraged to dutifully plow ahead as the ending will merit their effort and patience.

Along Came a Dog is a story of duty, purpose, loyalty, and an overwhelmingly desire to belong, and it serves as a wonderful example of the benefits of perseverance and the virtues of honor. It was both heartbreaking and heartwarming to see dog so steadfast in his mission to return to a place where he obviously wasn’t welcome. But, his rationale was quite simple: “He was back. Twice he’d been taken away, and twice now he’d come back. And if the man were to take him away thirty times, he’d come back thirty times. He wasn’t dim-witted—he knew he wasn’t wanted here. But every time he was taken away, he’d try to come back. It wasn’t a plan in the big dog’s mind. It was a need, a desperation to have a home. He was going to have a home! It was that simple.” On that fateful spring day, a friendship was formed and a home was discovered when a hen with broken feet and a dog with an unbroken spirit found each other. When you think about it, it turned out to be a rather splendid day after all.

Rating: 4/5

* Book cover image attributed to www.amazon.com

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The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst

The Dogs of Babel

The Dogs of Babel

Carolyn Parkhurst (Adult Fiction)

“Here is what we know, those of us who can speak to tell a story: On the afternoon of October 24, my wife, Lexy Ransome, climbed to the top of the apple tree in our backyard and fell to her death. There were no witnesses, save our dog, Lorelei.”

Paul Iverson is desperate to understand how his young, beautiful, and artistic wife died. Judging by her injuries and how her body landed, the police conclude that she didn’t jump. There are so many things that Paul is just discovering like there are two ways of falling and that each one tells a story. That on the day she died, Lexy rearranged the books on their bookshelf and cooked an entire steak just for Lorelei. The books, the steak, and the apple tree all tell Paul that the day Lexy died wasn’t a usual day. There are so many questions and the only one who can answer them can’t even speak…yet.

Carolyn Parkhurst delivers a novel that is a thriller wrapped around a mystery and enclosed within an endearing and heartbreaking love story. Paul is our narrator and shares with us the moment he heard of Lexy’s death and then rewinds to show us how his and Lexy’s story began with their initial meeting and subsequent first date. His voice is rich in detail and overflows with the love he feels for his wife and the loss he experiences by a life cut tragically short. Every marriage has its ups and downs and Paul and Lexy’s marriage is no different; however, she was the yin to his yang and their union was symbiotic albeit sometimes tempestuous.

The Dogs of Babel is a beautiful, painful, thoughtful, and at times humorous story, but at its very core is a man grieving and desperate for answers. His obsession of finding out the truth from his dog is futile and ridiculous. We know it, his friends and colleagues know it, and even Paul himself knows it, but when you’re drowning, you’ll grasp for anything that can serve as a lifeline. In this case, his lifeline is Lorelei. Parkhurst gives us a memorable and stirring novel about the ones left behind when a sudden and untimely tragedy occurs. The ones left with questions, loneliness, and oftentimes guilt and whose daily goals are measured by mere breaths.

Paul Iverson was a linguist by profession, and he often made a game of seeing how many words he could make out of a name. He felt that these newly formed words somehow gave insight into the person themselves. With The Dogs of Babel, I see the words blood, desolate, loathe, and death, but I also see self, glee, holdfast, and heals. In the Bible, The Tower of Babel signified the beginning of the division of mankind through the infliction of diverse languages—punishment for man’s desire to reach the heavens for “godlike” status. But Parkhurst reminds us that grief and love are universal and transcend the written word or spoken language. They unite us in our healing and help us find a way to move forward…one breath at a time.

Rating: 5/5

*Book cover image attributed to www.goodreads.com

Dogsong by Gary Paulsen (YA)

Dogsong

Gary Paulsen (Young Adult Fiction)

During the winter, Russel Susskit and his father live in a sixteen by twenty government house in a small Eskimo village. Come summer, both will move to the fish camps. For now, Russel wakes up every morning to his father’s smoking-induced cough; the absence of his mother, who left with a white trapper; and the growing unhappiness he feels when he thinks of his current life and, more importantly, his future. Russel wants to be more, but when he looks ahead, he only sees less. Russel’s father sends him to the local shaman, Oogruk, who owns the last team of dogs in the village. Oogruk tells Russel that he needs to discover his own song and returning to the old ways of his people may help. Driven by a recurring dream and a team of five great red dogs, Russel heads north searching for answers and a song.

Dogsong is divided into two parts: Russel’s training with Oogruk and his solitary journey north. It is the second part of this book that is disappointing and not particularly compelling. We find ourselves caught in a seemingly tedious storyline loop: run, eat, dream, repeat. The story drags like a sled maneuvering through slush and Paulsen fails to provide enough action to hold either the reader’s interest or attention. A sudden story twist near the end arrives far too late to save what could have been an interesting boy-versus-nature adventure story.

One notable bright spot was Oogruk’s advice to Russel about life and living. “It isn’t the destination that counts,” Oogruk said. “It is the journey. That is what life is. A journey. Make it the right way and you will fill it correctly with days. Pay attention to the journey.” All too often we find ourselves consumed or distracted by the things that have little to no effect on our life or circumstances. In hindsight, we often come to realize that it is the small things that have the biggest impact. If we take an old shaman’s advice and simply look up, look around, and pay attention, perhaps we too can find the words to our own song.

Rating: 3/5

* Book cover image attributed to www.amazon.com

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (J)

The Incredible Journey

The Incredible Journey

Sheila Burnford (Juvenile Fiction)

How far would you travel and what would you be willing to endure just to be home again? Three animals—a Siamese cat, a bull terrier, and a Labrador retriever—travel nearly 300 miles across the Canadian wilderness and battle fatigue, hunger, wild animals, cold, and sickness in order to be reunited with their beloved family again.

Burnford gives us a story of loyalty, inclusivity, diversity, and empathy. This is not a warm and fuzzy tale of three pets and their charming and delightful antics throughout the frontiers of Canada. This is a harsh and brutally honest story of survival, death, pain, and endurance. There is plenty of bone crunching and flesh tearing to remind young readers that this isn’t just another cutesy animal story, but this should not deter them in the slightest from reading this book. The Incredible Journey is an exquisite story of love and friendship. Each animal must depend on one another for survival while proving their own unique worth at pivotal parts of the story.

This is one of those rare books that is so captivating, you almost forget (and really don’t miss) the fact that a majority of the story lacks dialogue. Through Burnford’s adept and masterful storytelling, we understand the language “spoken” between the three companions through their actions, reactions, hisses, and howls. A flick of the tail or drawing down of the ears convey more emotion and drama under Burnford’s nuanced pen than pages and pages of dialogue ever could. Serving as a brilliant complement to Burnford’s words are the beautiful and rich illustrations by Carl Burger. The two combined give readers an emotional, exhilarating, unforgettable, and one incredible journey.

Rating: 5/5

* Book cover image attributed to www.goodreads.com