Review by Booklist Review
A dozen dog-crazy authors, 12 stories of rescued dogs, and one busy animal shelter make up this collection of short stories sure to bring out the dog lover in anyone. The stories are varied in plot, narrative style, and tone, but they all end with a dog finding its one true owner. Stories like Big Dogs by C. Alexander London and Like an Old Sweater by Kirby Larson show a child who wants to fit in and the dog who makes that possible. In The Heart Dog, Elizabeth Cody Kimmel introduces a girl who is scared of dogs until she meets just the right one. All of the stories share plenty of heart and action, and most readers should know everything will work out well in the end. The reading level is good for independent readers who might not be ready for a full-length novel or advanced readers who need something more gentle. Pair this book with Waiting for Magic (2011) by Patricia MacLachlan for two heartwarming books about rescued dogs.--Erickson, Tiffany Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
Troy, "the new kid in town," is comforted when he adopts a new dog at the shelter; Tilly is afraid of dogs and Buddy is happy at the shelter, but somehow the two bond. Each short story by a different popular author is connected through the Pawley Rescue Center, which places dogs with their families. Some of the stories lack a strong emotional core. (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Thirteen dog-loving authors contribute 12 short stories about dogs at the Pawley Rescue Center and the humans who love them. An 11-year-old sick of his fighting parents and their "bird's-nest" custody arrangement (he stays in the family house while they move in and out) finds comfort in the floppy-eared rescue he names Bird Dog. Friendship between their dogs leads to peace between a bully and his target. An opinionated Pomeranian befriends an Old English sheepdog and pitches a fit when an adoptive family takes her home without her One and Only Truest Best Friend in the World. Some stories are told from a kid's perspective and others from a dog's, but every one tugs at readers' heartstrings as dogs and humans are brought lovingly together. The bleaker side of animal shelters is left unaddressed; readers are led to understand that dogs who don't get adopted might be lonely, but no reference is made to what happens when Pawley's kennels are full. (There is, however, a graphic anecdote about the demise of two Siamese fighting fish unwisely put into the same tank.) There's nothing wrong, however, with letting dog stories stay uplifting, and these will easily bring tears to dog lovers' eyes. A varied and heartwarming set of doggy tales...or is that tails? (Short stories. 9-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
