The Boy Who Spoke Dog
Grade 5-8-After being cast overboard during a storm, a young cabin boy is washed ashore on an island inhabited by two packs of dogs. One group protects the sheep that were left behind by now-departed settlers, while the other, the wild fangos, hunts the herd. Soon after his arrival, Jack has a suspenseful life-and-death encounter with the fangos and is rescued by the sheep dogs. They lead him to the ruins of a farm, where he is able to find the necessities of survival. Lonely, he tries to reach out to the canines, but they keep their distance. Soon Moxie, a little Border collie, befriends the boy, and before long, the two form a bond. The events are related from alternating viewpoints. During Jack's scenes, the plot moves more quickly, while Moxie's chapters are more thoughtful, as she listens to her leader, a blind old English sheepdog who guides her to an understanding of the pack's history and the connection between humans and dogs. In many ways, this story is really Moxie's, as the themes of companionship and communication develop through her thought processes and her budding relationship with Jack. More than just an exciting adventure tale, this novel is an exploration of the hidden link between people and animals. Get out your Kleenex; the ending is no fairy-tale wrap-up.James K. Irwin, Poplar Creek Main Library, Steamwood, ILCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.