Luke Baldwin's Vow

by Morley Callaghan, Jane Urquhart (Foreword)

A story of a boy and his dog and their adventures, which will appeal to the many children who are dog lovers. It is also a sensitive story of love and loss, and of making a new life for oneself. Luke is not yet 12 when his father dies of a heart attack, leaving him an orphan. Small for his age and something of a loner, he moves from the city to the country to live with his aunt and uncle. He is naturally homesick and grieving the loss of his father. His well-meaning and kindly aunt and uncle do their best for him; but his only real friend and comfort becomes Dan, the farm’s elderly, one-eyed collie. Practical Uncle Henry considers Dan useless now that he is too old to be a watch-dog and decides that Dan should be “put down.” Luke, whose sense of dignity and loyalty transcend the practical, frantically tries to save Dan’s life, providing for heart-racing suspense as he makes his stand against the expedient world of adults.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Edward Morley Callaghan was a Canadian novelist, short story writer, playwright, and TV and radio personality.

Reviews

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book. It was thoughtful and deeply emotional. Loss, friendship and finding one's own sense of self are all discussed with a compassionate voice. I can understand why it was once a classroom staple.

[Benjamin Kahn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I read this in grade 6. I don't remember a lot about it, beyond his father's death and the dog. I don't think I disliked it as much as most of my fellow students did, but I don't remember thinking it was great either.

[Rhonda Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I originally bought this book way back in Grade 4 and remember liking it as a kid. I just re-read it, and found it quite enjoyable. My only beef with it was that the characters were quite one-dimensional, especially the aunt and uncle. Uncle Henry absolutely infuriated me! But overall, I enjoyed the story and liked the ending. The concepts of what is really important in life and how people value things that are not worth money or "useful" are quite deep for a children's book.

[Mar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-4 I liked the book as a child; I think I received the book when I was in grade 5. I re-read Luke Baldwin's Vow in 2022, and still enjoy the story of a boy growing up and learning that some items of value can't be financially priced or evaluated placed on usefulness. I chose this version b/c it is the edition I have except in English.