What do you think?
Rate this book
Six
Life in The Bestiary Pet Shop is very interesting. The rats put on a circus at 10, midnight and 2pm. The goldfish practise synchronised swimming. The mice are interested in modern dance. The birds have begun their own parliament, and Bertie the crow gives lectures on such wide-ranging topics as Meditation for Moulters and Living With Humans.
Six wants more than a life in the shop. Her Talented brothers and sisters have been sold to families of their own. Six hopes that once her Talent makes itself known that she, too, will find a place to call home.
But Six is getting older and her Talent remains hidden. A new litter of puppies will be arriving at the shop soon, and once they do, no one will be interested in buying Six.
Then one night, the shop door is left unlocked.
Six wants more than a life in the shop. Her Talented brothers and sisters have been sold to families of their own. Six hopes that once her Talent makes itself known that she, too, will find a place to call home.
But Six is getting older and her Talent remains hidden. A new litter of puppies will be arriving at the shop soon, and once they do, no one will be interested in buying Six.
Then one night, the shop door is left unlocked.
206 pages, Paperback
Published August 19, 2016
276 people want to read
About the author
J.S. Veter
15 books10 followersHaving tried and failed to write 'normally', Jessica embraced failure and went on writing SF/F. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Luna Station Quarterly, New Realm Magazine, Thunder on the Battlefield: Sword (Seventh Star Press) and on CBC's The Vinyl Cafe. Jessica is the author of three novels, none of which take place in the 'real' world. She has no idea why her mind works like this.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 8, 2025
“Welcome to the Bestiary! Unusual Pets for Unusual People!” A pet store quite unlike any you’ve ever seen!
SIX is the story of a large breed dog, a VERY large breed dog, whose size means she’s a pretty tough sell from the Bestiary. Just as it seems the owner has become resigned to the idea of Six being a permanent store resident, Six escapes through a door thoughtlessly left open and, for the first time, becomes a wild stray forced to live on her own and feed herself through her own best canine devices.
SIX’s story is told by a third person narrator who personifies the novel’s heroine without anthropomorphizing her. She definitely thinks like a dog, has dog reactions to a dog’s perception of the stimuli around her and, if dogs could talk, Six’s conversations seem eminently reasonable for a loose dog in an urban setting. SIX is certainly a fantasy and is likely well-characterized as a young adult novel but the simpler fact is this – if you’re a lover of paws, fur, and their owners, you’ll find SIX a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining and utterly heartwarming read. If you’re not an animal person … well, just save yourself the trouble and find another book to read!
JS Veter’s vision of doggie heaven after Six prevents a young boy from being hit by a car is particularly well-done and will certainly put a knowing, appreciative smile on the face of any animal lover!
Definitely recommended. Kudos to a Canadian author who, although she likely doesn’t know it, is a neighbour within a stone’s throw of my home.
Paul Weiss
SIX is the story of a large breed dog, a VERY large breed dog, whose size means she’s a pretty tough sell from the Bestiary. Just as it seems the owner has become resigned to the idea of Six being a permanent store resident, Six escapes through a door thoughtlessly left open and, for the first time, becomes a wild stray forced to live on her own and feed herself through her own best canine devices.
SIX’s story is told by a third person narrator who personifies the novel’s heroine without anthropomorphizing her. She definitely thinks like a dog, has dog reactions to a dog’s perception of the stimuli around her and, if dogs could talk, Six’s conversations seem eminently reasonable for a loose dog in an urban setting. SIX is certainly a fantasy and is likely well-characterized as a young adult novel but the simpler fact is this – if you’re a lover of paws, fur, and their owners, you’ll find SIX a fast-paced, thoroughly entertaining and utterly heartwarming read. If you’re not an animal person … well, just save yourself the trouble and find another book to read!
JS Veter’s vision of doggie heaven after Six prevents a young boy from being hit by a car is particularly well-done and will certainly put a knowing, appreciative smile on the face of any animal lover!
Definitely recommended. Kudos to a Canadian author who, although she likely doesn’t know it, is a neighbour within a stone’s throw of my home.
Paul Weiss
Displaying 1 of 1 review