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A Dog Like Daisy: A Heartwarming Middle Grade Novel About a Rescue Dog Helping a Veteran with PTSD for Children
Max meets A Dog Called Homeless in this sweet and poignant middle grade novel told from the humorous, thoughtful perspective of a rescued pit bull as she trains to be a service dog for an injured veteran and his family. Daisy has only ten weeks to prove her usefulness or else be sent back to the pound. Yet if she goes back, who will protect Colonel Victor from his PTSD attacks? Or save the littler human, Micah, from those infernal ear muzzles he calls earphones? What if no one ever adopts her again? Determined to become the elite protector the colonel needs, Daisy vows to ace the service dog test. She’ll accept the ridiculous leash and learn to sit, heel, shake, even do your business , Daisy when told to. But Daisy must first learn how to face her own fears from the past or risk losing the family she’s so desperate to guard—again.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2017
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644 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 120 reviews
December 22, 2025
In this fictional story, Daisy the pit bull is rescued from a shelter to become a service dog for a veteran who has PTSD. She must go through training and pass a test to be certified. Daisy tries her best to become useful, but she faces many challenges along the way.
Even though this is a fiction book, you do become aware of the many challenges service dogs face. It’s an interesting book albeit sad in some parts.
Even though this is a fiction book, you do become aware of the many challenges service dogs face. It’s an interesting book albeit sad in some parts.
January 30, 2018
Okay. I don’t read dog books as a rule. They all end the same way. You know what I’m talking about. So when I picked this one up, I committed a cardinal sin in the book world.
I flipped to the last page to see how it ended.
Read as: I checked to see if the dog lives.
I mean, I know it’s told from her perspective, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’d get to survive in her own story (THANKS, Art of Racing in the Rain, JEEZ). Satisfied that she did, I decided to give it a whirl, because if the dog lives, how sad could it be?
Ah jeez. Most dog stories are great in the beginning and middle and are sad at the end. This was the reverse of that. Oh my heart. The entire middle of this book was HARD. Between the pain Colonel Victor experiences in his heart every day and the pain that causes his family and the pain Miss Daisy feels with her past hardships and present struggles with failing as a service dog, I set this down every night quite frankly feeling depressed. There is SO MUCH PAIN in this book. And not a whole lot in the way of small victories or humor to break it up and offer relief, either. Sure, it has a happy ending, but I almost feel like it was too little too late.
This seems like a good book for parents and kids to read together, too. I don’t believe we need to hide kids away from all the sad and scary stuff that happens in the world every day, but it’s helpful to guide them through it. Especially when you have scenes like the colonel having an episode in which he unknowingly threatens his family and injures Miss Daisy with a knife. Scary stuff that could easily upset the target audience. Parents, read this book with your kids. Talk to them about PTSD. This book is important and brave for breeching that topic - not one you see much in children’s literature.
Okay, on to some minor gripes.
I took issue with Miss Daisy seeing everyone’s emotions as colors. There’s some evidence that dogs can smell the way we feel (aren’t dogs amazing?), so that would have made more sense to me. Especially since dogs’ primary way to experience the world is through smell. Also, dogs don’t see the same color spectrum we do - theirs is more limited, so I don’t think Miss Daisy would be seeing all those colors.
And dogs don’t butt scootch in celebration. This one really bugged me. If your dog is butt scootching, they are uncomfortable in a really awkward spot. They’re not happy or excited.
To end on a positive note, I love that there’s a bearded dragon named Smaug. I enjoyed his little nuggets of wisdom. And I loved how prominently the healing nature of our relationship with dogs is featured. The private conversations between Miss Daisy and Colonel Victor really touched my heart. Dogs amaze me for so many reasons, service dogs in particular. It was wonderful getting a story about one.
I flipped to the last page to see how it ended.
Read as: I checked to see if the dog lives.
I mean, I know it’s told from her perspective, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’d get to survive in her own story (THANKS, Art of Racing in the Rain, JEEZ). Satisfied that she did, I decided to give it a whirl, because if the dog lives, how sad could it be?
Ah jeez. Most dog stories are great in the beginning and middle and are sad at the end. This was the reverse of that. Oh my heart. The entire middle of this book was HARD. Between the pain Colonel Victor experiences in his heart every day and the pain that causes his family and the pain Miss Daisy feels with her past hardships and present struggles with failing as a service dog, I set this down every night quite frankly feeling depressed. There is SO MUCH PAIN in this book. And not a whole lot in the way of small victories or humor to break it up and offer relief, either. Sure, it has a happy ending, but I almost feel like it was too little too late.
This seems like a good book for parents and kids to read together, too. I don’t believe we need to hide kids away from all the sad and scary stuff that happens in the world every day, but it’s helpful to guide them through it. Especially when you have scenes like the colonel having an episode in which he unknowingly threatens his family and injures Miss Daisy with a knife. Scary stuff that could easily upset the target audience. Parents, read this book with your kids. Talk to them about PTSD. This book is important and brave for breeching that topic - not one you see much in children’s literature.
Okay, on to some minor gripes.
I took issue with Miss Daisy seeing everyone’s emotions as colors. There’s some evidence that dogs can smell the way we feel (aren’t dogs amazing?), so that would have made more sense to me. Especially since dogs’ primary way to experience the world is through smell. Also, dogs don’t see the same color spectrum we do - theirs is more limited, so I don’t think Miss Daisy would be seeing all those colors.
And dogs don’t butt scootch in celebration. This one really bugged me. If your dog is butt scootching, they are uncomfortable in a really awkward spot. They’re not happy or excited.
To end on a positive note, I love that there’s a bearded dragon named Smaug. I enjoyed his little nuggets of wisdom. And I loved how prominently the healing nature of our relationship with dogs is featured. The private conversations between Miss Daisy and Colonel Victor really touched my heart. Dogs amaze me for so many reasons, service dogs in particular. It was wonderful getting a story about one.
October 9, 2017
This book was difficult for me to get into, for some reason - but once I got invested into the characters, it really picked up. I liked the idea of delicate subject matter like PTSD being seen from the perspective of a dog. Kids will like rooting for Daisy.
June 13, 2017
Fabulous! Perfect for animal lovers, but also a wide variety of readers. Especially fans of books like The One and Only Ivan.
February 7, 2017
I received an ARC at ALA Midwinter. I was so excited as Kristin Tubb is amazing! I just know middle grade readers are going to fall in love with Daisy.
Daisy is training to be a service dog to a veteran with PTSD. She is a good, smart dog who wants to please her human.
Told from the perspective of Daisy, readers will learn about Daisy's past and what she must do to for herself and her human family.
Daisy is training to be a service dog to a veteran with PTSD. She is a good, smart dog who wants to please her human.
Told from the perspective of Daisy, readers will learn about Daisy's past and what she must do to for herself and her human family.
December 15, 2017
very good book. liked it a lot.
June 11, 2017
A Dog Like Daisy by Kristine O’Donnell Tubb is a story told in the perspective of a rescue dog. This book is marked for middle grade, but do not let this stop you from reading this book, as I totally loved it. I did not know what to expect when I decided to read this, and I am so glad I did. I loved Daisy, a rescued two year old pit bull, who is being trained to be a service dog. The entire book is in the POV of Daisy, and it was so well written by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb.
We meet Daisy immediately when she is in the pound. When three humans, walk in looking at all the dogs, one of them looks at her and says she is the one; but the other two are not too keen on the choice. Victor, a veteran who had PTSD, is the one who sees a bond with Daisy, who also recognizes that this man is the one she needs to protect. Micah is Victor’s son, and he wanted a puppy; the other man, Alex is a trainer for service dogs. Alex tries to convince Victor that they only have 10 weeks to train Daisy and she might not be a good fit, but Victor is adamant about our sweet Miss Daisy.
When they arrive home, Daisy meets Annie the wife, and their baby, as well as seeing more of Micah, who really doesn’t want him. What follows is a beautiful heartwarming, and intense at times story of Daisy determined to learn everything to be a good service dog, as well as to protect Victor from his horrible bouts with PTSD. The story shows the family’s struggles with Victor’s nightmares, which is dangerous, scary and out of control at times. All this is through the eyes of Daisy, who begins to see the signs quickly when Victor is ready to go off.
Another nice part of the story is Micah trying to understand his father, and at times jealous that Daisy seems to be getting closer to his father. But it is sweet and emotional when Micah realizes later on how special Daisy was.
A Dog Like Daisy was to my surprise a wonderful touching and delightful story, as we follow Daisy throughout and listen to her thoughts. Thank you, Kristin O’Donnell Tubb for this amazing story. I loved every moment of it. So very well done.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
We meet Daisy immediately when she is in the pound. When three humans, walk in looking at all the dogs, one of them looks at her and says she is the one; but the other two are not too keen on the choice. Victor, a veteran who had PTSD, is the one who sees a bond with Daisy, who also recognizes that this man is the one she needs to protect. Micah is Victor’s son, and he wanted a puppy; the other man, Alex is a trainer for service dogs. Alex tries to convince Victor that they only have 10 weeks to train Daisy and she might not be a good fit, but Victor is adamant about our sweet Miss Daisy.
When they arrive home, Daisy meets Annie the wife, and their baby, as well as seeing more of Micah, who really doesn’t want him. What follows is a beautiful heartwarming, and intense at times story of Daisy determined to learn everything to be a good service dog, as well as to protect Victor from his horrible bouts with PTSD. The story shows the family’s struggles with Victor’s nightmares, which is dangerous, scary and out of control at times. All this is through the eyes of Daisy, who begins to see the signs quickly when Victor is ready to go off.
Another nice part of the story is Micah trying to understand his father, and at times jealous that Daisy seems to be getting closer to his father. But it is sweet and emotional when Micah realizes later on how special Daisy was.
A Dog Like Daisy was to my surprise a wonderful touching and delightful story, as we follow Daisy throughout and listen to her thoughts. Thank you, Kristin O’Donnell Tubb for this amazing story. I loved every moment of it. So very well done.
Barb
The Reading Cafe
June 26, 2018
Daisy has finally been rescued from the shelter. The Colonel, a war veteran suffering from PTSD, has chosen her to train as his service dog. They have ten weeks to prepare her to pass the tests, or back to the shelter she goes. Desperate for both a family and a purpose, Daisy determines to put up with obnoxious things like leashes and the ridiculous, squeaky trainer… but sometimes she forgets herself. And sometimes what the trainer wants and what the Colonel needs are two different things. Daisy struggles to follow her own heart and still meet the demands of her new people in time to ensure that this time, she will be able to stay forever.
A Dog Like Daisy is a unique look at several sensitive issues, while giving readers a dog’s-eye view of the rigorous training a service dog must undergo. Daisy’s light-hearted playfulness and exuberant descriptions of the world through sound, color and taste give her a distinctly non-human character while her desperate desire for a place to belong and work that matters keep her easily relatable. While young readers may struggle to follow Daisy’s metaphorical speech and confusion about human ways at times, slightly older readers will get an intense glimpse into the true struggles veterans face after they return home, such as flashbacks, hypervigilance and the brokenness created in their families when they cannot return comfortably to everyday life. A truly memorable story that will gently introduce middle-grade readers to some of the realities in a post-war population.
A Dog Like Daisy is a unique look at several sensitive issues, while giving readers a dog’s-eye view of the rigorous training a service dog must undergo. Daisy’s light-hearted playfulness and exuberant descriptions of the world through sound, color and taste give her a distinctly non-human character while her desperate desire for a place to belong and work that matters keep her easily relatable. While young readers may struggle to follow Daisy’s metaphorical speech and confusion about human ways at times, slightly older readers will get an intense glimpse into the true struggles veterans face after they return home, such as flashbacks, hypervigilance and the brokenness created in their families when they cannot return comfortably to everyday life. A truly memorable story that will gently introduce middle-grade readers to some of the realities in a post-war population.
December 20, 2016
This book is absolutely amazing. It has a whole lot of heart and laugh out loud moments. Told from the perspective of the dog (as it should be) and truly an amazing tale of hope and love....and second chances. I couldn't put it down.
Review based on an advance readers copy.
Review based on an advance readers copy.
February 5, 2021
A great middle-grades book to expose young readers to the concept of military PTSD service dogs, told from the perspective of the dog itself. I particularly like that Daisy is a shelter dog, fully aware of what it means when her fellow dogs go out the back door instead of the front door, and that she needs to do what she can to be a front-door dog when Colonel Victor, his son Micah, and fellow soldier Alex arrive at the shelter. Daisy herself has no clue that she's being looked at to be Victor's service dog, but she perceives different colors in the 3 humans and senses a color very similar to her own emanating from Victor, and Victor feels the connection too, despite the protests of Alex, who feels that Victor should be looking for a younger, more impressionable dog than Daisy, who has clearly come from a hard life on the streets, and Micah, who also thinks a young dog is what his family needs and seems to be giving off a dark color in Daisy's mind.
Alex allows Victor his way, but reminds him that the VA only allows a limited amount of time and funding towards Victor's service dog, so he'll need to figure out quickly if Daisy can measure up or needs to go back to the shelter so they can try again with a different dog. By telling the story from Daisy's perspective, readers get a sense of her life before the shelter, though the human's obviously don't know that, and how she interprets commands and situations differently than the humans expect her to.
There are multiple good lessons for the young audience here, even if they are not necessarily exposed to PTSD service dogs. The obvious one is that a dog in any service role has been explicitly trained to serve its handler and interfering in that partnership can cause trouble for all 3 parties; the handler, the dog, and the one who has interfered. More generally, I like that Tubb made sure Daisy was a shelter dog, because while a lot of people think of Labs or German Shepherds in the role, shelter dogs are capable of many of the same things if just given the chance, especially for people who may not have the financial resources to purchase a purebred dog that has been groomed for the role of a service dog since the day it was born. Even more generally, the challenges Victor experiences when working with Daisy, because her canine perception differs from a human perception, reinforce the need for patience and guidance when adding a new pet to the family. The dog won't be perfectly obedient from day 1 and will do what it wants unless someone effectively communicates, without being cruel, what is expected of it.
Overall, a very enjoyable book, and it made me want to adopt Daisy in the event things didn't work out with Colonel Victor.
Alex allows Victor his way, but reminds him that the VA only allows a limited amount of time and funding towards Victor's service dog, so he'll need to figure out quickly if Daisy can measure up or needs to go back to the shelter so they can try again with a different dog. By telling the story from Daisy's perspective, readers get a sense of her life before the shelter, though the human's obviously don't know that, and how she interprets commands and situations differently than the humans expect her to.
There are multiple good lessons for the young audience here, even if they are not necessarily exposed to PTSD service dogs. The obvious one is that a dog in any service role has been explicitly trained to serve its handler and interfering in that partnership can cause trouble for all 3 parties; the handler, the dog, and the one who has interfered. More generally, I like that Tubb made sure Daisy was a shelter dog, because while a lot of people think of Labs or German Shepherds in the role, shelter dogs are capable of many of the same things if just given the chance, especially for people who may not have the financial resources to purchase a purebred dog that has been groomed for the role of a service dog since the day it was born. Even more generally, the challenges Victor experiences when working with Daisy, because her canine perception differs from a human perception, reinforce the need for patience and guidance when adding a new pet to the family. The dog won't be perfectly obedient from day 1 and will do what it wants unless someone effectively communicates, without being cruel, what is expected of it.
Overall, a very enjoyable book, and it made me want to adopt Daisy in the event things didn't work out with Colonel Victor.
March 31, 2020
Told from a dog named Daisy’s perspective, this book is about a dog adopted by the Abeyta Family. It details Daisy’s life, from being adopted from a shelter to the ins and outs of training as a service dog for a soldier who has returned from active duty and who is suffering from PTSD. Throughout the book, the way that Daisy thinks of her humans made me laugh, and makes you think of what our pets actually think of us when we do something or talk to them in our daily lives. Still, there’s sadness in the book too, about how Daisy reflects on her life, her fear of failure and how she works hard to make her family happy, with varying results. Reading a book told from a dog’s perspective was unique, and brought tears to my eyes thinking of Daisy’s background--but also dogs in shelters waiting for a purpose and loving home just like Daisy.
Find this title in the SWAN catalog!
Find this title in the SWAN catalog!
October 1, 2017
Loved this book about a feisty, sweet-natured ("a good girl with one good ear") dog chosen from the pound with ten weeks to prove her mettle as a service dog. Her assignment: to save Colonel Victor from his PTSD attacks. Determined to ace the service-dog test, Daisy gives her all to the Colonel and his family, whether everyone wants her there, or not. Fail and she may very well be returned to the pound, where there are two doors. "One has a bell above it. The bell shows that it's the Good Side....The Good Side has sunshine behind it. It smells like grass and earth and rain and garbage and running and freedom. The other door...is thick and metal. It slams when it closes. Echoing slams, like trucks with jaws. Dogs who walk through that door smell like fear. Those dogs never return. It's the Bad Side." Fail her tests, and quite likely Daisy will have to walk through that second door. Very Highly Recommended.
June 16, 2017
Daisy finds herself at the shelter after being homeless. She only has two sunrises left before she has to go through the Bad Door when Victor chooses her to train to be his PTSD service dog. Daisy has only a handful of weeks to learn her job and pass her test. Can she get past her own trauma to help Victor learn to live in spite of his? Can she become a permanent member of this new pack with Victor and his family?
This heartwarming story, told from Daisy's point of view, deals with difficult subjects, like PTSD, with honesty and sensitivity. There's so much to love in this story.
A Dog Like Daisy tastes sourdough biscuits with salty butter and wildflower honey.
This heartwarming story, told from Daisy's point of view, deals with difficult subjects, like PTSD, with honesty and sensitivity. There's so much to love in this story.
A Dog Like Daisy tastes sourdough biscuits with salty butter and wildflower honey.
June 17, 2017
It's impossible not to cheer for Daisy. What a love! This was the first book my sons (9 and 11) read for their summer reading assignment, and it's going to be a very tough act to follow.
July 15, 2017
This was a good one. There seem to be a lot of authors who are writing about service dogs. Miss Daisy was good narrator.
August 22, 2017
I feel in love with the Colonel and Daisy!
May 11, 2020
It was okay. A friend had asked me to read it, otherwise I would not have finished the story.
November 28, 2021
Super cute book for the kiddos! I bet a lot of my students would like this one!
August 27, 2023
This book is a heartwarming tale that makes me wanna laugh and cry at the same time.
December 30, 2017
Excellent Book, Quick Read
I recently adopted a very sweet dog from a local non-kill shelter where I volunteer and was recommended this book to read a short while later. I loved every second of it. It was eye opening to hear the narrator as a dog and it makes me think more about my family’s behavior around her. I’ll definitely recommend this book to other dog lovers and those that volunteer with me.
I recently adopted a very sweet dog from a local non-kill shelter where I volunteer and was recommended this book to read a short while later. I loved every second of it. It was eye opening to hear the narrator as a dog and it makes me think more about my family’s behavior around her. I’ll definitely recommend this book to other dog lovers and those that volunteer with me.
April 24, 2017
A Dog Like Daisy is one of those books that just makes me happy. I love books about dogs, with dogs, just include an animal in your book and there’s a 99.9% chance I’ll love it. Unless you kill the dog/animal. Because there’s just no need (except for Marley and Me, which was heart-breaking, but, alas, it was a true story so it was inevitable). Do you know what’s even better than books about dogs? BOOKS NARRATED BY DOGS. They are the best, and A Dog Like Daisy just made me so incredibly happy, because I just *adored* Daisy.
Saying that, A Dog Like Daisy isn’t all bacon and happy times, because when Daisy is rescued by Colonel Victor, it’s to become a service dog, to help the Colonel with his PTSD. So it has a bit of a serious tone to it, and we see the Colonel struggling with his PTSD throughout the book, and that’s such a scary thing to suffer from. I can’t imagine it. I can’t imagine being permanently on edge, waiting for the ball to drop, as the Colonel is. But I liked that Daisy could sense when he was on edge, that she knew when he needed her to help him.
A Dog Like Daisy was such a cute, uplifting stories. To hear Daisy’s thoughts, regardless of how true it is to a dog’s thoughts was just delightful. I loved her inner monologues and how she just knew how to sit and turn on the light, and other things she needed to learn to pass her test to become her service dog. Daisy was just super adorable and I loved the whole family, this was such a touching, gorgeous read. Middle grade readers will absolutely love Daisy. I wanted to keep her for myself!
Saying that, A Dog Like Daisy isn’t all bacon and happy times, because when Daisy is rescued by Colonel Victor, it’s to become a service dog, to help the Colonel with his PTSD. So it has a bit of a serious tone to it, and we see the Colonel struggling with his PTSD throughout the book, and that’s such a scary thing to suffer from. I can’t imagine it. I can’t imagine being permanently on edge, waiting for the ball to drop, as the Colonel is. But I liked that Daisy could sense when he was on edge, that she knew when he needed her to help him.
A Dog Like Daisy was such a cute, uplifting stories. To hear Daisy’s thoughts, regardless of how true it is to a dog’s thoughts was just delightful. I loved her inner monologues and how she just knew how to sit and turn on the light, and other things she needed to learn to pass her test to become her service dog. Daisy was just super adorable and I loved the whole family, this was such a touching, gorgeous read. Middle grade readers will absolutely love Daisy. I wanted to keep her for myself!
August 25, 2018
Daisy is an unforgettable character, a dog whose struggles and successes will warm your heart in the same lines that it breaks your heart. Her voice (Daisy is the narrator) is priceless- direct, comic, tender, and reflective. It's one of the clearest depictions of the unlimited heart, loyalty, and devotion dogs have, not to mention intelligence.
The Colonel, battling PTSD, is realistically and sympathetically portrayed, but secondary characters are equally complex and intriguing, including the Colonel's son Micah and Micah's wise but wry lizard.
When you finish you'll think you've never before met a dog like Daisy, and yet she mirrors the dog(s) you've loved the most in your life. It also provides insights to the operation of and training for this particular type of service dog. With support animals being arbitrarily claimed there has been a trend to dismiss such animals as unnecessary, or even fakes. This could be a helpful way for young people to learn about the importance of properly trained support animals.
Full admission, I resist reading dog/animal novels due to the likelihood of crushing heartbreak, but this story wouldn't let me stop reading after the first lines. You won't be able to stop either.
The Colonel, battling PTSD, is realistically and sympathetically portrayed, but secondary characters are equally complex and intriguing, including the Colonel's son Micah and Micah's wise but wry lizard.
When you finish you'll think you've never before met a dog like Daisy, and yet she mirrors the dog(s) you've loved the most in your life. It also provides insights to the operation of and training for this particular type of service dog. With support animals being arbitrarily claimed there has been a trend to dismiss such animals as unnecessary, or even fakes. This could be a helpful way for young people to learn about the importance of properly trained support animals.
Full admission, I resist reading dog/animal novels due to the likelihood of crushing heartbreak, but this story wouldn't let me stop reading after the first lines. You won't be able to stop either.
October 2, 2019
I really enjoyed the story being told by the dog. I think that the author did a wonderful job of describing humans and the world we live in, from an animals perspective...it was very unique, and very well done.
I wasn’t expecting to like the book, but it wound up being a five-star read...right up until the last five chapters. Daisy was perfect...she was everything that the Colonel needed. She failed the first test for a totally legitimate reason, that none of the humans could understand...I didn’t think that was fair, but she earned a second attempt.
I don’t like that she was failed again, when her disobedience saved the lives of the Colonel, Micah, and Alex. They’d be roadkill, without Miss Daisy. I thought that the ending was sloppy, and would’ve liked a better resolution...where she earned the service dog patches that were rightfully hers.
I wasn’t expecting to like the book, but it wound up being a five-star read...right up until the last five chapters. Daisy was perfect...she was everything that the Colonel needed. She failed the first test for a totally legitimate reason, that none of the humans could understand...I didn’t think that was fair, but she earned a second attempt.
I don’t like that she was failed again, when her disobedience saved the lives of the Colonel, Micah, and Alex. They’d be roadkill, without Miss Daisy. I thought that the ending was sloppy, and would’ve liked a better resolution...where she earned the service dog patches that were rightfully hers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2020
A great read for middle grade children...especially if they love animals, dogs in particular. Daisy is living in a rescue shelter and is surprised one day to be adopted. She soon realizes that her new job in life is to be a "support" animal to her owner and she takes her job very seriously...most of the time. This story gives the reader a glimpse of what that training would look like and how the trainee must feel about everything they have to learn. I was just a quick, cute read with...spoiler alert...a wonderful ending!!!
July 12, 2023
Found this book after cleaning out my childhood room. It's a wholesome story and I loved it as an early teen. To add, good rep of pitbulls, and the shelter scenes will rip your heart out. It's a heartwarming story. This book is notable, as the other dog books I remember reading often focused on a dumped purebred dog, or a dog adopted as a puppy. This book focuses instead on a dog who was abused and dumped, and doesn't have a clean slate, with a deadline to get out of the shelter.
Now as I know this book is for kids, but I do wish it portrayed more how dogs(especially adult dogs) usually act different than their personality in the shelter, and more often than not shut down, terrified, and/or act out. Most pups are confused, scared, and have no clue what's going on. It's a loud, smelly, scary environment where dogs are in small kennels, with strange dogs and people barking, and walking by. If you're looking to adopt, don't judge dogs based on first appearance, sit/kneel next to their kennel, talk softly, let them approach you, and appear as small as possible.
Final addition to that tanget, as someone who often struggles with tone management, I've found it helpful to talk to scared dogs in spanish, since it's not my native language, so it takes me longer to piece my phrases together, and automatically speak softer and slower. It's help me win over many a stray animal.
I also adore the fact it was about a shelter dog. While program's like this have just left infancy, training shelter dogs to be working dogs has shown success; especially programs that help convicts by pairing them with dogs to train. (Personal note, I did have to put aside my bias against the justice system to read about these programs with an open mind)
Now to my minor critics
For reference, most of these are coming from my own personal experience and limited knowledge
I myself have an Emotional Support Animal, a little 8lb Russian Blue that ended up wandering, half-dead, terrified and ready to scratch anyone who gets close to my school after being dumped during the height of the pandemic. The poor maintenance man(rest in peace) got his arms clawed up wrangling her to the vet. Once healthy, she's become the best goddamn cat I've ever met. I'd take a bullet for her, and she goes everywhere with me in a cat backpack. If it weren't for her, I'd have probably dropped out of school and spend most days in bed. She also helps me feel safer traveling and interacting with the outside world.
While she doesn't have the same legal protections as a service animal, most places are understanding I need her with me, as I also have ptsd(childhood trama not serving), along with some other reasons. I know the dependence on a service animal, and how much training they need, along with having the right personality. I won the lottery with my girl, even before bringing her home, whenever I got overwhelmed, she'd come curl up on my lap, and just stare at me. (If the people who dumped her had taken her to one of the many cat rescues around, she'd have been adopted in a week, but instead, put her through a hell that has left her with health issues from being severely emaciated, she's an amazing cat all around)
Service dogs often take years to train, and while I'm mostly familiar with guide, mobility, and alert dogs, I'm supprised it would only take only 10 weeks to train a dog for ptsd, but I do need to read up on that more. I do feel like the conflict of Daisy being sent back to the shelter if she fails is not a real risk, since the family adores her, and if they need to go through the program twice (which I'm sure would cost a fortune), I'm sure his therapist would happily write a letter recommending he be allowed to bring her into spaces as an esa. In the end though, the book ends with a heartwarming surprise, and honestly, it is the best ending that could have been written.
To add, one of my friends has been looking at dogs to adopt as a mobility aid in the future, since she does have a disability that will progress with the years, and the type of training she's planning on doing will take a year or so to train to the abilities she needs. To reiterate, service animals are essential to many, and I'm so glad this book focuses on and validates that fact. They make peoples lives easier and have more access to areas of life.
To add a final note, I'm so glad it focuses on someone without a visible disability, since so many people with invisible disabilities do get accused of "faking it" to bring their "pets" places, and my distract a working animal. Invisible disabilities are just as valid as visible disabilities, and should be accommodated as such. Hell if it weren't for books like this, I might have felt weird/"faking"/"overplaying my disability"/isolated/stupid, having kids see and understand why ESAs and service animals help people, and why they may need one in the future. Books like this are important.
While I didn't expect to get so personal and emotional while writing this review, it's a damn good book, very educational while being captivating to young readers, and a touching story for older readers looking for a heartwarming story about overcoming adversity and growing as a family.
Now as I know this book is for kids, but I do wish it portrayed more how dogs(especially adult dogs) usually act different than their personality in the shelter, and more often than not shut down, terrified, and/or act out. Most pups are confused, scared, and have no clue what's going on. It's a loud, smelly, scary environment where dogs are in small kennels, with strange dogs and people barking, and walking by. If you're looking to adopt, don't judge dogs based on first appearance, sit/kneel next to their kennel, talk softly, let them approach you, and appear as small as possible.
Final addition to that tanget, as someone who often struggles with tone management, I've found it helpful to talk to scared dogs in spanish, since it's not my native language, so it takes me longer to piece my phrases together, and automatically speak softer and slower. It's help me win over many a stray animal.
I also adore the fact it was about a shelter dog. While program's like this have just left infancy, training shelter dogs to be working dogs has shown success; especially programs that help convicts by pairing them with dogs to train. (Personal note, I did have to put aside my bias against the justice system to read about these programs with an open mind)
Now to my minor critics
For reference, most of these are coming from my own personal experience and limited knowledge
I myself have an Emotional Support Animal, a little 8lb Russian Blue that ended up wandering, half-dead, terrified and ready to scratch anyone who gets close to my school after being dumped during the height of the pandemic. The poor maintenance man(rest in peace) got his arms clawed up wrangling her to the vet. Once healthy, she's become the best goddamn cat I've ever met. I'd take a bullet for her, and she goes everywhere with me in a cat backpack. If it weren't for her, I'd have probably dropped out of school and spend most days in bed. She also helps me feel safer traveling and interacting with the outside world.
While she doesn't have the same legal protections as a service animal, most places are understanding I need her with me, as I also have ptsd(childhood trama not serving), along with some other reasons. I know the dependence on a service animal, and how much training they need, along with having the right personality. I won the lottery with my girl, even before bringing her home, whenever I got overwhelmed, she'd come curl up on my lap, and just stare at me. (If the people who dumped her had taken her to one of the many cat rescues around, she'd have been adopted in a week, but instead, put her through a hell that has left her with health issues from being severely emaciated, she's an amazing cat all around)
Service dogs often take years to train, and while I'm mostly familiar with guide, mobility, and alert dogs, I'm supprised it would only take only 10 weeks to train a dog for ptsd, but I do need to read up on that more. I do feel like the conflict of Daisy being sent back to the shelter if she fails is not a real risk, since the family adores her, and if they need to go through the program twice (which I'm sure would cost a fortune), I'm sure his therapist would happily write a letter recommending he be allowed to bring her into spaces as an esa. In the end though, the book ends with a heartwarming surprise, and honestly, it is the best ending that could have been written.
To add, one of my friends has been looking at dogs to adopt as a mobility aid in the future, since she does have a disability that will progress with the years, and the type of training she's planning on doing will take a year or so to train to the abilities she needs. To reiterate, service animals are essential to many, and I'm so glad this book focuses on and validates that fact. They make peoples lives easier and have more access to areas of life.
To add a final note, I'm so glad it focuses on someone without a visible disability, since so many people with invisible disabilities do get accused of "faking it" to bring their "pets" places, and my distract a working animal. Invisible disabilities are just as valid as visible disabilities, and should be accommodated as such. Hell if it weren't for books like this, I might have felt weird/"faking"/"overplaying my disability"/isolated/stupid, having kids see and understand why ESAs and service animals help people, and why they may need one in the future. Books like this are important.
While I didn't expect to get so personal and emotional while writing this review, it's a damn good book, very educational while being captivating to young readers, and a touching story for older readers looking for a heartwarming story about overcoming adversity and growing as a family.
February 3, 2017
A wonderful story narrated by Daisy, an abused shelter pit bull, who is selected to be a service dog for a veteran with PTSD.
September 7, 2017
If I can STOP JOY-CRYING FOR FIVE FLIPPIN MINUTES, I will write an actual review. Oh, man.
July 3, 2017
Daisy is in an animal shelter and counting down the days until she may have to walk through the door to what she calls the Bad Side—so named because a dog walks through that door and is never seen again. By her reckoning, she has two more days before she’s taken to the Bad Side, and she’s not optimistic about her chances when three humans walk through the door of the Good Side looking for a dog. She has observed that humans tend to prefer the puppies, and Daisy is not a puppy. To Daisy’s surprise, Victor Abeyta chooses her. He’s looking for a dog to be his service dog—a dog that will help him cope with his struggles after returning from combat. There’s a catch to going home with Colonel Abeyta though: Daisy will have to pass a test to be a true service animal at the end of ten weeks of training. Daisy feels she’s up to the task, and she’s excited to be part of the Abeyta pack, but there are a lot of challenges for her along the way.
A DOG LIKE DAISY is a book that will make your heart weep and sing. Both the Colonel and Daisy suffer as a result of the lives they’ve led before finding each other, and they’re both being trained to navigate a world that can be scary, awesome, and a little too exciting at times. Kristin O’Donnell Tubb uses Daisy as the narrator, and that choice is a brilliant way to share the difficulties of PTSD with middle grade readers. Daisy is a terrific character, and the author’s ability to imagine the thoughts of a smart (and sometimes hilarious) dog gives this story a depth that would be lacking if we could only see the human point of view.
As a military mom whose son has dealt with the difficulties of war, I particularly appreciate Tubb’s treatment of military families in this story. She acknowledges their pain and challenges, and she does it with sensitivity without giving into the lure of sensationalism. There were so many sentences in this book that had me catching my breath that I can’t list them all, so suffice to say that the writing is beautiful.
The only thing that would have improved A DOG LIKE DAISY would have been more insight into Anna Abeyta (Victor’s wife). That may be my military wife/mom bias talking though, and others may not mind that she’s a bit of an elusive figure.
A DOG LIKE DAISY reminded me of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, not just because of the dog-as-narrator aspect, but also because of the gorgeous writing and the use of the dog’s voice as the perfect vehicle for the story being told.
My thanks to YA Books Central and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. And my thanks to Kristin O’Donnell Tubb for a book that I can recommend to other military families.
A DOG LIKE DAISY is a book that will make your heart weep and sing. Both the Colonel and Daisy suffer as a result of the lives they’ve led before finding each other, and they’re both being trained to navigate a world that can be scary, awesome, and a little too exciting at times. Kristin O’Donnell Tubb uses Daisy as the narrator, and that choice is a brilliant way to share the difficulties of PTSD with middle grade readers. Daisy is a terrific character, and the author’s ability to imagine the thoughts of a smart (and sometimes hilarious) dog gives this story a depth that would be lacking if we could only see the human point of view.
As a military mom whose son has dealt with the difficulties of war, I particularly appreciate Tubb’s treatment of military families in this story. She acknowledges their pain and challenges, and she does it with sensitivity without giving into the lure of sensationalism. There were so many sentences in this book that had me catching my breath that I can’t list them all, so suffice to say that the writing is beautiful.
The only thing that would have improved A DOG LIKE DAISY would have been more insight into Anna Abeyta (Victor’s wife). That may be my military wife/mom bias talking though, and others may not mind that she’s a bit of an elusive figure.
A DOG LIKE DAISY reminded me of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, not just because of the dog-as-narrator aspect, but also because of the gorgeous writing and the use of the dog’s voice as the perfect vehicle for the story being told.
My thanks to YA Books Central and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. And my thanks to Kristin O’Donnell Tubb for a book that I can recommend to other military families.
July 20, 2017
Daisy is a couple of days away from being euthanized at the pound. A veteran, his son and the dog trainer come to find a rescue dog to be trained as a service animal. C0lonel Victor feels a kinship with Daisy and even though the trainer tries to convince him to choose another dog, a puppy even, he chooses Daisy. Colonel Victor is suffering from PTSD and needs a service dog to help him with his uncontrollable emotions. His son Micah is disappointed, he wanted a puppy, a pet, not a dog to be used as a tool. Even though training was not successful at the beginning, Victor wants to stick with Daisy. Her human pack does not know what Daisy has been through though and unfortunately, this causes some difficulty with her training and her testing. Will she be able to learn all of her lessons and be able to assist Victor in the ways he most needs? Will she become certified so the VA will help with her expenses because Victor can not work?
It's difficult to write a novel from a dog's perspective. I like the way the author used colours to describe what Daisy was sensing. Using Daisy as the narrator was a good way to show Victor's difficulties without overwhelming young readers. We also are able to see how life can be difficult for a rescue dog. I really enjoyed the story, especially the ending. Not only does this book shed light on the plight of rescue dogs, but it also shared a family perspective on what military families often deal with when their "soldier" returns from active duty. Victor's difficulties were shown in an honest straightforward manner as well as showing how it affected the rest of the family. Micah is the character who young readers will identify with. He wants to have a relationship with his father like his friends do and often is unable to understand what is going on. He gets angry often at both his father and Daisy. PTSD is a common issue with the many veterans in North America and this book was a good way to show one thing that is being done to help them. It raises some awareness as well as giving resources at the end if you want to find out more. This book is geared to middle grade readers, but I really enjoyed it. I think anyone who is an animal lover or interested in finding out more about service dogs would enjoy this book no matter what your age. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Edelweiss.
It's difficult to write a novel from a dog's perspective. I like the way the author used colours to describe what Daisy was sensing. Using Daisy as the narrator was a good way to show Victor's difficulties without overwhelming young readers. We also are able to see how life can be difficult for a rescue dog. I really enjoyed the story, especially the ending. Not only does this book shed light on the plight of rescue dogs, but it also shared a family perspective on what military families often deal with when their "soldier" returns from active duty. Victor's difficulties were shown in an honest straightforward manner as well as showing how it affected the rest of the family. Micah is the character who young readers will identify with. He wants to have a relationship with his father like his friends do and often is unable to understand what is going on. He gets angry often at both his father and Daisy. PTSD is a common issue with the many veterans in North America and this book was a good way to show one thing that is being done to help them. It raises some awareness as well as giving resources at the end if you want to find out more. This book is geared to middle grade readers, but I really enjoyed it. I think anyone who is an animal lover or interested in finding out more about service dogs would enjoy this book no matter what your age. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Edelweiss.
November 21, 2018
Daisy, a pit bull-mix rescue dog, tells her story from rescue at an animal shelter through her training as a service dog for a soldier with PTSD.
While at times funny, it includes several serious threads including Daisy’s fears of returning either to a place like her first home where she was being trained for dog fighting or back to the shelter where she risked going through the door on the Bad Side (where she would be euthanized) and her learning to “read” her new handler. Tugg has infused the dog’s thought processes throughout the story; she thinks and talks to other animals like a human. I thought it clever for Daisy to describe the ways she could tell the difference from the previous tribe who lived in the Abyeta’s current abode and “her tribe”, however was turned off when she said she could smell “cigarettes”. How would Daisy know what that smell was? If from her previous life, that is never mentioned. Her vocabulary is broad. Readers will be able to tell that Tugg has done some research in telling Daisy’s story from the dog’s point of view, as Daisy describes her world comparing smells and sights to human things such as turkey bacon (which is bad to her) and often compares emotions to colors (including yellow for happiness and red for anger). Using analogies of color are somewhat of a problem for this reader, as research shows that while dog eye cones do allow them to see color, it is within a very limited spectrum – mostly shades of gray, blue and yellow. They are colorblind to red and green. Those two things set aside, this is an intriguing view into the life of a service dog and one that is sure to appeal to animal lovers. Tugg includes some backmatter about use of service dogs with former soldiers suffering from PTSD.
Optional for grades 3-6
While at times funny, it includes several serious threads including Daisy’s fears of returning either to a place like her first home where she was being trained for dog fighting or back to the shelter where she risked going through the door on the Bad Side (where she would be euthanized) and her learning to “read” her new handler. Tugg has infused the dog’s thought processes throughout the story; she thinks and talks to other animals like a human. I thought it clever for Daisy to describe the ways she could tell the difference from the previous tribe who lived in the Abyeta’s current abode and “her tribe”, however was turned off when she said she could smell “cigarettes”. How would Daisy know what that smell was? If from her previous life, that is never mentioned. Her vocabulary is broad. Readers will be able to tell that Tugg has done some research in telling Daisy’s story from the dog’s point of view, as Daisy describes her world comparing smells and sights to human things such as turkey bacon (which is bad to her) and often compares emotions to colors (including yellow for happiness and red for anger). Using analogies of color are somewhat of a problem for this reader, as research shows that while dog eye cones do allow them to see color, it is within a very limited spectrum – mostly shades of gray, blue and yellow. They are colorblind to red and green. Those two things set aside, this is an intriguing view into the life of a service dog and one that is sure to appeal to animal lovers. Tugg includes some backmatter about use of service dogs with former soldiers suffering from PTSD.
Optional for grades 3-6
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