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A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tales
Shelby's Story: A Dog's Way Home Tale
The rags-to-riches tale of Shelby, rescue dog turned movie star!Shelby doesn’t remember much of her early life—only that she was always hungry and cold. Then one day, Shelby is rescued by a kind woman, and things change forever! She soon finds herself on a movie set, and her new life is filled with challenges and rewards. She learns things like to Go Mark, Cut, and Dig. Her rewards include squeaky toys, yummy chicken, and best of all, love and affection from castmates and crew. Everyone loves Shelby! And so will young readers and movie fans.Young readers and fans of the A Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tales Ellie’s Story, Bailey’s Story, Molly’s Story, and Max’s Story will love this inspiring tale. Includes charming illustrations by Richard Cowdrey as well as a reading and activity guide at the end of the book.
207 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
204 people are currently reading
1360 people want to read
About the author
W. Bruce Cameron
96 books4,488 followersI’ve always loved dogs, which puts me in a unique category along with what, maybe two or three billion people?
What’s not to love about an animal who will sit in your living room all day long, waiting for you to get home, and even if you need to work late and then stop for a stress-relieving beverage on your way home, when you unlock that front door, is absolutely overjoyed to see you? How could you not adore an animal who senses when your day is not going well and tries to cheer you up by dumping a sodden tennis ball in your lap?
I was probably 8 years old, playing in the back yard of our house in Prairie Village, KS, when my dad opened the gate and in rushed a 9-week-old Labrador puppy. I fell to my knees and spread my arms and that dog leaped into them as if we had loved each other our whole lives. It’s a scene that shows up in A Dog’s Purpose—a puppy and a boy meeting each other the very first time, both of them full of unrestrained joy.
We named the dog Cammie. She arrived in my life when I was just beginning to connect some of the dots in my memory to make a picture of who I was, forming my identity as a child. I remember every skinned knee and bicycle ride in the context of Cammie, who was always there for me. And I lost her just as I was starting to leave childhood behind, passing on after I’d spent a year in college. That’s Cammie, the dog of my childhood.
Years later I was riding my bicycle in the mountains outside of Pine, CO. A chance decision to bounce down a dirt road led me past a few scattered ranches and one small house near a creek, set back from the road at least 50 yards. A single “woof” from a dog caught my attention, and I braked and stood in the dry, clear air, regarding the dog who had called out to me.
She was on a chain by the house, and a fence stood between us, so I remained on the road even though I could see that the dog, a black lab mix with a crazily active tail, was clearly friendly. I gazed at her and the dog sat, attentive, staring into my eyes exactly the way my first dog, Cammie, used to look at me, really seeing into me.
And that’s when the thought hit me. What if this wonderful dog was Cammie? What if dogs live over and over again, and always remember us?
I dismissed the thought, waved at the dog, and rode away, but days later the idea came back to me. What if?
I’ve been a writer my whole life, but never have I ever written anything as important as A Dog’s Purpose.
I can’t promise you that A Dog’s Purpose will make you love your dog more—how could it do that? But I’ll tell you what a lot of people have told me: after reading A Dog’s Purpose, you’ll never look at your dog the same way again.
What’s not to love about an animal who will sit in your living room all day long, waiting for you to get home, and even if you need to work late and then stop for a stress-relieving beverage on your way home, when you unlock that front door, is absolutely overjoyed to see you? How could you not adore an animal who senses when your day is not going well and tries to cheer you up by dumping a sodden tennis ball in your lap?
I was probably 8 years old, playing in the back yard of our house in Prairie Village, KS, when my dad opened the gate and in rushed a 9-week-old Labrador puppy. I fell to my knees and spread my arms and that dog leaped into them as if we had loved each other our whole lives. It’s a scene that shows up in A Dog’s Purpose—a puppy and a boy meeting each other the very first time, both of them full of unrestrained joy.
We named the dog Cammie. She arrived in my life when I was just beginning to connect some of the dots in my memory to make a picture of who I was, forming my identity as a child. I remember every skinned knee and bicycle ride in the context of Cammie, who was always there for me. And I lost her just as I was starting to leave childhood behind, passing on after I’d spent a year in college. That’s Cammie, the dog of my childhood.
Years later I was riding my bicycle in the mountains outside of Pine, CO. A chance decision to bounce down a dirt road led me past a few scattered ranches and one small house near a creek, set back from the road at least 50 yards. A single “woof” from a dog caught my attention, and I braked and stood in the dry, clear air, regarding the dog who had called out to me.
She was on a chain by the house, and a fence stood between us, so I remained on the road even though I could see that the dog, a black lab mix with a crazily active tail, was clearly friendly. I gazed at her and the dog sat, attentive, staring into my eyes exactly the way my first dog, Cammie, used to look at me, really seeing into me.
And that’s when the thought hit me. What if this wonderful dog was Cammie? What if dogs live over and over again, and always remember us?
I dismissed the thought, waved at the dog, and rode away, but days later the idea came back to me. What if?
I’ve been a writer my whole life, but never have I ever written anything as important as A Dog’s Purpose.
I can’t promise you that A Dog’s Purpose will make you love your dog more—how could it do that? But I’ll tell you what a lot of people have told me: after reading A Dog’s Purpose, you’ll never look at your dog the same way again.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
February 24, 2019
I happen to know the author of this novel very well. Too well, in fact, because I am painfully aware of his faults.
This is a fictional telling of a true story. When we set out to make the movie A Dog's Way Home, we decided that all of the movie star dogs needed to be rescues. I feel it is really important that everyone understand that rescue dogs can do anything, and that they can make wonderful companions.
Shelby was living in a junk yard in rural Tennessee. She had no human interaction that we know of. She was picked up by animal control and, when her photograph showed up on social media, she looked like she could be the perfect fit we were looking for. We wanted a dog who looked like the one of the cover of A Dog's Way Home. An important aspect of the story of the book (and movie) is that a dog can be classified as a pit bull even if it doesn't exactly look like a pit bull. Due to breed discriminatory legislation in the city of Denver, Bella, the fictional hero of A Dog's Way Home, is banned and sent by her person to live far away. It's just temporary, until Bella's boy Lucas can find a new home out of Denver, but she doesn't know this and jumps the fence.
Shelby's Story imagines the origins of a dog who winds up in a junk yard and then becomes a movie star. I was on set for much of the filming, and saw Shelby every day. I've since gone with her to children's hospitals and to the VA. In all the time I've known her, I've done nothing but marvel at the heart of this wonderful, wonderful dog.
This is a fictional telling of a true story. When we set out to make the movie A Dog's Way Home, we decided that all of the movie star dogs needed to be rescues. I feel it is really important that everyone understand that rescue dogs can do anything, and that they can make wonderful companions.
Shelby was living in a junk yard in rural Tennessee. She had no human interaction that we know of. She was picked up by animal control and, when her photograph showed up on social media, she looked like she could be the perfect fit we were looking for. We wanted a dog who looked like the one of the cover of A Dog's Way Home. An important aspect of the story of the book (and movie) is that a dog can be classified as a pit bull even if it doesn't exactly look like a pit bull. Due to breed discriminatory legislation in the city of Denver, Bella, the fictional hero of A Dog's Way Home, is banned and sent by her person to live far away. It's just temporary, until Bella's boy Lucas can find a new home out of Denver, but she doesn't know this and jumps the fence.
Shelby's Story imagines the origins of a dog who winds up in a junk yard and then becomes a movie star. I was on set for much of the filming, and saw Shelby every day. I've since gone with her to children's hospitals and to the VA. In all the time I've known her, I've done nothing but marvel at the heart of this wonderful, wonderful dog.
May 26, 2019
This was a really cute story told from the dog, Shelby. My child and I both enjoyed reading it together.
May 9, 2025
I am giving it 4 stars as I am not a fan of when the dog is the narrator in the book. With that out of the way, it was not done in an unrealistic way, like I have seen in other books. It also started with too obvious stuff for a puppy and what his thoughts would be at the start, but then gets into what it would be like to be trained to work in the movies, and then to actually 'act' the part in a movie which I really enjoyed.
I also think it is very interesting that the story revolves around a real dog adopted from a Shelter and then trained and acted as Bella in the movie A Dog's Way Home. I can't remember if I have seen the movie but will hunt it down to watch.
Lastly, I didn't know about training a dog to go to a small wooden marker. In one part of the book when Shelby first learns to respond to task, it is described like this:
“What's up with that little wooden thing?” he asked Teresa. “Why cant she just go to you or April?”
“She's been learning to Go Mark pretty much since the first day I started training her,” Teresa told him. I looked around alertly. Was I supposed to go back to the disc? But Bruce kept scratching my neck and ears, so | guessed not right at that moment. I didn’t get petted when Training was happening.
“It's about the most important thing a movie dog needs to know,’ Teresa went on. “She can't just run to me or April or Brian because we can't be in the shot. And often the script calls for her to get somewhere and do something—pause or turn or dig something up, or whatever. So she can't just keep running out of the frame. She's got to get to where the camera needs her to be, and then she’s got to stop. That's how we get the shots we need.”
So, lots to like in this book, just giving it one less star because I am not a fan of the dog doing the talking but I could see where others who don't have that preference could give it 5.
I also think it is very interesting that the story revolves around a real dog adopted from a Shelter and then trained and acted as Bella in the movie A Dog's Way Home. I can't remember if I have seen the movie but will hunt it down to watch.
Lastly, I didn't know about training a dog to go to a small wooden marker. In one part of the book when Shelby first learns to respond to task, it is described like this:
“What's up with that little wooden thing?” he asked Teresa. “Why cant she just go to you or April?”
“She's been learning to Go Mark pretty much since the first day I started training her,” Teresa told him. I looked around alertly. Was I supposed to go back to the disc? But Bruce kept scratching my neck and ears, so | guessed not right at that moment. I didn’t get petted when Training was happening.
“It's about the most important thing a movie dog needs to know,’ Teresa went on. “She can't just run to me or April or Brian because we can't be in the shot. And often the script calls for her to get somewhere and do something—pause or turn or dig something up, or whatever. So she can't just keep running out of the frame. She's got to get to where the camera needs her to be, and then she’s got to stop. That's how we get the shots we need.”
So, lots to like in this book, just giving it one less star because I am not a fan of the dog doing the talking but I could see where others who don't have that preference could give it 5.
March 12, 2019
5 Stars
I bought this book at my sister's book fair and I thought I would give this a try being it being the dog name is Shelby and I am a huge animal lover. Also being a true story, which I like reading true stories. I really loved this book by all means. In the beginning it sad I thought it would be but as I read more of this book it wasn't sad but it does have a happy ending, which I am pretty happy about because I felt so bad for Shelby and what she was going through as being a stray. I really felt like I was being her life. I am really glad that in the end she had found a home because I had to see any animal hurt or don't have a home. It is so sad to see that or hear about it. Every animal in the world deserves a good home with fresh water, loving, and good food. Overall, I loved this book form the beginning to the end. I would read this book again. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves animals and has a big heart for animals or just likes to read about true stories.
I bought this book at my sister's book fair and I thought I would give this a try being it being the dog name is Shelby and I am a huge animal lover. Also being a true story, which I like reading true stories. I really loved this book by all means. In the beginning it sad I thought it would be but as I read more of this book it wasn't sad but it does have a happy ending, which I am pretty happy about because I felt so bad for Shelby and what she was going through as being a stray. I really felt like I was being her life. I am really glad that in the end she had found a home because I had to see any animal hurt or don't have a home. It is so sad to see that or hear about it. Every animal in the world deserves a good home with fresh water, loving, and good food. Overall, I loved this book form the beginning to the end. I would read this book again. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves animals and has a big heart for animals or just likes to read about true stories.
November 7, 2018
Is this a book for middle-grade readers? Is it a dog-training book--written by a dog? Is it a Hollywood insider look at how a movie--specifically A Dog's Way Home--gets made? YES! This book is all of those things and so much more. In Shelby's Story, as with many other bestselling W. Bruce Cameron novels, we get to experience the world from a dog's innocent perspective. This story is delightfully peppered throughout with Cameron's signature sense of humor, and includes special guest appearances by the author and his wife, Cathryn Michon, as two of the story's characters. I will be rereading this book just before I go see the movie, A Dog's Way Home.
January 27, 2025
Heart warming
April 10, 2019
It was about the dog who was living in the garbage, who always eat garbage and sister was trapped in the dog rescue center, knowing anything to do, he became a movie star. He was a little dog when he found out that there are many things delicious in the outside world other than in the park where there is many dogs and trapped inside. But there was one thing. There was his mom and brothers and sister. he loves all of them but he wants other than a thing that the person gave him. Then he met the woman and he met his packs, her friends. He loves training and he was on the training for movie name called a dog way home, and a dog's purposes. This was non-fiction and I love this author's book. (you know that I read almost all of his book.)
(Ps - Shelby is a girl.)
(Ps - Shelby is a girl.)
July 21, 2019
I'm not ashamed to admit I cried huge, but happy, crocodile tears at the end of the movie A Dog's Way Home. Give me a sweet, sentimental dog story and I get weepy every time. So it was enjoyable reading a bit about how Shelby, named Bella in the movie, came to be rescued after being found eating garbage at a dump, was adopted by a wonderful trainer, and subsequently went on to become the star of the movie. Happy endings all around.
March 22, 2021
Shelby’s story is about her incredible journey to becoming a movie star playing the part of Bella in the movie A Dog’s Way Home. The story is told from Shelby’s point of view. Sweet story with many tender moments.
February 7, 2019
Sorry, I tried but just wasn't into this one...
May 27, 2019
Yes, cuteness, dog books are just perfection sorry I bias I LOVE DOGS.
January 9, 2022
♥♥💃🕺🏼 You're hilarioussss right now. 😛🤣😂😩 https://inst.cr/t/Y3BmNXRhS3o3 🧖🏾🧖🏾♀️🤦🏽♀️👯♀️
October 28, 2024
Was so cute read it to my dogs so much fun
July 31, 2019
Such an excellent story line explaining about the dog, training dogs, and making the movie “ A Dog’s Purpose” all through the eyes of the dog. Some humor, helped with some great detailed information. Again W. Bruce Cameron does an exceptional job of storytelling through the eyes and mind of the dog.
November 13, 2019
This is so good! I know technically it's a young adult book, but I as an adult thoroughly enjoyed it! If you have seen A Dog's Way Home you will especially love it! It is interesting reading how they filmed the movie, from the dog's point of view, and hilarious the interactions between Shelby and Bruce! Well done W. Bruce Cameron.
May 26, 2024
Cameron’s “Shelby’s Story” is my least favorite of this series, Shelby is likeable but the whole movie angle with Cameron part of the story very trying. I liked to hear that Shelby was a rescue who found a home.
Story in short- Shelby is found in a landfill and she is picked by a dog trainer that is able to teach her to do her part in the movie. Happy ending for a sweet dog!
Highight (Yellow) | Location 395 Then Megan rose slowly to her feet. I jumped back. Was she going to start yelling now? Did she have a stick
hidden somewhere? But she didn't pull out a stick or make any sudden movements. She just held out that hand with the treats and stood still. The treats smelled so good. I came closer again. She didn't move. I ate the treats. She didn't move. I decided that Megan standing up was not really scarier than Megan
sitting down. When she started to walk away, still holding more treats in her hand, I followed her.
Highight (Yellow) | Location 452
But now Megan was gone. Gone! This did not seem good. I paced around my pen, trying to learn more about it.
The floor under
Highight (Yellow) | Location 454 my pads, on the one hand, was cool and hard and smooth. The bit of carpet, on the other hand, was springy but rough. When I smelled the scent rising from it, faint but unmistakable, I lowered my nose, snifting frantically. It was Splotch. Splotch had been here. So had other dogs, and I could tell she hadn't napped on the carpet in a long
time, but it was definitely her, my sister. She had come, and now she was gone.
Highight (Yellow) | Location 678 Teresa went into another room and shut the door, and I spent my first night sleeping together with my pack. My stomach was not angry with hunger. There was a roof over my head, so that even if it rained, I would not get
wet. I had friends to play with and to curl up next to at night. I could not remember ever being so happy before.
Highight (Yellow) | Location 1779 Shelby's Story is based on Bella's lite, but it is fiction. Not every episode in the book is true to life. But Shelby did get rescued from life in a landfill, did learn to be a movie star, and is as loyal and loving in real life as she is
in this story.
Story in short- Shelby is found in a landfill and she is picked by a dog trainer that is able to teach her to do her part in the movie. Happy ending for a sweet dog!
Highight (Yellow) | Location 395 Then Megan rose slowly to her feet. I jumped back. Was she going to start yelling now? Did she have a stick
hidden somewhere? But she didn't pull out a stick or make any sudden movements. She just held out that hand with the treats and stood still. The treats smelled so good. I came closer again. She didn't move. I ate the treats. She didn't move. I decided that Megan standing up was not really scarier than Megan
sitting down. When she started to walk away, still holding more treats in her hand, I followed her.
Highight (Yellow) | Location 452
But now Megan was gone. Gone! This did not seem good. I paced around my pen, trying to learn more about it.
The floor under
Highight (Yellow) | Location 454 my pads, on the one hand, was cool and hard and smooth. The bit of carpet, on the other hand, was springy but rough. When I smelled the scent rising from it, faint but unmistakable, I lowered my nose, snifting frantically. It was Splotch. Splotch had been here. So had other dogs, and I could tell she hadn't napped on the carpet in a long
time, but it was definitely her, my sister. She had come, and now she was gone.
Highight (Yellow) | Location 678 Teresa went into another room and shut the door, and I spent my first night sleeping together with my pack. My stomach was not angry with hunger. There was a roof over my head, so that even if it rained, I would not get
wet. I had friends to play with and to curl up next to at night. I could not remember ever being so happy before.
Highight (Yellow) | Location 1779 Shelby's Story is based on Bella's lite, but it is fiction. Not every episode in the book is true to life. But Shelby did get rescued from life in a landfill, did learn to be a movie star, and is as loyal and loving in real life as she is
in this story.
March 11, 2019
I love any and all dog books, ESPECIALLY when they’re written by W. Bruce Cameron! This particular little story is especially cute if you’ve read “A Dogs Way Home” and seen the corresponding motion picture release of the same name. He wrote this book as a partly fiction / partly factual story about Shelby, the rescue dog actor who, along with two other pups, played the lead role of Bella in the “A Dogs Way Home” film adaptation.
SUPER cute idea! My favorite part of the book is how self depreciating Bruce was throughout! He constantly made fun of himself through Shelby’s eyes getting to know him, and that really cracked me up a lot!
I also loved that this book seemed like a little tongue in cheek effort to playfully get back at all of the harsh critics who attacked Bruce’s last movie, “A Dogs Purpose” and what they deemed, (but was proven to NOT at all be), mistreatment of the dogs filming it, which turned into a completely ridiculous national drama fest that I think Bruce could NOT have possibly handled more classily.
I would say that going into it, I didn’t realize it was written for a younger audience - not even young adult or teens, but more pre-teens, and so the writing style was very basic, simplistic, repetitive, and just not what I’m used to at all from this author.
While I found the story to be cute, a fun idea, and definitely funny and entertaining at times, I also found myself getting easily bored with it, and I think it was just really different from the 5 star, well written, physically can’t put this book down work that I’m used to reading by Bruce.
I still enjoyed it! And now that I know what I’m getting into it, I do think that I’ll read more of his younger reader dog books eventually in the future.
SUPER cute idea! My favorite part of the book is how self depreciating Bruce was throughout! He constantly made fun of himself through Shelby’s eyes getting to know him, and that really cracked me up a lot!
I also loved that this book seemed like a little tongue in cheek effort to playfully get back at all of the harsh critics who attacked Bruce’s last movie, “A Dogs Purpose” and what they deemed, (but was proven to NOT at all be), mistreatment of the dogs filming it, which turned into a completely ridiculous national drama fest that I think Bruce could NOT have possibly handled more classily.
I would say that going into it, I didn’t realize it was written for a younger audience - not even young adult or teens, but more pre-teens, and so the writing style was very basic, simplistic, repetitive, and just not what I’m used to at all from this author.
While I found the story to be cute, a fun idea, and definitely funny and entertaining at times, I also found myself getting easily bored with it, and I think it was just really different from the 5 star, well written, physically can’t put this book down work that I’m used to reading by Bruce.
I still enjoyed it! And now that I know what I’m getting into it, I do think that I’ll read more of his younger reader dog books eventually in the future.
January 17, 2019
“Soon to be a Major Motion Picture”! How exciting! I cant wait for the movie comes out, but before that, ide like the read the book. The book, Shelbys Story, writing by W. Bruce Cameron, is not necessarily based around the movie, which is dry interesting in my opinion, instead, it is based around setting up the movie, and how the movie was made.
Bruce Cameron and his team of movie productions had to search far and wide for the perfect dog, until they foun Shelby. She;by was perfect for the movie, and was trained well enough to become the main star. Shelby does struggle to understand the strange ways of humans, and how they do things that she doesn’t understand. Shelby finds a new home, where she is surrounded by others dogs, but she is the special puppy. She is being trained specially, and with treats. That’s a win win.
This book is very realistic because it perfectly describes the struggles, and the fun of making a movie with a dog, and it displayed how much love and care is put into training the dog. It couldn’t be more real. I enjoyed this book, because it describes the world through shelbys eyes! At certain parts, it is kind of hard to understand certain things through shelbys eyes, but i mean, I guess that’s what dogs see things like! Very cool...
Bruce Cameron and his team of movie productions had to search far and wide for the perfect dog, until they foun Shelby. She;by was perfect for the movie, and was trained well enough to become the main star. Shelby does struggle to understand the strange ways of humans, and how they do things that she doesn’t understand. Shelby finds a new home, where she is surrounded by others dogs, but she is the special puppy. She is being trained specially, and with treats. That’s a win win.
This book is very realistic because it perfectly describes the struggles, and the fun of making a movie with a dog, and it displayed how much love and care is put into training the dog. It couldn’t be more real. I enjoyed this book, because it describes the world through shelbys eyes! At certain parts, it is kind of hard to understand certain things through shelbys eyes, but i mean, I guess that’s what dogs see things like! Very cool...
October 28, 2024
Shelby’s Story By: W. Bruce Cameron
In this story the main character Shelby was separated from her litter mates as a puppy. Shelby was always hungry so she was always trying to find food. One day she got caught by the animal shelter. They took her and she loved it there. One day a person that made movies came and got her. Shelby loved her new home. Then after that, they started training all of the time. Then one day they took a long car ride to many different places to film the movie. After they filmed the whole movie they went back home. At the end of Shelby's Story they went to a stage and got introduced and they lived happily ever after. This book goes with the theme, because at the beginning of the story she was always adventuring the world so she could find food so the book would go with adventure. I would give this book a 4 star, because I didn't really like the beginning of the book, because all they talked about was her trying to find food but the rest of the story was really good. I would recommend this book to someone who likes books that are about dogs finding a good home and surviving, because this is what it is about.
In this story the main character Shelby was separated from her litter mates as a puppy. Shelby was always hungry so she was always trying to find food. One day she got caught by the animal shelter. They took her and she loved it there. One day a person that made movies came and got her. Shelby loved her new home. Then after that, they started training all of the time. Then one day they took a long car ride to many different places to film the movie. After they filmed the whole movie they went back home. At the end of Shelby's Story they went to a stage and got introduced and they lived happily ever after. This book goes with the theme, because at the beginning of the story she was always adventuring the world so she could find food so the book would go with adventure. I would give this book a 4 star, because I didn't really like the beginning of the book, because all they talked about was her trying to find food but the rest of the story was really good. I would recommend this book to someone who likes books that are about dogs finding a good home and surviving, because this is what it is about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2020
Shelby is a puppy that has been through a lot. Between getting lost from her home, living on the streets, and losing her sister, Shelby is still a very bright, happy, and energetic puppy. Her life changed the day a sweet understanding girl named Megan saved her. After Shelby got adopted and drove across the U.S. she began to learn what love was and what it was like to have a family. Throughout the novel Shelby becomes a movie star dog. She goes through lots of training to be the best she can. After weeks of non stop training and movie scenes, the movie is finished. Everyone loves Shelby and her amazing personality and everyone loved her being the star of the movie. In Shelby's Story you read about how amazing she is and her journey of life, it really makes you want to get a dog (or another). This book is very inspiring and I learned some dog facts while reading it. I recommend this book to anyone who wants read it. I was interested throughout the whole book and I definitely want to read the rest of the series.
April 3, 2024
This was the first of Cameron’s Puppy Tales Series that I got my hands on. I was curious if the reading order mattered, and it probably does for some books in the series. Didn’t seem to matter for this one. Although, fair warning, there are spoilers for A Dog’s Way Home that are a part of this story.
I wanted to read this to check it out for my niece who is almost 5. I was reading it aloud on a car trip with my husband. It is not very advanced from a vocabulary perspective, but I think, even with my funny voices, it may still be a little boring/lengthy for her. Perhaps in a couple years…
From an adult perspective, Shelby’s inner monologue repeats itself pretty frequently. It is a good story for kids about how much work it is training dogs, for films or otherwise. What I consider super awesome is that in the back of the book there are activities and common core aligned projects for use with kids or in classrooms. That is a bloody fantastic idea!
I wanted to read this to check it out for my niece who is almost 5. I was reading it aloud on a car trip with my husband. It is not very advanced from a vocabulary perspective, but I think, even with my funny voices, it may still be a little boring/lengthy for her. Perhaps in a couple years…
From an adult perspective, Shelby’s inner monologue repeats itself pretty frequently. It is a good story for kids about how much work it is training dogs, for films or otherwise. What I consider super awesome is that in the back of the book there are activities and common core aligned projects for use with kids or in classrooms. That is a bloody fantastic idea!
November 29, 2021
A rags-to-riches story with a protagonist that's definitely a sweet underdog to root for; Shelby is a stray puppy that spends her days looking for good food inside trash cans and staying away from people that only yell and try to come after her. One day she's taken to the pound by animal control and meets her first 'person.' Slowly but surely she comes to trust that person and love being taken care of. She eventually is adopted by a dog trainer and a movie crew that make her a star. She quickly learns tricks that make her a perfect dog actor.The author was also one of the characters in Shelby's story. Shelby didn't think Bruce was one of the smarter humans--I loved that the author had fun making fun of himself. A really fun and sweet book written from Shelby's point of view.
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August 14, 2022I read this out loud with my 11 year old daughter. She is an animal lover and was a big fan of this book. We hadn't read any of other books in this series or by this author previously, and I was glad that that wasn't necessary for this book. It was clear that the movie Shelby was working on was based on another book, but knowing the story didn't matter. I was also glad that although Shelby had some rough moments in her early life, there was nothing traumatizing for my sensitive reader who can't handle a lot of sad moments in books. I found this easy to read out loud, but my daughter did comment that when she tried to read it to herself, Shelby's 'voice' and the humor didn't come through as much.
December 31, 2018
As someone who’s read Cameron’s three bestselling dog books, I was delighted all the way through this book. That it’s not strictly a novel, but has tidbits that entice me to dig out concurrent info on the internet made it more fun still. I didn’t know a movie was coming out based on A Dog’s Way Home, and on that front, that this book is released this year is a good marketing strategy. I wonder, if the puppy on the cover is the Shelby in the book and in the movie? He/she looks a bit different and young for Shelby who was rescued at least a year after her estimated birth date, though. The last two chapters independent of the story are additional fun to read.
November 23, 2023
Enjoyable. You have to make big allowances in these stories for what words the author decides the dog knows & what words the dog doesn’t know; there’s no logic to it, it’s pretty random. This one is a tie-in to the movie “A Dog’s Way Home”. I wasn’t quite as captivated by the dog’s training & performance as in some of the other books. But it was kind of interesting to see how a dog is trained for movie work, to realize how bizarre & confusing it must all be to the dog, & it was amusing to hear the author insulting himself thru Shelby because the author is on the set for the filming. Now I’ll have to see the movie!
May 2, 2024
I found this book at a thrift store and had to buy it. Shelby was a real dog. She used to go on adventures with her sister Splotchy looking for food. She got to meet the author and lived with a wolf pack consisting of puppies named Luke, Bode, Hercules and Ariel, and they all lived with their owner, Teresa. Then Shelby’s movie star career was in full swing, but she didn’t understand what some of the things the directors were saying meant. Shelby even got to see her movie at the end. I enjoyed this story just like the summary said most people would. I also liked how it was based on a true story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2018
5 stars is not enough for this book, I
would give it 10. Shelby goes from a puppy with her siblings to living in a landfill then movie star. Shelby finally finds her home which is so important and her person with a pack.
I love how Shelby describes Bruce that he needs a job, the references to Bruce are hilarious. Cathryn Michon is also part of the story who is Bruce’s talented wife.
I will definitely read this book again and cannot wait for the movie, A Dog’s Way Home.
I have read a lot of Bruce’s books more than once, definitely my favorite author.
would give it 10. Shelby goes from a puppy with her siblings to living in a landfill then movie star. Shelby finally finds her home which is so important and her person with a pack.
I love how Shelby describes Bruce that he needs a job, the references to Bruce are hilarious. Cathryn Michon is also part of the story who is Bruce’s talented wife.
I will definitely read this book again and cannot wait for the movie, A Dog’s Way Home.
I have read a lot of Bruce’s books more than once, definitely my favorite author.
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October 5, 2020I read this book over the summer and I thought it was amazing and very thoughtful. the main characters were Shelby the dog, and mark. and the dog Shelby doesn't remember her other life. she was always hungry and cold. Shelby was rescued by a guy named mark and made her life better, that's all I'm gonna say about the book. the genres of the book are realistic fiction, and adventure/ survival.
I would rate this book 10/10 because it was very good and has a lot of cool things about dogs and is just heartwarming. this book should be for kids from 10 and up. I had a good time reading this book.
I would rate this book 10/10 because it was very good and has a lot of cool things about dogs and is just heartwarming. this book should be for kids from 10 and up. I had a good time reading this book.
February 25, 2021
W. Bruce Cameron's tale of Shelby's Story: A Dog's Way Home Tale is an adorable journey of Shelby the dog who was a stray found in a junk yard and trained to star in A Dog's Journey. While this is a work of fiction, it can give insight into the unconditional love that an animal, especially a pet, can give its owner. I just hope that PETA does not overstep its reach and infer mistreatment of animals like these and eliminate their training since that organization was able to close down the circus.
October 17, 2021
Shelby had a rough start to her life, but she is rescued by a kind woman and she becomes a movie star!
I read this book with my eleven-year-old. He's a big animal lover and is taking his first animal science class. So it was interesting to see how the training of Shelby went in this book. It was a lot of work for both the human and dog! It's a sweet story told from Shelby's point of view from puppyhood to finding her forever home.
I read this book with my eleven-year-old. He's a big animal lover and is taking his first animal science class. So it was interesting to see how the training of Shelby went in this book. It was a lot of work for both the human and dog! It's a sweet story told from Shelby's point of view from puppyhood to finding her forever home.
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