”I had a mother and no sisters and too many brothers.”
The only girl in the litter, Lily is also the smallest and the weakest, and her brothers play much rougher than she does, frequently knocking her down in their play. They live in a space with one chain link wall, while the other walls are windowless, but they can hear the noise of other animals outside of their space. Some they recognize are dogs by the barking, some are cats, and a few others there are wildlife rescues being held following medical care. When they first arrived here in this kennel, Lily and her brothers only food source was their mother, but once they were brought to live here, they were given different food. The food came in through the one wall with the chain link gate, carried in by a woman who had earned her mother’s trust, and so Lily trusted the woman, too, but held back from showing her any affection, sure that she would be trampled by her brothers.
The woman is in charge of the kennel and wants the best for all of these animals, as well as for her three children, and her husband. They have a girl, Maggie Rose, the youngest, smallest, and only girl, and two boys, Craig and Bryan, who frequently roughhouse, tease and refer to Maggie Rose as “runt.”
A bond develops between Maggie Rose and the puppy that she comes to name “Lily,” for her favourite flower. The more time she spends with her, cuddling with her, training her, the more she wants this one for her own. But – it’s against the rules.
Lily isn’t just any dog, she’s learning so much, and it isn’t long before Maggie Rose starts to believe just how special a dog she is. If only she can find a way to keep Lily with her, and save two hearts from breaking.
This is W. Bruce Cameron’s newest story in his A Dog’s Purpose Puppy Tales series for middle grade readers. Halle and Story insisted that I give this one four paw stars.
Pub Date: 08 Oct 2019
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Starscape Books through Goodreads Giveaway program!