The Rescue

Dog Whisperer #1

by Nicholas Edwards

Emily has dreams of drowning. Night after night, she’s being sucked under -- until the third night. She realizes it’s not just a dream. It’s really happening to someone -- or something. On the rocky shore outside her house, Emily finds a large dog. He’s barely alive, but she’s determined to save him. She can feel his pain -- and his determination to live.

The dog is brought to the vet. And with Emily’s help, he starts to improve. But is the bond between the girl and her dog something more? She can see what he sees, feel what he feels. And Zack seems to be able to read her mind, too. Is it possible that together, Emily and Zack can do more than read each other’s minds? Can they turn their powers to helping other people?

Nicholas Edwards is a pen name of Ellen Emerson White

Genres: Animals, Fiction, Middle Grade, Dogs, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Childrens

224 pages, Paperback

First published April 27, 2009

About the author

Nicholas Edwards is a pseudonym for Ellen Emerson White.

Reviews

[Eva-Marie Nevarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took us almost a month to finish this, mainly because we were reading one to two chapters before bed and that wasn't each night. The Rescue is for kids older than my daughter. She's about 6, she turns 7 in September, and she loved the entire book but I wouldn't actually recommend it for a child that age. I would however, recommend it for preteens, teens and even adults as I lived it just as much as Julia did.
Edwards did a great job of getting the main character, a young adopted girl, down perfectly. The issue of adoption, along with the issue Emily has with being mixed and not knowing her birth family's history make for exciting side stories. Emily's adoptive parents are both white and the family lives in an area not populated by many non-whites so issues arise once or twice about that also.
A great thing is the author doesn't harp on this or that do young people won't feel they're being spoken down to or that they have to learn anything.
The worst I can say about the book is that the cover doesn't match. The cover leads readers to believe that what's portrayed is Emily finding this dog after he's washed ashore. Yet not only does the dog appear totally find but he's not even wet or sandy. This happens in the very early morning in battering rain. Not so on the cover. Emily has been out in the pouring rain, crawling through mud, after having just woken up from a nightmare but on the cover she's perfect.
Not a huge issue but an issue nonetheless. If we're going to take the time to have covers shouldn't they show what's really happened? I can't think of any reason why this was done this way.
Anyhow, it's a great story with a surprise twist at the end that we weren't expecting. (Well, I was. I had skipped ahead a bit.)
Apparently there's another Dog Whisperer book so I'm going to have to get that for us to read soon. I don't remember if these are old or new but I'm hoping it's the latter so more may possibly be published.

[Jada · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good.It was about a girl named Emily who always had nightmares about drowning,until one day she finds a dog that is unconsious on the ocean floor!She rescues him and put him in the animal hospital.The Vet said he may not recover.The Vet soon notices that everytime Emily comes around he seems to start to get better faster.Her parents placed ads in the newspaper about the dog ,but no one responded.After the dog comes home Emily keeps having visions about a mean lady who lives down the street having a terrible life.The visions also seem as Zack,the dog,is also seeing them.Emily also starts to be nice to the woman and she even seems happier.After a while two men said their dog was Emily's dog.She didn't want to give him up,but headed down to the shelter to find a surprise.

[Tara Chevrestt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a kid's book and I do not normally read kid's books, but my mother picked it up for me in the book store and insisted I read it as the only thing I love more than reading, is dogs. Having ran out of historical fiction, I sat down and devoured this in just a few hours. It was really quite charming. The writing is obviously meant to appeal to the younger crowd as there is an overabundance of exclamation and question marks and the word "like" is used quite often midsentence here and there, but the story itself was sweet. The first half is about Emily rescuing a dog she finds on the rocky coast of Maine after a rough storm. After rushing the dog to the vet and having a few heart wrenching moments of fear that the dog is going to die, Emily decides to name the dog Zack and happily, he recovers. Emily and Zack develope a bond that exceeds the normal human and pet relationship and they share dreams and thoughts. They even manage to bring an old cranky neighborhood lady out of her shell. Meanwhile, Emily is also dealing with her inner issues of being adopted. Towards the end, somebody claims that Zack is their missing dog. Emily must find a way to keep her newfound friend or suffer a broken heart. There is apparently going to be a sequel and tho I don't plan on going out of my way to get it, I would read it if my mother finds it at her local bookstore.

[Sarah Quilt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book at a thrift store because it mentioned the main character being adopted. My husband and I are looking into adoption and I want to have some books available for the child when we are ready. I decided to read the book to make sure it wasn't going to be a problem, and it was nice enough that I ordered the other 2 books in the set as well.

[Tarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was amazing because of the bond the excitement the thrilling story of the rescue I really enjoyed reading it .for everybody out there I say read it I loved it can't wait to read the next one

[Camdyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel "The Rescue," by Nicholas Edwards is heartwarming, sad, and exciting. A girl named Emily is adopted by a family who lives in Maine. Every night she has dreams of drowning in the ocean. Then one night she finds a large dog on her rocky shore outside her house. He was almost dead but Emily wanted him to live.
She and her family took him to the vet and the doctor said he may not live. But every time Emily visits Zack he improves. When he gets better she is able to take him home. One night she has a bad dream of falling off a boat, when she wakes up she notices Zack is having the same dream. She was dreaming his dream!
After that she starts seeing what he sees, feels what he feels and she thinks she's losing her mind. Then the owners say they are looking for there dog. Emily is devastated. When she brings Zack to the vet to give him to his owners, the owners are mad and they are breaking things. Zack is scared and is trying to protect his family. Then they call the cops and have to pay the fee for breaking things. Zack gets to go home and live with Emily!

[Hellen Argabright · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because it talks about a dog and i love dogs and it also gave me interesting things about her life like her mom likes to ran when its raining and much more. I would recommend this book to people who like/loves animals and it is for all ages. In the middle of the book Emily the main character really wanted Zack but when she helped Zack she had her parents get him to the vet as fast as possible because he was hurt so when they brought him the vet told them that he was really hurt and might not be able to make it so when he got treated and stayed at the vets he was allowed to go to Emily's house then he had got better. But I love this book and I would want animals lovers to read it.

[Kendra Rupard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rescue by Nicholas Edwards.This is an Animal fiction based book.It can be emotional if the reader is an animal lover. I think the book purpose is to tell that dogs really are man's best friend, and that dogs love their owners. I feel at this author done an okay job achieving his purpose the author wants you to understand the dogs need love and they need their owners to help them overcome things. This book is about a young inspiring girl named Emily and she loves animals. Emily was adopted at a young age by two kind and loving foster parents. Emily and her parents live beside the ocean. The book starts out when Emily has bad dreams about her drowning. Emily has one animal that is her cat just Josephine.One night Josephine hear something outside while it is pouring the rain. So this leads Emily to the window to hear it too. So Emily decides to go outside and see what this sound is. When she walks toward the rocks by the ocean she hears it louder And she finds there it is a golden retriever. The dog is hurt and laying on the rocks. So Emily goes back into the house and get her dad to come back out there to help her carry the dog. But now Emily's dad is not very happy that Emily has been outside in the storm by her self. But her dad helps carry the dog inside and found that he is bleeding badly. So her dad calls the vet which is closed now in the middle of the night. So he goes and does some research about how to care for an animal till the morning. In the morning the vet bills the family the dog will probably not live. This hurts Emily very bad. Emily decides to give him the name Zack. It turns out the dog is in critical condition, but when Emily gets around him he starts feeling a lot better. He got so much better that he gets to come home. One day a visitor stopped by their town and told Emily it must be great to have a fundraiser to fund your adoption because Emily was an African American and this made Emily feel really bad. Emily says that Zack helps her read moms. Be calls she knows what people are thinking. Zach had to keep going back for vet visits and the doctor was very impressed. One day Emily got a call from the vet and he said that some people had to stop by the office and was looking for Zack. Zack's owners had lost him off a fishing boat and so he had drowned but when they found out he was still alive they wanted to come and pick him up. It turned out that the real owners was very mean. When Emily and her family got there they seen Zack's old owners beating up the van with a baseball bat. Zach would not go to is owners, but he stood there protecting Emily. Emily's mother called the police and they came and picked up Zack's too old owners. So this Miette Zack was Emily's dog forever now. Zack and Emily was so excited. The books had a lot of strengths, but also a lot of weaknesses. Some witnesses or that the book just keeps talking about the same things over again. Some streets are that if you love animals, you would love this book. Yes I would recommend this to animal lovers. But not so much to people that don't like animals. My favorite quote is "it looks as though someone is very happy to be home".(Edward,215).

[Julia Jasztal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mommy's review from 1/18/12 -


It took us almost a month to finish this, mainly because we were reading one to two chapters before bed and that wasn't each night. The Rescue is for kids older than my daughter. She's about 6, she turns 7 in September, and she loved the entire book but I wouldn't actually recommend it for a child that age. I would however, recommend it for preteens, teens and even adults as I lived it just as much as Julia did.
Edwards did a great job of getting the main character, a young adopted girl, down perfectly. The issue of adoption, along with the issue Emily has with being mixed and not knowing her birth family's history make for exciting side stories. Emily's adoptive parents are both white and the family lives in an area not populated by many non-whites so issues arise once or twice about that also.
A great thing is the author doesn't harp on this or that so young people won't feel they're being spoken down to or that they have to learn anything.
The worst I can say about the book is that the cover doesn't match. The cover leads readers to believe that what's portrayed is Emily finding this dog after he's washed ashore. Yet not only does the dog appear totally fine but he's not even wet or sandy. This happens in the very early morning in battering rain. Not so on the cover. Emily has been out in the pouring rain, crawling through mud, after having just woken up from a nightmare but on the cover she's perfect.
Not a huge issue but an issue nonetheless. If we're going to take the time to have covers shouldn't they show what's really happened? I can't think of any reason why this was done this way.
Anyhow, it's a great story with a surprise twist at the end that we weren't expecting. (Well, I was. I had skipped ahead a bit.)
Apparently there's another Dog Whisperer book so I'm going to have to get that for us to read soon. I don't remember if these are old or new but I'm hoping it's the latter so more may possibly be published.

[Rachel bojorquez]

Rachel Bojorquez
1/10/17
Dog whisperer the rescue
By Nicholas Edwards
216 pages
Dog whisperer, the rescue by Nicholas Edwards, a 216-page book. The main characters are Emily, her parents, dr. K, and Zeke. These are all believable characters because Emily is like any other little kid. Her parents are like any care loving parents. Dr. k is a vet that takes good care of his animals. And zeke is a brave dog. The author describes them very well; they are all caring for each other. The action takes place when zeke is found on a rock in the water almost dying. Then Emily had a feeling something bad was happening. So she went outside and found the dog in the water crying for his life. So she went chasing after the dog back home because he was too heavy. So her dad went to go get him he was way too injured and needed a doctor as fast as possible. Emily is scared to death if the dog can’t make it. I really like the style of this book because it keeps you want to read more and more. The author has very good expressions for its characters. I feel like this book has no weaknesses, it’s just the perfect book.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The rescue is a really emotional book. Emily is the 12year old girl that loves animals.I can really connect to her because i love animals too, i can also connect to her because when she see's a straight dog she wants to help him and she wonders what the dog is feeling, is he hurt, is he sad or happy, i always have those questions in my mind when i see a straight animal. I know what she feels when she cant help an animal because i feel the same way. Emily is a very thoughtful girl and when she rescued Zack the dog i was so worried that he might not ever wake up again in the conditions he was found in. Im glad his okay and i cant wait to see what happens next.

In my opinion this book is awesome i really like all of the mystery in the book it really drags my attention. I would recomend this book to my friend Maria. I know that it might be sad in the begining but it gets better in the middle so think about it.

[Meixiupan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever had a dream for days that has been the same and you can't get it away? Emily had this dream of drowning every night she went to sleep. She didn't stop dreaming about it until the third night she realizes there is something or someone out there that is drowning. She then looks out her window to see what's outside. She then noticed it was a dog near the shore that was injured. She went to the shore to go see the dog and then runs back home to tell her dad. After waking up her dad up she went to the shore with her dad to tell him. She's determined to rescue him but her dad is scared she's going to fall in the water. She then went for it and her dad got a bit scared. After they got the dog out the water they called the vet and the dog was badly injured.Did the dog survive?Did the girl have a strong bond with the dog?Read this book to find out.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a dog person, or even an animal person, and realistically I'm well beyond the target age range here, but...it's by Ellen Emerson White (under a pen name), and I'll read pretty much anything she writes.

The pace is occasionally a little slower than I'd have preferred—I wanted more answers about Emily's bond with Zack, and to see them put that bond to use in a more intentional way—but I loved the characters here. They feel like real people: smart and complex and with a lot more going on inside their heads than they necessarily let the reader see. Bonus points for a nonwhite, adopted protagonist for whom race is important...but not the most important thing about the book.

I probably won't go looking for the rest of the series, just because of the age-range thing, but if I run across them at any point...all bets are off.

[Flannery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily, a smart, caring young girl, is about to find something that could change her life. Starting with having the same nightmare of drowning for 3 nights in a row and then a big storm and finally her cat starts freaking out, Emily knows somethings out there and hurt. But what? Living on a peninsula in Main, seals sometimes come up onto the beach but her cat never freaks out about it. Follow and Zack as they get to know each other and help Ms.Griswold, a cranky old lady that children fear and make rumors about. But that's not it, Emily and Bobby, a friend of Emily's, have to fight to keep Zack.
I think this book is good for young readers. I thought this book was good because I could visualize it easily.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily has dreams of drowning. Night after night, she's being sucked under---until the third night. She realizes it's not just a dream. It's really happening to someone---or something. On the rocky shore outside her house, Emily finds a large dog. He's barely alive, but she's determined to save him. She can feel his pain---and his determination to live. The dog is brought to the vet. And with Emily's help, he starts to improve. But is the bond between the girl and her dog something more? She can see what he sees, feel what he feels. And Zach seems to be able to read her mind, too. Is it possible that together, Emily and Zach can do more than read each other's minds? Can they turn their powers to helping other people?

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily kept having nightmares that she was drowning. She didn't understand it until the night it was storming and the dream returned. When she awoke she was drawn to her window. She saw or sensed something out on the rocks in the water. It was as if it was pleading for help. Emily and her parents rescue the dog and take him to the vet. The connection between Emily and Zach are so sstrong she knows what he is thinking and feeling. What do these connections mean? This was an enjoyable book but I had a little bit of a problem with the human/dog psychic connection. All in all I would recommend this book for an easy read.

[Natalie]

this book is a fantastic read. emily has dreams of drowning night after night. every night she is being sucked in deeper and deeper. till the third night, she realizes its not just a dream and that it is actually happening to someone or some-thing. younger readers may not be suitable to this book due to the fact they do talk about blood. there is no sexual activity or harsh language, but, i know that alot of parents are not okay with their children hearing about blood and bones sticking out. Also, the book is quite confusing when the doctor/vet gets involved and uses alot of technical terms for words.

[Guadalupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rescue by Nicholas Edwards this book is about a girl that dreams for 3 nights straight about drowning and then she finds out that its not a dream that is really happening to someone somewhere and she finds a dog barely alive outside her house in a rocky shore.I did like this book because it is really cute and interesting how the girl Emily and the dog Zack have a connection together and they together can even save someones life.I recommend this book to the people who love reading books with lots of emotion in to book because this book has lots of emotions in it .

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a children's book, but quite cute. I liked the instant connection between Emily and Zack. It was as if the author couldn't quite decide on how old Emily was supposed to be though. According to the book she was still a couple of months away from turning 12, but she acted a lot older than that. Is it common for students that age to have books like "Jane Eyre" and "Wuthering Heights" on their summer reading lists?

Cute book and a quick read.

[Lisa the Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a really nice dog story. Not as well written as classic dog stories Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grown, but it is enjoyable.

This is also a story of acceptance, friendship and growth. However, these concepts are told in an easy "just part of the story" way.

The story also focuses on adoption and some of the questions that can arise from that situation as well as the positive aspects of being welcome into a family.

This is a great story for dog lovers.

[Sophia F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nicely written book, and a good dog book to read. I also really like how it showed the bond between the girl Emily, and her dog Zachary, (or Rocky). It was another interesting 'spark' in the book how the two main characters could almost telepathically communicate through a variety of pictures and almost scene-like thoughts. I liked it, but it could have had something more happen with with Zach.

[Brianna Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is really sad because this girl keeps having dreams that shes drowning in the ocean... but this dog she finds is the one who keeps drowning! so her and her family take the dog to the vet and the vet doesn't know if the dogs gonna live or die... you can find the rest out if you read the book the rescue by nicholas edwards

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is not that this is a bad story, but Edwards doesn't give his readers much credit- he explains everything. Emily does not speak with an eleven year old girl voice. I think some young girls will like this book because of the ESP between the dog (Zack) and Emily. There are other themes going on in the book - adoption - being biracial, but Edwards doesn't develope them very well.

[Rosaleen Leclair]

Emily has a lot of nightmares of drowning. On the third night she finds a dog he is badly wounded but Emil is determined to save him. soon enough the dog starts to improve. one night when she awoke from her nightmare, she saw that Zack the dog was also having the same nightmare,and it was not her nightmare it was Zack's.
Read the book to find out what happens next!

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emily read this book and then suggested that I read it. I felt that it was a decent young adult story. At times it seemed a little unrealistic and the beginning was slow, but it did hold my attention. The ending was rather dramatic. There were some good sections that dealt with adoption (the main character had been adopted) and fitting in as a biracial family.

[Kandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really sad. It has a lot of graphic such as blood that kind of freaked me out. When he was washed up on the shore and he had a broken rib and leg, it made me feel sorry for the dog and I was like help him. I love dogs and animals so this book was really interesting. I thought that Emily, the owner, and the dog were really good friends and they can also read each others minds.

[Faith Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily was having dreams that she was drowning but it actually was not a dream because someone else was drowning. It was a dog who was drowning and Emily barley saved him and she neutered him back to health. And after he has been fished out of the river Emily have brought him to the vet. Also, this book is a very interesting book.

[Layla Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book.I loved how it was very well detailed. I would love to have a dog like that.the thing that i was upset a is that it does not have another book.I would love to read another like it.

[Jess Faraday · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying this well-written series. Love the African American heroine, the Brave Girl Doing Brave Things, and I always like a good dog story. The later books are better developed in terms of plot and character, but the first one is quite enjoyable as well.

[Paige Mix · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a god book for junior high students. Its a little too immature for high school students I think but it was good. I liked how Emily could help Zack the dog get better and how they really connected.