Book Reviews by Ehlen Administration

Cole's Perfect Puppy by Frances M. Crossno My rating: 4 of 5 stars Cole desperately wants a puppy, and the pot bellied pig his uncle got him for Christmas isn’t cutting it. When a job at the local pet store opens up he jumps at the chance to work towards the beautiful Golden Retriever puppy that still hasn’t been adopted. But will he be able to save enough money to adopt her before someone else will? Cole’s Perfect Puppy is a super cute kid’s book about a little boy who desperately wants his first, frisky puppy. I think any kid will identify with Cole, and his desire to earn the pet he knows will be the perfect fit. Intertwined are some common childhood issues, including that of losing a parent, that spark great conversation for kids who have had to deal with loss and trauma. I was also particularly encouraged that the subject of religion and spirituality was brought in as a way to cope with trauma, as I think that adults often misconstrue the value of that for children. If ...

Dog Gone by Diane Moat My rating: 4 of 5 stars Sam just can’t get the picture of that poor, abused dog out of her mind. Elvis had been tortured and killed cruelly before she found him on the side of the road, and she had to bring his killer to justice, no matter what it took. Can her mission of righteous vengeance succeed, and if it does, will she lose everything in the process? She’s willing to take the chance, even if she has to use extra-legal methods. Dog Gone is a fictionalized story of a very real problem. I was very happy to see real warnings woven into the story, such as never list a dog for free on online classifieds, as that draws dog fighters and baiters. I too am a dog lover, and it infuriates me to see some of the cruelty inflicted on such sweet animals. However, I was a little alarmed that the methods used by Sam to justify the ends were basically written off, as if two wrongs make a right. The story was engaging and the emotion was real, but for a story that was t...