The Dog, Ray
This review can also be found at Carole's Random LifeIt has been almost forever since I picked up a book written for middle grade children. I decided to grab this one largely because of the awesome cover and the fact that I am a complete nut when it comes to dogs didn't hurt. This ended up being a nice quick read that I think a lot of readers will really enjoy.
I was a little worried that this was going to be a sad book since the dog in the book was a little girl until she died but it really wasn't at all. We don't get to know Daisy until she dies in the accident and the afterworld was honestly a bit odd. The way that her transformation from little girl to dog was handled wasn't emotional. If anything, I felt Daisy's confusion about what was happening.
I did feel poorly for the dog in her first home where she isn't really treated as a member of the family. She is kept outside tied to a doghouse and really doesn't get a lot of quality time. She remembers her life as Daisy and wants to see her parents. She dreams of finding them. The only person that really treats her well is the homeless man at the park, Jack, who talks to her and pets her when he can.
When she finally gets the opportunity to escape, she does and finds her place with Pip, a homeless boy. Pip names her Ray and the story really takes off. These two have an incredible bond and it was nice to see how much they truly cared for each other. Pip and Ray embark on a journey to find Pip's father and hopefully a home.
This book had a lot of great moments. I liked the fact that it was told from the perspective of the dog, Ray. There were a lot of interesting characters and a few heartfelt scenes. I would recommend this story to middle grade readers that love a good animal story.
I received an advance reader edition of this book from Candlewick Press via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
Interesting concept that should appeal to dog lovers. Middle grade readers should enjoy this one.