Dog

Dog by Michelle Herman   Hardcover: 188 pages

Dog is a novella about a cynical, reclusive poetry professor and her transformative experience adopting a puppy. Though she’s resistant to change at first, the protagonist finds that the emotional space she creates for Phil, the dog, opens things up everywhere: she begins reconsidering the meaning of “goodness” in her life, and she contemplates her past, present, and future with more kindness than she’d ever been able to muster. I enjoyed the changing tone of the professor’s musings as she grew more and more attached to the dog, and appreciated the depictions of her very different academic and domestic selves – a divide everyone can relate to on some level.  Ultimately a story about companionship and possibility, I recommend it if you want a rare feel-good but believable, engaging short book – it didn’t take much time to read, but the story is still hanging around pleasantly in my mind.

 - Aleta L.

The Tiger and the Acrobat

The Tiger and the Acrobat  by Susanna Tamaro   176 pages

Contrary to the old adage not to judge a book by its cover, I was drawn to this slim novel solely because of the beautiful drawing of a tiger on the cover.

The book follows the life of Little Tiger, a Siberian Tiger who struggles to understand the meaning of being a “true tiger;” her musings about the world take her on an unexpected and unconventional journey through life. Written as an allegory, the story is punctuated throughout with pearls of wisdom about innocence, trust, freedom, and following one’s dreams. “Sad are those lives who never meet a wall to climb.”                       

Posted By:  Regina C. 

The Mountaintop School For Dogs and other second chances

The Mountaintop School For Dogs and other second chances by Ellen Cooney
293 Pages


"The Sanctuary. High up on the mountain, the Sanctuary is a place of refuge. It is a place where humans save dogs, who, in turn, save the humans. It is a place where the past does not exist, where hopelessness is chased away, where the future hasn't been written, where orphans and strays can begin to imagine a new meaning for "family." Evie is making her way to the Sanctuary. She has lied to gain entry. She has pretended to know more than she does about dogs, but she is learning fast. Once the indomitable Mrs. Auberchon lets her pass, she will find her way. Like the racing greyhound who refuses to move, the golden retriever who returns to his job as the Sanctuary's butler every time he's adopted, and the Rottweiler who's a hopeless candidate for search-and-rescue, Evie comes from a troubled past. But as they all learn, no one should stay prisoner to a life she didn't choose. This is the story of two women and a whole pack of dogs who, having lost their way in the world, find a place at a training school-and radical rescue center-called the Sanctuary. It is a story of strays and rescues, kidnappings and homecomings, moving on and holding on and letting go. And it is, ultimately, a moving and hilarious chronicle of the ways in which humans and canines help each other find new lives, new selves, and new hope."

A charming novel with excellent development of dog characters.  If you are a dog lover you'll like this book.

East

East by Edith Pattou, 498 pages 

East is a lengthy retelling of the classic fairy tale "East of the Sun and West of the Moon."  The likeable protagonist Rose is a north born child.  This means she is destined for traveling, wandering ways and adventure.  It also means she is a bit of a challenge to her parents who had hoped she would be a biddable East born daughter.   Switching perspectives between Rose, her brother, and her father allows the reader to see Rose from the vantage point of those who love her.  Unfortunately, these added perspectives slow down the pacing of the book and do not contribute enough to the plot to make their presence necessary.  The only shifting perspective that really adds anything to Rose's story is that of the White Bear.  The reader first means the mysterious White Bear when it rescues Rose from a frozen lake as a toddler.  Over the years, the connection between girl and bear grows, until one night the White Bear appears at Rose's front door and offers to take her away in exchange for a life free of want for her parents and siblings.  Despite her family's objections, Rose goes with the White Bear not only to save them but because of her own wanderlust and the strange connection she feels with the bear.

The story then slows down considerably as Rose and the White Bear live together in a hidden mountain lodge which she thinks of as a castle.  She relates her daily life in the castle as it is filled with sewing beautiful gowns, learning to communicate with the bear, enjoying his instrument room, and sleeping with a mysterious, unidentified stranger each night.  Oh, and there are trolls and a strange troll drink called slank that manages to enrapture any who consume it.  The action doesn't pick up again until Rose decides to stay up one night to figure out her bedfellow.  By the light of her candle, she realizes the man who shares her bed is none other than the White Bear in man form!  Then, she drops the tallow on his shirt,  harkening for the Troll Queen to come claim her prize.  The man is whisked away, and Rose is left alone and lonely.  She immediately embarks on a epic journey across land, snow and ice to reunite with her White Bear.  This is by far the most engaging part of the book as Rose encounters a variety of characters along the way from Njord (Norway) and Fransk (France) to Greenland and Huldre (the troll kingdom) and finds her own courage and strength as she battles the elements for survival.  She eventually reunites with the White Bear now known as Myk (in human form).  I won't give away any more of the ending in case anyone is unfamiliar with the tale, but let's just say I was a little disappointed.  In addition to all her other life skills, it seems Rose's two most important attributes are her ability to sew well and wash garments.  People interested in reading all possible fairy tale retellings might be interested in reading East, otherwise this version does little to improve on the original. 

Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal

by Mary Roach, 352 pages.

Gulp takes us on a journey through the strange history of human digestion.  If the human stomach can break down the things I eat, why doesn't it also eat itself?   Who decides which parts of an animal are tasty, and which are inedible?  What's the purpose of saliva, and why is it always falling out of my mouth when I see a pizza commercial?

Gulp was a really interesting read, and Roach's writing is very accessible and often hilarious.

Animal lovers beware: many chapters highlight the terrible things humans have done to animals in the name of science.  Yikes.

Forever

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater 390 pages

The final book in the Mercy Falls wolves trilogy manages to mostly wrap the story up pretty well but before we get to that conclusion, Sam, Grace, Cole and Isabel have to fight to save the wolves from destruction.  Isabel’s father is still working to secure the right to kill the pack and it looks as though he will succeed.  Cole is still trying to find a way to permanently cure the humans who are turning into wolves.  Grace is still hiding from her parents and friends and Sam is struggling with the idea that he may be able to see Beck in human form again, as Cole says.  Although the ending was still a kind of uncertain about some parts, other parts were very satisfactory.   Overall, a good series that most teen fantasy lovers, especially girls, would enjoy.