Entering the enchanting world of "Stella" was like opening a treasure chest filled with warmth, courage, and the unbreakable bond between a furry friend and her humans. McCall Hoyle's exquisite storytelling, combined with the sweet and adorable cover that beckons with promises of heartwarming moments, weaves a tale that tugged at my heartstrings, making me shed tears and leaving me with a heart full of smiles.

Stella, a former service beagle with a heart as big as her adorable eyes, takes center stage in this poignant narrative. Trained to use her keen sense of smell to sniff out explosives, Stella's world is shattered when she misses a critical scent during a security inspection, leading to a devastating explosion that takes her beloved human handler. The aftermath leaves Stella grappling with guilt, anxiety, and a fear of loud noises, eventually retiring her from service.

The vivid descriptions paint a canvas of emotions, allowing readers to feel the weight of Stella's heartache, her struggles with anxiety, and the resilience that makes her journey so compelling. The cover, with Stella's expressive eyes gazing into the distance, beautifully captures the essence of the story—innocence, vulnerability, and the potential for healing through love.

Stella's quest for a forever home is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming. Hoyle masterfully delves into Stella's psyche, presenting her fears and insecurities with a tenderness that resonates. The families who attempt to foster Stella add layers of humor and understanding, showcasing the challenges and joys of welcoming a scared, yet inherently lovable, beagle into their lives.

Esperanza, the expert dog trainer, emerges as a beacon of hope for Stella. The narrative deftly explores the themes of courage, compassion, friendship, and the transformative power of love. As Stella bonds with Chloe, a young human with epilepsy, the story takes an uplifting turn. The connection Stella forges with Chloe is beautifully portrayed, and the revelation of Stella's unique ability to sense impending seizures adds a layer of depth to the narrative.

The choice to tell the story from Stella's perspective is a stroke of genius. Through Stella's eyes, ears, and, most importantly, her nose, readers experience a dog's world filled with sensory wonders and emotional nuances. This narrative choice enriches the storytelling, making it relatable and engaging, especially for younger readers who adore animals.

While the journey is filled with poignant moments, there are also instances of joy and laughter that sprinkle lightness into the narrative. Stella's antics, quirks, and the delightful chaos she brings to her foster families add a touch of humor, making the story accessible to a broad audience.

In conclusion, "Stella" is an endearing novel that encapsulates the magic of unconditional love, resilience, and the extraordinary bonds that form between humans and their furry companions. McCall Hoyle crafts a timeless tale that transcends age, inviting readers into Stella's world and leaving them with a heartwarming reminder of the power of compassion and courage.

This book is a treasure for anyone who cherishes stories of love, loyalty, and the transformative impact of finding one's place in a family. 🌈🐶💕

Really enjoyed reading this book with my 7 and 9 yr old advanced readers. We loved the emotional ups and downs of the story and how Stella had to battle her own fears to be the best dog she could be. The connection between Cloe and Stella was so sweet. We loved the progression of friendship and trust that was formed between the two characters. My children loved the various plot twists and the uncertainty that kept popping up whenever Stella found herself in a precarious situation. We all wished that Vern’s nephews would have been handed severe punishments in the story vs it being eluded to.

Overall this was a wonderful read that we really enjoyed together. It reminded of us what a special bond there is between animals and humans.

Hey folks, daddy Steve here with some doggiebooks talk. Been a while since my last report, over a month really, but it’s not because I’ve stopped reading. I have seven books finished that I need to write about. I just decided to keep on reading during my free time instead of reporting back here, heh. 🤷‍♂️

Here’s a very sweet one, Stella by McCall Hoyle. This book is for young readers, recommended to young ones between 8 and 11 years of age but often, these are my favorite book. Young readers doesn’t mean stupid readers. This story about a retired bomb sniffing dog is simply endearing and oh so sweet.

It’s all written through the dog’s point of view. Poor little Stella, she feels so bad about letting down her handler and she tries to show that she can be of use to this new little hooman.

Read the synopsis and tell me you don’t want to read this book. Read it with your young ones. Little girls will especially fall for the bond between Stella and Cloe, her new little human...

This one is a highly recommended read for any dog lover and especially with people who love working dogs...

Huge thanks to NetGalley who provided a free eBook advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This is as honest as it gets...

#Malcolmstories #doggiebooks
#Stella #NetGalley

My Review: Being an animal lover and a rescue dog lover, I could not resist this book. This was a much more emotional journey I ever expected, especially being told from Stella, the dog's, point of view. Poor Stella goes through quite a bit in her little life, but she never looses that love of people and that wanting to be a good dog. I also love the way Hoyle was able to bring in a bit of diversity with a character with epilepsy into the story, some young readers will really be able to connect with her. We also get a bit of a connection with mental health issues through Stella herself, another wonderful way to connect to readers in a different way. This was really a beautiful story and I hope so many other readers will give it a chance and pick it up, young and old alike.

My Rating: I really enjoyed this book and can't recommend it enough, it hits you with all the feelings and gives such hope. I give it a rating of Four Paws!

Absolutely powerful story. As a dog lover, it showcased so many reasons why dogs are amazing. I would recommend this story to anyone who's a dog lover. Hell, I'd recommend this to anyone who's not a dog lover.

This sweet novel is told from the perspective of Stella, a service dog. Stella is a beagle and has a hard time when she misses the scent of an explosive that kills her handler. Because she is so traumatized, Stella bounces from Pet foster home to foster home. Eventually, Stella is given one last chance a service dog when she is paired with Chloe a young girl with epilepsy. Stella knows that she must figure out a way to help Chloe. Can she help stop the seizures, help the girl’s family understand when one is coming or will she end up in complete retirement? This is an emotional novel, one that helps readers understand that there are many things service dogs can be trained to do. This is a wonderful book to teach empathy, overcoming anxiety, and friendship. It is a must read!
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I received this book as an ARC through Netgalley as well as had the opportunity to read via the author & publisher as a part of #BookPosse. Thank you!

Told from a dog's POV, Stella is a beagle service dog who uses her sense of smell to locate explosives. When the unthinkable happens and she loses her handler Connie, Stella has no choice but to be re-homed. Not only is she missing Connie, but she has PTSD and is confused why she is being moved to different places with different people. When Esperanza, a close friend of Connie's, decides to take her in for rehabilitation, Stella quickly forms a bond with her young daughter Cloe. With her help, Stella manages to battle her fears of doubt and loud noises. When another tragedy occurs, will Stella be able to overcome her anxiety and despair to get the help Cloe desperately needs?

I thought the author did a great job with showing the reader an animal's POV through a difficult time. The book was emotional and sad at times, but it also brings hope that Stella will eventually find her way back to her purpose in life.

Thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.

Today is a FANTASTIC day! "Stella" by McCall Hoyle has been released today. I was THRILLED to have the opportunity to review an advanced readers copy and post my review today. I think finding books for use in the clinical setting is often hardest in the middle grades age range but Stella is certainly an exception. I have been chomping at the bit to share this book with you and ideas for use in therapeutic bibliotherapy.

Stella is a service dog who is extremely attached to her handler, Connie. After a terrible explosion, Connie is injured and Stella is left alone with a new diagnosis of PTSD. Every new placement Stella moves to is quickly disrupted due to her digging, aggression, and anxiety-related behaviors. Stella wants to have a purpose again but begins to lose hope in herself. As a last chance, Stella is sent to live with an experienced dog trainer who also happens to be the parent of a girl named Chloe with epilepsy. Stella discovers that she is able to smell oncoming seizures and, through this service to Chloe, discovers hope, confidence, and a second chance.

The book is engaging, exciting, and beautifully written. I'm confident that many readers will find themselves rooting for this little beagle hero. In the clinical setting, Stella is an ideal illustration of trauma from acute stress symptoms to disruptive and intrusive symptoms and, finally, through the discovery of a way forward. There is no magic wand as Stella has to slowly learn awareness and forgiveness. Stella's journey to recovery is not always linear, as is often the case with trauma recovery. I found myself dividing the books into sections that correspond beautifully with the typical progression of TF-CBT modules. I highly encourage trauma therapists or those who love a middle-grader struggling with PTSD-symptoms, to explore Stella. By using a beagle as the main character, the author is able to introduce more mature concerns related to trauma symptoms in a manner that is developmentally appropriate and palatable.

Happy book release day to McCall Hoyle and her amazing new release Stella! As always, I appreciate Netgalley for providing the opportunity to write an honest review.

Stella, a beagle, used her strong scent skills in her job as a chemical sniffing dog at airports until a mistake cost the life of her handler and best friend. Traumatized and suffering from ptsd, Stella is moved between different foster family as they try to help and rehabilitate her. Given a last chance on a farm with a mother and daughter, Stella must try her best to be a good dog, despite the fears that keep tripping her up.

Told from the perspective of the dog herself, Stella is a curious, friendly dog who blames herself for her human's death. It's fascinating to read the book from Stella's perspective. She views the world through her strong nose and through her attachments to the humans she loves. Stella also drops tips throughout the book on the best ways to communicate with, interact with, and train dogs. Life is simpler for dogs, but Stella needs to overcome her fears, find a new purpose in life, and try to communicate with humans who don't understand her.

Stella's new human is a young girl with epilepsy. Chloe doesn't have any friends, but has lots of time to spend training, playing with, and loving Stella. Given all her help, perhaps Stella can do the impossible and help Chloe in return.

There were some parts in this book that had me near tears. They were good emotional moments. Stella is so sweet and innocent and needs such a big hug. This is a book for dog lovers of all ages. The story touched on some sensitive topics, like death, euthanizing, and epilepsy. Not in too much detail on any topic, but enough to bring up the topics on a children's (and dog's) level.

I highly recommend this book for everyone. It's a perfect, sweet, heartwarming read.
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you are a dog lover, you'll enjoy this look at life from the view of a beagle. From a puppy, Stella was trained to sniff out chemicals/bombs. When she misses one and there's an explosion, she suffers from the trauma and has severe anxiety with loud noises.

After moving through 3 homes, she is still a mess and they have almost given up on her. When Cloe takes a chance on her, things begin to change. Her anxiety begins to drop and she comes to learn that Cloe's body gives off a certain smell before she has a seizure. But she has to find a way to alert the family to this, as they don't know her "alert" cues. When a disaster on the farm almost becomes tragic, Stella gets the chance to overcome her fears and anxiety and possibly save Cloe's life.

This was a fun look from the view of a dog. I'm not really a dog person, but I still enjoyed this sweet story. I will share this one with my kids as well. Clean and uplifting story.

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story is told by a dog named Stella. After making a mistake sniffing out explosives, she is too anxiety ridden to continue as a working dog. She has trouble settling into a new home. She's just scared and unhappy. Then Stella meets Cloe, a human little girl that adopts her. Then she smells something wrong about Cloe....maybe she can become a new kind of service dog if she can just figure out how to get Cloe's family to understand there is something wrong.

What a lovely middle grade book! I loved having the story told from the dog's perspective. It would be frustrating to know something so important and not be able to easily communicate!

Wonderful book! I'm going to buy this for my granddaughter! She will love it! Such a heartwarming story!

This is the first book I've read by McCall Hoyle.I definitely want to read more!

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Shadow Mountain Publishing. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Stories of anthropomorphized animals are as old as Aesop’s Fables. McCall Hoyle adds a lovely voice to the mix with the story of Stella, a beagle who must overcome trauma from an unfortunate incident during her bomb-sniffing days and learn a different way to serve. Told from the dog’s perspective, this is wonderfully written and poignant.

This beautiful story will appeal to dog lovers and those who are fond of animal stories. It is perfect for the target audience. Despite its serious tone, it gets neither too sad nor too scary. My little 4th grader will really enjoy this one.

Stella is a middle-grade book about a bomb-sniffing beagle who makes a mistake at the airport, and it leaves her homeless, and results in Stella struggling with anxiety and PTSD.

It is told through Stella’s POV, and for lack of a better word, it was super cute! McCall Hoyle really captures what might be a dog’s thoughts. I related well to this dialogue that Stella carries throughout the book because I think as anyone who’s ever owned an animal, well you speak as you would imagine they are thinking.

I have read Ms. Hoyle’s two previous novels, and I was curious about Stella. I was not disappointed, even though I am not a regular middle-grade reader the story kept my interest, and I even forgot that Stella was just a bomb-sniffing beagle!

My gratitude to Shadow Mountain and Netgalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

So wonderful! Hoyle tackles some really difficult, intense topics with care and love. Stella is a delight--both my 10yo daughter and were fully engrossed. This is a perfect fit for classrooms, libraries and bedtimes!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is as obsessed with dogs as i am. Your age does not matter, you are guaranteed to enjoy this book.

My name is Stella. I'm a beagle, and I was born to sniff. And that's what I do.

Sometimes are pets can show us how to be human in a good way. We had a dog that like and reading about Stella, I thought about our dog KC. Because of that, this was a difficult read at times because Stella was having a difficult time after her handler was killed doing the work of sniffing out bombs, chemicals, etc at airports. Told by Stella's perspective, she was having a hard time adjusting to being a dog because she failed her human. Let me tell you again, sometimes our dogs reveal what weighs heavy on our heart. Stella's handler Connie was well liked in her community so others were concerned about Stella. Again, it was emotional read on how Stella wanted to be the good dog that she knew she was.

Friends of Connie, mother and daughter Esperanza and Cloe have a sheep farm that they tend to. Esperanza knows the task of curing Stella will take a firm and loving hand to cure Stella of her fears. Cloe and Stella bond right away and their adventure brings healing to both of them.

If you love a good dog book and people book, this will give you the emotional coaster ride that is hard to forget. Hard to forget because it is so close to the heart! Highly recommend.

A special thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

Spoiler/Trigger Warning: They almost put Stella to sleep. They don't but the threat is credible and I hate a sad dog book. I got over that though and really liked this story. It has real dog training facts, a little adventure, and Stella is re-trained into another kind of service animal and lives happily ever after.

I got this for my 11 year old daughter. Here is her review:
I LOVED this book!! It was sometimes sad, sometimes funny and sometimes sad. It had a little bit of everything in it. I liked how it was told in the dogs point of view- I thought that made it fun and unique. It was easy to read and it kept my interest the whole time. I liked the ending because it was happy. I would recommend this book to all my friends.

Stella is a sweet story about redemption and recovery from a dog's point of view. Stella was a bomb-sniffing pro until she made a mistake and her handler was killed. Since then she has been shuffled from one trial home to another, but her anxiety and PTSD make it hard for her to adjust. When she gets one more chance, she begins to bond with 11-year-old Cloe, who has epilepsy. Stella's powerful nose can tell when Cloe needs help, but can Stella learn to communicate Cloe's needs?
Readers will fall in love with Stella and Cloe, and cheer for these two and their family on the sheep farm. Full of humor, suspense, and tenderness, it's a book that is hard to put down.
Thank you to #NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for sharing an advanced e-copy of Stella with me!

Stella is a beagle who is trained to sniff out chemicals in explosives. One day she gets distracted causing her to miss a scent and an explosion occurs. Her handler passes away in the incident and Stella is traumatized by the event. She is passed on to many foster families who can’t handle her anxiety, until expert dog trainer, Esperanza, and her daughter, Cloe, decide they want to try to help. Cloe has epilepsy and also a unique scent that Stella connects to Cloe’s seizures. Stella tries to convince her new owners that she can be a new kind of service dog for Cloe.

I loved that this book was told from Stella's point of view. Typically I don't enjoy books written from animals' perspectives, but knowing Stella's thoughts, feelings and frustrations added a lot to the plot and the theme.

The story follows a timeline that middle grade readers will be able to read and follow easily. There were a few flashbacks/memories and some foreshadowing that make it perfect for a 2nd-4th grade audience.

Stella and Cloe are lovable characters and readers will be caught up in the action with them. I found that even though the story was predictable, I still felt some suspense and wanted to know how everything turned out.

Even though the story is told by a dog, I think Stella's anxiety and fear from a traumatic experience is something kids can relate to. I also think that her bravery, loyalty and perseverance are traits that readers can learn from and apply to their own lives.

Stella is perfect for animal lovers and middle grade readers and I'm very excited to add it to my classroom library!