This sweet book was about a dog whose owner died in an explosion. The dog, Stella, is now frightened of anything that booms or thunders. Her previous owners haven't helped her much, but then she meets Cloe and regains hope. Since it's told in Stella's perspective, the book is funnier, and more serious sometimes. It's an amazing book, perfect for readers ages 9-12.

A beautifully illustrated book packed with emotion.

Any dog-lover will adore this book, especially those with rescue dogs. Stella is vulnerable, but also brave. Kids and grownups alike will empathize and connect with this little beagle with a big heart.

- thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc for an honest review.

this was so cute!! i love how the dog is the narrator and i now want a physical copy to give my little sister for christmas.

I cried tears of joy as I read STELLA, a heart-grabbing story told from the POV of an injured service dog. The beagle has one last chance to be adopted after she develops PTSD following an explosion that kills her handler. Retired from service, she fails with one adoptive family after another. But an expert trainer has faith in her, and Stella so badly wants to be useful again.

Her match with young Chloe and her family proves a godsend. Stella can smell chemicals released before Chloe has an epileptic attack, and just as Stella’s gift saves Chloe, the girl’s love saves Stella. That precious cover captures the sweetness of their bond. A must-read for middle graders or anyone awed by the canine-human connection.

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 02 Mar 2021
#Stella #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Shadow Mountain Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

This is a middle grade book told by a dog named Stella. Stella is trying to get over explosive chemical mistake and during that event her handler got killed. Stella is having some major anxiety issues, and she is going through new owners. I loved Stella has a character because I love seeing things for the eyes of a dog. I did wish Stella talked to the our dogs in this book. Stella was a great character, and this is a great book. I will be buying this book for my daughter and the school library. This is a great middle grade book from 3rd grade and higher (even adults). I think adults can learn to slow down and see things from other points of view while reading this book, and there are many other messages in this book. I loved the ending of this book so much. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Shadow Mountain) or author (McCall Hoyle) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that. This book is schedule to be release on March 2-2021.

Simply lovely! Stella is a wonderful, heartfelt story about a dog with PTSD and the girl who helps her rediscover her purpose and her joy.

Readers will love that the story is told from the dog's point of view, and teachers will love the depth of detail the author provides about working dogs, service dogs, dog training, and facing your fears.

The steady pace and relatable characters make it an engaging and enjoyable read. A must for any library.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Short synopsis: Stella is a beagle that used to be a working dog at the airport. However, after an accident at the airport, she never sees Connie again. Soon, the pound places her in multiple foster homes but none of them work out. She then gets taken to a farm where Esperanza and her daughter Cloe live. Stella forms a special bond with Cloe. However, will Stella get to stay with them or will Esperanza send her back to the pound? And what will Stella do when Cloe needs her the most? Read this book to find out!
My opinions: I thought this book was cute, but a bit boring. Also, I feel like the storyline was suitable for middle-grade readers but the writing style felt younger. (However, this could be due to the fact the book is written from the viewpoint of a dog.)

Man's best friend is always a great attention grabber especially for young readers, but a story from a dog's perspective is engaging and a great change up from the usual. I was immediately sucked into Stella's story and her sweet doggy point of view. Her descriptions and explanations of human behavior is endearing and cute, while still conveying the frustration at the misunderstanding between humans and hounds. Why don't the humans understand something so simple, you find yourself wondering, before realizing you're 100% thinking like Stella.

The book Stella covers PTSD in a way children can understand, as well as living with a difficult condition like epilepsy. It is a great overview in children's terms for service dogs, while still being an entertaining read that captures the imagination and is a bit of a throwback for older readers to a childhood of pretending to be our favorite animals.

Adorable, engaging, and covertly educational - Stella is a great read that moves to my recommended for all ages shelf immediately.

*I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This is such a darling middle grade book about overcoming your fear, learning from your mistakes, and--of course--dogs! This book is told from a dog's point of view, which makes it a very fun and interesting read. Stella is a beagle who is now without a true home following a horrific incident with her owner. As a working dog, Stella feels personally responsible for her previous owner's death and wonders if she can ever be a good dog again. Then by an incredible stroke of luck Stella is sent to live temporarily with dog trainer Esperanza and her daughter, Cloe. Cloe and Stella hit it off from the start, but can Stella prove that she's the perfect best friend for her new human? This book has so many wonderful themes that readers will resonate with. Anyone who loves animals is sure to love Stella!

Stella is a working dog that a
sniffs out bomb chemicals at an airport, when an unfortunate event occurs. Her handler goes away and she is forced to go to other people who can't handle her anxiety. Eventually she is fortunate enough to run into an experienced trainer and her daughter who want to give her one more chance. Stella proves herself in a different capacity.
I read this with my 8 year old and while it was tough in some places, both of us enjoyed the book.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for our opinion.

The connection between a dog and a girl is one filled with love. And Stella and Chloe have that kind of connection. You will find yourself rooting for Stella. You will find yourself cheering for Chloe. And you will find yourself falling in love with them both. This is a story of bravery and overcoming challenges. It's a story of taking risks and finding acceptance. For every reader who has ever loved a dog, this story will warm your heart.

Imagine being a dog that has lost your person. Imagine it being because you made a mistake or couldn't do what you were trained to fast enough. What would happen when the people around you tried to find you a new home? Would you be scared? Would you be aggressive? How might you behave?

I must say I am not a big animal lover, I can take them or leave them most of the time. However, I loved this story. Written from the dog's perspective, it gave some remarkable insight into what the dog might be thinking. or feeling. It takes us through the dog's training with a new family and a new purpose to help her new girl.

I fell in love with the story and the characters and loved seeing the world through Stella's point of view. I think it is something that anyone can relate to and can be a help for those experiencing grief and change.

Heartwarming story told from the point of view of the beagle named Stella. Trained to sniff out explosives, when her trainer dies in explosion, she is fearful of loud noises. After having 3 foster homes she goes to live with a dog trainer and her daughter, Cloe. Cloe trains with Stella, falls in love with Stella which is good because through all her fears, Stella becomes Cloe's protector, even being able to predict Cloe's epilepsy seizures. Solid characters unfold in this quick read.

I have no words for how amazing Stella is. The titular character, Stella, is a bomb dog suffering from PTSD after an explosion and her struggles as she learns to love another human and use her skills in a different way. I coerced my own beagle to snuggle with me about halfway through reading this delightful book and then couldn't stop crying. The author clearly has a deep understanding of dogs and I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

This book is so good. I could not stop crying. Maybe I'm a sucker for hero dog stories but I just loved it! I'd definitely recommend this book to kids that love dogs.

Heartwarming story about a dog with PTSD. Stella was a working dog at the airport when a bomb goes off. Stella's handler is killed and while Stella survives the bombing, she has PTSD as a result.

Cloe is a young child with epilepsy. Stella tries to warn Cloe's mother when Cloe is about to have a seizure. It is frustrating for me, as a reader, to see the humans not paying attention to Stella when she tries to take care of Cloe.

Finally, Cloe's mother starts to understand that Cloe was trying to warn her about the coming seizures before it happened.

Overall, it is a wonderful story.