Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to download this title before it was archived

It's very difficult to stay detached when a book tells you from page one that the dog dies. But what a journey until that point - a journey of friendship and unconditional acceptance.

This is one of those stories that will leave you feeling like you're living a richer life for having read it, like Ida B. . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World or There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom or Wonder. Truly, the best dog books should leave you with that feeling, and this falls into that category. It's a book where all the characters evolve and reveal pieces of themselves at intervals throughout, changing your perception of those characters and the archetypes of people that they represent.

I will warn you, as this book does from the beginning, that this is one of those books where the dog dies. That's another hallmark of many a good dog story, though in the best stories, the death of the dog is merely a part of the story of the characters' experience. This book live up to that. In fact, the aftermath is a major element of the story. This story approaches bullying intelligently, approaches children with disabilities honestly, and more than anything attempts to show that we all have our demons in one way or another, and that oftentimes the most difficult part of overcoming our personal obstacles is revealing how we struggle to others.

I can't state it more simply than this: I loved reading this book. I loved it even when it hurt to read a page. It's a story that will stick with me long after reading. I hope that you will read it as well.