Just a Dog

Gr 4–6—Bauer pulls no punches in this story about a loyal dog and his family. Warm, fuzzy, and funny moments abound, but the going gets rough in the last few chapters, when life and love prove just how messy and painful these feelings can be. The narrator is young Corey Ingram, and thanks to Bauer's adept style, the book reads very much like a boy's endearing, rambling recollection of misadventures with a beloved pet. Mr. Mosely is a Great Dane mix, a well-intentioned bull in a china shop entirely devoted to his people. The heartbreak begins when Moe is hit by a car; he recovers, but the accident itself and the moments after are gut-wrenching. Moe later succumbs to cancer, and the family's efforts to care for him in his last days are strikingly tender. At the same time, Corey's parents are having struggles of their own, and the tension comes to a head in the backyard over the dog's body. There is no tidy, happy ending. Corey's parents remain together, but the relationship is uneasy. Corey recalls Moe's serene personality and vows that he, too, will wait and hope for good things to come. Kids experiencing similar stressors will find honest company in this unflinching story of the risks and rewards of all kinds of relationships.—Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR