Shannon's Library

LET’S GET EXCITED ABOUT THIS BOOK!

Brodie was a good dog. And good dogs are supposed to spend the afterlife in peace. It’s perfect: dogs as far as the eye can see, with endless room to run, huge ponds to splash in, and all the smells you could ever want to smell. But Brodie can’t enjoy it. As wonderful as it seems, he can’t forget the boy he left behind – the boy he loved and who loved him in return. The boy who is still in danger. So Brodie breaks the rules. He returns to the land of the living. It’s a dangerous place for a spirit to linger, but Brodie is determined to find and save his boy. Even if it costs him paradise. Even if he loses his eternal soul. Because that’s what a good dog would do.

Shannon’s Rating — PG (If you’re planning to read this one with children, be aware that there is an abusive father in the story. I talked about that in depth with Ty before having him start the book.)

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LET’S TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK!

Once upon a time there was a dog named, Chester. He was a good dog. Nay. He was a great dog. After happily living with his family for almost 13 years, it was time for Chester to move on. Saying goodbye to Chester was almost too much for his family to bear. It broke all of their hearts. But amongst all the sorrow, there was a tremendous amount of gratitude. Chester’s family felt very blessed to have been given such a long time with such a good dog. And good dogs go to heaven.

My son, Ty, and I decided to read “Good Dog,” by Dan Gemeinhart together – since we are some of the more passionate dog lovers of our family. We also still miss our Chester dearly, even though he’s been gone over two years. Little did I know that I was about to read one of my favorite books of the year – if not of all time! Yes, I said that. “Good Dog” really was THAT good!

Now, a quick disclaimer. If you don’t enjoy middle grade novels and if you don’t love dogs – then this might not be a book you will love. But, if you DO appreciate a well-done middle grade novel and if you have or have ever owned a good dog, then I can almost guarantee you’ll love this story!

Since losing Chester, I’ve often pondered what the afterlife means for dogs. I refuse to believe that when I said goodbye to Chester that sad, sad day, that it was a forever goodbye. That just doesn’t feel right. Really good dogs become part of our families. Part of our lives. Part of our souls. And dogs like that MUST be eternal. Right? Well, Dan Gemeinhart’s version of the doggie afterlife is possibly my most favorite and the one I’ve chosen to believe exists. If you have a good dog that you’ve had to say goodbye to – I highly recommend reading this book. Just for this reason.

Now, for those of you that haven’t had to grieve the loss of a beloved dog – still read this book! It’s full of adventure, heart, friendship, suspense, comradery, hope, laughter and most of all – love. When middle grade novels are done right, I often feel like parts of them are wasted on young readers. Don’t get me wrong, Ty loved “Good Dog.” But I’m certain he missed a lot of the beauty and the poetry which was expertly woven into this sweet story, and which touched my heart.

“In death, just like in life, sometimes there is a reaching out. One soul stretching across the darkness toward another. It can be a scary feeling if you are the one doing the reaching. A lonely feeling. But when, out of the blackness, you feel that other soul reaching out to you too…well, that is the best feeling. Believe me. At the end of it all, maybe, it is the only feeling.

When I finished reading this book, I sat on the couch in my library with tears streaming down my face for a few minutes. Ty sat next to me watching in concern. When I was done crying, Ty asked me if I didn’t like the book since it made me cry. I tried to explain to him that it was actually quite the opposite. I loved this book BECAUSE it made me cry. I love books that make me feel all the feels. Joy and sorrow. Laughter and suspense. Grief and hope. “Good Dog” made me feel everything – and because of that, I loved it.

I hope you love it too.

Now, if you excuse me, I need to go give my dog, Reggie, a hug. Is Reggie a good dog, like Chester, you ask? Well, Reggie is only 1 1/2 years old and he’s on his way to becoming a good dog. But one thing is for sure. He definitely has big shoes to fill!